Billy Joe Daugherty (1952-2009)

Billy Joe Daugherty was founder and pastor of Victory Christian Center (now Victory Church) in Tulsa. He was also the founder of Victory Christian School, Victory Bible institute and Victory World Missions training Center (now Victory College.

Originally from Magnolia, Ark. , he attended Oral Roberts University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Christian education.

He was youth pastor in the 1970s at Sheridan Christian Center and became senior pastor at the church in 1976, on retirement of the previous incumbent.

1980, when the attendance had grown from 300 to 2,000, he sought to relocate the church. The church leaders decided not to move so he started what is now the Victory Christian Centre. They meet briefly in a former car leadership building. In 1984 they moved into the vacant Thorau Junior High School. When that building was sold they moved to its present site at 7700 S. Lewis Av. and held services in the Mabee Centre across the road.

2007 they moved into its state of the art, £32 million, 5,000 seat Tulsa Dream Centre built without borrowing money. The same year Billy was named interim president of Oral Roberts University.

As of January 2010 Victoria Christian Center reported average Sunday attendance of 9,612 and reported to be the second largest church in Tulsa.

Victory’s bus ministry brings 1,000-2,000 children and teens from this area each Saturday for Kids Ministry and S.O.U.L. Youth Ministry.

Billy’s daily radio and television broadcast Victory in Jesus reaches vast numbers of households across North America, as well as via satellite and internet internationally.

With his wife, co-pastor Sharon, they wrote more than 12 books.

In October 2009 Billy was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma -a form of cancer.
That same month, on the 15th, he made his last appearance at Victory Christian Centre to officiate at his youngest son, Paul’s wedding to Ashley McAuliff.

Sunday, 22nd November, aged 57, he died at 4:40 am in hospital, in Houston.

In church that day pastor Bruce Edwards said We miss him, but he is with Jesus. His entire life was about one thing, loving God, and out of that love, he loved people. We will continue in his legacy, loving people.

He fought the good fight. He touched so many people.
Son-in law, Caleb Wehrli