Interview with MP Damien Kurek: Part 1

nhop.ca This is the first of two videos in which MP Damien Kurek discusses with Chris how the Young Christian Leaders Summit and the National Prayer Breakfast have influenced his life. He was just 19 years old when he first attended these events. Now, as an MP and the chair of the Young Christian Leaders Summit, he says that engaging...

Transcript

hi everybody it's Chris VI the director of the national House of Prayer coming to you today from Damian Kirk's MP Damien Kirk's office here on Parliament H uh Damien is the member from Battle River croot in Alberta he's also part of the planning committee for the young leaders Summit and today we're going to talk about his connection with the young leader Summit as a young man and how it brought it here full circle almost full circle it's really quite amazing this story so anyway Damian it's so awesome to talk to you today can you just say what motivated you to take the initial step to becoming a part of the young leaders Summit thanks Chris and I'm very

very pleased to be able to join you and talk a little bit about the uh young Christian leader Summit and yeah it's one of those those steps and of course you know as a as a Christian and as a leader and as as now as an MP you you look back and and see moments in time where you can say oh that that helped put you on the path that led to being elected led to you know various things in life and one of the things that was very impactful for me early in my life uh was was uh just out of high school attending Bible College at the time uh and always having had a passion for Canada passion for politics it volunteered on on on some local election campaigns for both Federal and

provincial candidates um I I learned about the national cour breakfast and uh and had had had signed up for that I think I was 19 years old and uh had had had this opportunity was going to travel across the country to go to the National foray breakfast a gathering of Christian leaders from coast to coast I thought that was that was an amazing thing then I learned along with the National Prayer Breakfast there was this opportunity uh and what what is known as the young Christian leader Summit this this Gathering of of of young Christian leaders on Parliament Hill affiliated with the national par breast I thought oh that's perfect I i' kind of consider myself as part of that category and uh

so I I made the track across the country and that 3-day Summit in correlation with the National Prayer Breakfast was hugely impactful having a chance to meet with other young Christian leaders people who are passionate about their faith and passionate about making a difference in our country and seeing the Synergy that existed in the possibilities that existed between those two things and then then to hear inspiring speakers and and meet with parliamentarians from all all political parties and to see what what type of political involvement was possible truly uh opened some some uh some doors that that I'm not sure that I would have even realized existed had I

not had that chance you know when I was 19 years old uh to to to get involved and then as it turned out about a decade later I would be running for office myself and I look back and and and there's a number of things that um that kind of set set me on that path I can look back and say okay that was impactful in my journey leading to uh ultimately running for office but being able to attend the National Prayer Breakfast the leadership dinner and spend uh that that 3 days with other young Christian leaders hearing from from from those who are passionate about both their faith and our country was was truly something that helped build the foundation for uh for both uh uh the step of running for

office but also I think uh uh as as we've been able to see uh a legacy of being able to see the Christians get invol in politics that's awesome you know this past uh prayer breakfast leaders Summit was such an exciting time we've already shared a couple of times it was the biggest one in in its history coming up to 60 years and our Marilyn and I our interaction with the young leaders was just so exciting Marilyn and I are are former youth pastors and you never kind of lose that bug so to be working and speaking and conversations with young people is so exciting for us and there was a great group this year it was twice as big as last year can you can you describe a more a memorable

experience or a significant moment uh during your time as as a delegate that made a lasting impact to you yeah great question and and the whole event was fantastic we saw a great turnout and uh and too it was interesting because uh like my experience when I was 19 uh it was interesting how many last minute registrations we got because people only after registering for the prayer breakfast realized that this existed and uh and so very exciting to see that there's so much so we can build on but a couple of the moments that I think are stand out to me as being very impactful is uh uh when when having some chats with some of the attendees uh of of the young Christian leader Su uh in in the

the uh at the registration table a few familiar faces those who have been there last year and a few new faces and hearing how um in those who had been there before the growth that had taken place from last year to this year was truly inspiring that's awes and to know that that uh that God is working in their life but also to to hear that their their passion for being involved in government pray for government and the potential that they you know are interested in one day running for office it was was a you know in that those those casual conversations and the registration line reminded me about how important this uh uh uh summ it is in correlation with the other events around

the National Prayer Breakfast and uh and truly uh uh was was a was again one of those moments where you can say okay I hope that this is one of those those Crossroad type moments where where where people will be able to to look back then the the uh the second thing that really stands out is uh when when we had a chance to do the panels and and I appreciate you and and and Maryland being a part of one of those we had I think uh uh six that memory serves correctly uh different panels and to to hear the questions to hear the engagement to hear the the passion that exists for for our country again it's one of those things where you look and you listen at the young people

that were involved and it was truly inspiring and uh gives me great hope and confidence uh in in our young people and the impact they can have in public policy and in our country it's truly truly uh uh uh one of those things that sometimes hard to to articulate but when you see it happen you just sit back and say wow yeah stay tuned for part two of our interview with MP Damen kurick next week I'm Chris fber the director of the national House of Prayer and we will see you next time bye for now oh [Music]