Giant in the Land: Celebrating the Life and Ministry of Lonnie Davoult

By Larry Hampton

“There were giants in the earth in those days...” (Genesis 6:4).

At least that’s the way it seemed to me. All my life I heard of the exploits of men like Jerry Dudley, Wade Jernigan, E.E. Morris, Bailey Thompson, and Reford Wilson.

Giants all. And they all had ties to Oklahoma.

This is the story of another giant—Lonnie Evert Davault. When Lonnie (named after Lonnie Ward, a Free Will Baptist pastor) was born October 20, 1923, in a log cabin south of Dibble, Oklahoma, World War I and the Great Influenza Pandemic were still fresh on everyone’s mind. His parents, Bill and Anna Mackey Davault, also had two daughters: Edna their oldest child and Cassie Lee their youngest. In time, the family moved to Moore, where Lonnie graduated from high school.

Before Lonnie served God and His Church, he served his country. March 27, 1942, Lonnie was inducted into the U.S. Army. During the three years, 15 days, and ten hours he was in the military, Lonnie saw combat in France, Germany, Austria, and Belgium. While taking secret orders to the front lines, he was wounded and sent back to the States for recovery. After only 30 days, he was deployed to the Philippines to train for a ground invasion of Japan. After the atom bomb was dropped, the invasion was no longer needed. When the war ended, the Purple Heart recipient took a job with Phillips Petroleum Company back home in Oklahoma.

January 15, 1950, Lonnie was saved under the preaching of E.E. Morris, a man who greatly impacted his life. Not long after his conversion, Lonnie accepted the call to preach. Morris was a participant in his ordination service. Morris also married Lonnie and Edna, Lonnie’s first wife. Morris urged the young preacher to attend college. Lonnie quit his job, sold his house, and enrolled in Oklahoma Baptist University to prepare for ministry. After two years at OBU, he transferred to Free Will Baptist Bible College (now Welch College) to finish his degree. Later, he earned a second degree in higher education from Oklahoma City University.

While in Nashville, Davault pastored Trinity FWB Church. After graduation, he returned to Oklahoma where he first pastored the Pleasant Hill Church near Norman. While pastoring in Holdenville, the church constructed a two-story educational building, built a parsonage, and renovated the sanctuary. During the dozen years Lonnie pastored Capitol Hill FWB Church in Oklahoma City, the congregation grew to 300 and engaged in an extensive building program.
During this time, Oklahoma Bible College (later Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College and now Randall University) launched. For some time, the new school met in the facilities of Capitol Hill, and for the next 25 years, Lonnie trained young men and women as a teacher at the college.

Sue Wilcox recently described the spirit that pervaded Lonnie’s years at Capitol Hill. “When Allen and I were living with our toddler daughter Susan at Oklahoma Bible College, we became members at Capitol Hill Free Will Baptist Church. Lonnie Davault was our pastor. We first visited there at the suggestion of my daddy, Howard Gage, a fellow Oklahoma Free Will Baptist minister. He said he knew Brother Davault to be a fine man and a fine preacher. That recommendation carried a lot of weight with us. When we visited Capitol Hill, we found Daddy’s words to be true. We were warmly welcomed by the congregation. Brother Davault had led them to be a caring group. It was easy to see he was a pastor who cared for his people, and they loved and respected him in return.”

Lonnie is first and foremost a preacher. Over the years, he has held countless revivals in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, and Texas. In 1984, he preached at the National Convention in Little Rock, Arkansas. His message? “Reaching for Revival.”

In addition, Davault was elected to the denomination’s Foreign Mission Board. He also served as executive secretary for the Oklahoma State Association from 1972-1985. During that time, the present state office building was erected. Plus, he found time to visit all 287 of the churches in the state association.

Immediately after resigning as executive secretary, Lonnie started Charity FWB Church in Midwest City. He led that church until he was 96. In October 2023, he preached at Charity’s homecoming, only days after reaching the century mark!

For over seven decades, a giant in the land has been ministering among us. Like King David before him, Lonnie Davault has served his generation by the will of God. We celebrate his life and ministry.

About the Writer: Shawnee, Oklahoma, native Larry Hampton graduated from Welch College in 1969. He enjoyed a long career as an educator, writer, and editor. Larry and his wife Rita live in Antioch, Tennessee, and attend Cane Ridge FWB Church.