Guy A. Davidson

Davidson, Guy A.
Guy A. Davidson was born in Santa Paula, CA on February 22, 1930 and passed peacefully to his eternal home on November 7, 2016 in Chandler, AZ. Pastor Guy was know for his kindness, sense of humor, authenticity, love of children and fun loving spirit. He was driven by passion for people and his faith. The fourth of six boys, Guy moved with his family to Arizona in 1939 where he graduated from Phoenix Union High School. He went on to attend Vanguard Univ/Costa Mesa, CA; Cascade College/Portland, OR; Central Bible College/ Springfield, MO; and Western Seminary/Portland, OR. Western Seminary awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2002. His life in ministry began in 1951 as a Student Pastor at Community Church in Long Lane, MO, followed by a role as Youth & Education Director, First Assembly of God, Portland, OR while attending seminary. Guy became Director of Publicity for Gospel Publishing House in the mid-1950's, before becoming the Assoc Pastor at Calvary Temple in Denver, CO. In 1956 he was Senior Pastor of Peoples Church in Fresno, CA. In December 1960, Guy married his sweetheart, Martha in Denver while working again at Calvary Temple. Feeling called, along with three other families, to begin a new church in the fast growing Phoenix area, Guy held Grace Community Church's first service in Tempe on January 8, 1967. Under Guy's leadership Grace Christian Academy was started and Grace Community Church began its long involvement in international Christian mission work and continued to grow becoming one of the first mega-churches in the East Valley. Between 1988-1992, Guy served as VP of Samaritan's Purse and Director of World Medical Mission based in Boone, NC. Following a pastorate in Danville, CA he and his wife returned to Arizona and helped launch Grace Fellowship Church in Buckeye. Soon after, they, along with Ellen & Elmer Bradley, founded Arizona Community Church in Tempe where they ministered until 2002. In 2000 Guy suffered a catastrophic stroke. Rehabbing for years, Guy was able to regain his ability to walk and talk again. With re-found ability to communicate, he was able to continue spreading his positive attitude, joy in life and was an example of how someone can be happy in spite of adversity. Throughout his life, Guy was an advisor and trusted friend to leaders of many groups and organizations, and served on the boards of Food for the Hungry, Samaritan's Purse/World Medical Mission, Valley Christian High School, Global Outreach Mission, Mafraq Sanatorium Assoc and Tempe St. Luke's Hospital. Guy had a passion for mission work and was especially committed to the work of David & Mary Lamb and the Grace Churches & Schools in Calcutta, India. Guy's phone calls, personal notes and letters and always remembering their names, reminded his congregation that he was thinking about them and always concerned and interested about their well being and spiritual growth. It was not uncommon for Guy do a hospital call, perform a wedding and preach four services all on the same day. Guy is survived by his wife Martha, of 55 years, son Carey (Heather), daughter Shelly (Mark), granddaughter Caylee and brother Mark. Memorial Service will be held at 3:00pm on Sunday, November 27, 2016 at Grace Community Church: 1200 E. Southern Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85282. Gifts in memory of Guy Davidson may be designated to the Davidson Memorial Fund at Grace Community Church. This fund will include the building of an electronic library featuring more than 1000 original sermon outlines created by Pastor Guy over the years. Pastors around the world will have free access to these resources.