On Tuesday, October 13, 2020, Reverend John Karl Davis, devoted husband, loving father, doting grandfather and tireless bondservant of Jesus Christ, entered the arms of his loving savior at the age of 67. A longtime resident of Fort Worth, Texas, USA, John Karl was known around the globe for his boisterous laugh, fiery preaching and keen insight that God used to impact countless souls over nearly fifty years of ministry.
Karl was born in 1952 in McAlester, Oklahoma and adopted by Dr. John and Wanda Davis of Pond Creek. He later moved to Henryetta, Oklahoma, where he won the All-American Soap Box Derby and then competed in the national championships at age 11. He also lived in Hennessey and Moore, Oklahoma at various points throughout his childhood. On August 27, 1972, Karl married Sandra Boyett, the daughter of Montie Joe and Gracie Boyett of Borger, Texas. He graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University, and like his father, pitched for his college baseball team. John Karl later attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and was a minister of the gospel of Christ from 1971 until his passing.
John Karl was known as a passionate man, with a fierce love for his family and for telling people about the love of Jesus Christ. He surrendered to the call to ministry at the age of 16 at Falls Creek Baptist Encampment, and served God from that point onward. Karl pastored various churches in Texas and Oklahoma before beginning full time evangelism in 1982. As a traveling evangelist, Karl spoke in churches across the United States and beyond, leading thousands into personal relationships with Christ. Throughout his life, he had a special burden for missions. He trained pastors and preached in the Philippines and Russia, and led multiple revivals at the Instituto de Lengua Español in San José, Costa Rica, where missionaries around the globe train to learn the Spanish language.
In 1998, Karl and Sandra began mission work in Uganda, where he preached in many villages. He taught at the Global Theological Seminary and the Uganda Baptist Seminary in Jinja, and partnered with IMB missionaries George and Geraldine Smith to do prison ministry, church planting and discipleship all across Uganda. The mission organization he founded, John Karl Davis Evangelism, still continues to support a variety of mission efforts in Uganda, with a focus on supporting the training of Ugandan nationals who then go on and train others.
A conversation with John Karl never failed to include jokes, prayer, and some cold hard truth. He had a well-known fondness for fishing, and spent many summers with his family, Joe and Gracie Boyett, and his nephew Joshua Boyett fishing off the coast of Corpus Christi, Texas. Karl was an excellent cook as well, and was famous for surprising guests with ostrich-meat chili. He was also an accomplished woodworker, and according to his grandchildren, he was capable of fixing just about anything. Of course, one of his favorite ways to spend free time was rooting for the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Rangers, though he was always quick to point out that in the long run, the games didn’t really matter much.
No words better sum up the impact that John Karl had than the words of a dear friend from Uganda: “John Karl and Sandra modelled for us that serving God is the main focus of humanity. They have sacrificed their all for the work that God assigned them, especially here in Uganda. John has left a mark in Africa whereby he will always be remembered by us and the subsequent generations. When we look at his life we see the words, ‘I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.’ (2 Timothy 4:7)”
John Karl is survived by his wife (Sandra), son (Kyle), and daughter-in-law (Wendy). He has three grandchildren (Finley, Rowynn and Emerson), as well as a brother (Greg) and sister (Connie). He was predeceased by his father (John) and mother (Wanda). He has many nieces and nephews, as well as innumerable extended family and friends.
The memorial service for John Karl Davis will be held on November 7th, 10:00 a.m. CST, at North Park Baptist Church, 7025 MidCities Blvd., North Richland Hills TX 76182. A streaming link to the service will be available for those unable to attend in person. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that people would consider a donation to John Karl Davis Evangelism to continue the Lord’s work in Uganda or to make a donation to their local church’s missions program.
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