Rev. D. Douglas Davis, Sr.

Douglas Davis was born in Newton County Texas on November 14, 1932, to very humble circumstances. He was the third child of an Apostolic Pentecostal minister. He received the Holy Ghost in 1941 at the age of nine in a revival service in Buna, Texas where Nona Freeman was the evangelist.

He recognized a call to spiritual ministry early in life and at age seventeen began traveling extensively with his brother, Cecil, as an evangelistic team - playing his guitar, singing, and preaching the gospel. In 1950, at the age of eighteen, he received ministerial license with the United Pentecostal Church, International and was officially ordained by the UPCI in 1957.

On September 3, 1951, Brother Davis married Betty Bond in Haynesville, Louisiana in a ceremony performed by L. J. McDaniel, pastor of the Bossier City, Louisiana United Pentecostal Church. The newlyweds continued in the evangelistic ministry for several years.

In 1953, the Davises founded a church in Henderson, Texas. Brother Davis ministered faithfully, successfully building the Henderson church. During these years, their first son, Doug Jr., was born.

Early in 1954, the Davises relocated to South Bend, Indiana, where Brother Davis became the Assistant Pastor and Minister of Music at Calvary Tabernacle United Pentecostal Church. He served in this capacity for five years, and while there, the Davises’ second son, Dan, was born.

In 1958, the Davises moved to the city of Fort Worth, Texas to start another church. They purchased a small storefront building, and while living there, remodeled it into a presentable church. Just a few years later, the church was able to purchase a new property consisting of two church buildings, a sizable parking lot, and a house.

In less than ten years, the congregation of the Fort Worth church had grown from just a handful, to more than one hundred fifty members and had moved from holding services in a storefront to worshipping in a beautiful, new sanctuary. During this time, Pastor Davis was elected to serve as a presbyter on the Texas District Board of the UPCI. He was thirty-five and his wife was thirty-two. The family became complete in 1960, when Curtis, the third son, arrived.

The Fort Worth church was thriving and Pastor Davis’ ministry was successful and respected. But in spite of this apparent success, he began to feel an inescapable call from God to establish yet another church. In 1968, that divine call led D. D. Davis to resign the pastorate of the Fort Worth church, and his duties on the Texas District Board, and move his family to Long Island, New York to establish a new church in the Empire State.

The challenge of establishing a new church in the New York metropolitan area was almost overwhelming. During those beginning years of sacrifice and struggle to birth a church in Long Island, Brother Davis received several offers to accept the pastorate of larger and more established churches, but he was convinced that it was God’s will for him to remain on Long Island.

Today, forty-five years and five remodeled buildings later, the continued growth of Bethel United Pentecostal Church (presently located in Old Westbury, NY) is an ongoing testimony to the effective ministry of this steadfast and dedicated man with a Godly vision. The church presently owns a twenty-acre campus with three buildings, (featuring a sanctuary that seats 1000 people) valued at close to ten million dollars.

During the years that he was laboring to establish Bethel, Brother Davis faithfully supported and served the United Pentecostal Church organization through various district and national offices - serving as a presbyter in the Eastern District, Superintendent of the New York District, presbyter in the New York Metro District, Global Missions Director of the New York Metro District and as a member of the UPCI Minister’s Appeal Council. He also served as Chairman of the Board of Kent Christian College.

As a writer, he has authored numerous Adult Bible Lessons for Word Aflame Publications. In 1986, he became a member of the Global Missions Board of the UPCI and at the time of this writing, continues to serve as an honorary member of that board.

Their son Doug Jr., is the Senior Pastor of the church in Old Westbury, NY; their second son, Dan, is the Senior Pastor of First United Pentecostal Church of Baton Rouge, LA; and their son, Curtis, is the Director of Christian Education and Data Operations Manager of Bethel UPC in Old Westbury, NY.

He currently serves as Bishop of Bethel UPC in Old Westbury, providing wisdom and direction to the ministerial staff as well as to the rapidly growing congregation. He continues to travel overseas on behalf of the Global Missions Division of the United Pentecostal Church, International, never wavering in his vision and faith for the Church around the world.