N. D. Davidson: From Railroad Worker to Superintendent of Two Assemblies of God Districts

This Week in AG History — August 30, 1959

By Glenn W. Gohr
Originally published on AG News, 29 August 2024

N.D. Davidson (1904-1990) was a faithful father, friend, pastor, and superintendent of two Assemblies of God districts. He is remembered for his determination in the face of hardship, his good sense of humor, and his compassionate heart. His son, Wayne, said, “Whether a town was small or large, the church struggling or successful, the person right or wrong, he cared.” Davidson was also a great organizer and strived for achievement.

Normal D. Davidson was born in Doxey, a small community near Carter, Oklahoma Territory. He was the oldest of five children born to James and Hester Davidson. He was brought up in the Church of Christ, and his grandfather was a Church of Christ minister. Although he grew up in church, he did not make a commitment to Christ until after his marriage. Davidson was reared on a farm and attended high school but did not graduate.

At about age 17, he was passing by a Pentecostal church in McAlester, Oklahoma, near where he lived. He scratched off some paint on the window and took a peek inside. There he saw a pretty girl whom he wanted to meet. After the service was over, he managed to speak to the girl, Mamie Tennessee Heard, and a courtship began.

In 1922, at age 18, he decided to seek his fortune out West. Having little money, he boarded a freight train, riding rods and hopping box cars each step of the journey, and he headed to Southern California to work for the railroad.

A year later, in 1923, he returned to Oklahoma to marry his sweetheart, Mamie. He was able to secure free passes on the railroad for himself and his new bride, and he brought her to Santa Paula, California, where he had a promising career with the Southern Pacific Railroad. First he worked odd jobs. Then he was hired as a clerk in the freight office and advanced to chief clerk, becoming the general agent for both passenger and freight trains.

A couple years later, Mamie made a decision to serve Christ and was baptized in water. This challenged his thinking, and he said to himself, “If your wife can do it, why not you?” Soon after this he responded to an altar call at a tent meeting in Santa Paula in 1925. From that point on, he became a new creation in Christ, and he never looked back. Because the meetings were conducted by some young people from Angelus Temple, the Davidsons soon became active members of the Foursquare congregation in Santa Paula. Before long, Davidson felt a calling into ministry.

He still worked for the railroad, but he took every opportunity to preach, teach, lead singing, and witness. One of his biggest encouragers in the ministry was Warren Fisher, who pastored the Victoria Hall Mission in Los Angeles. Davidson was living in Santa Paula and every Sunday he drove to Victoria Hall in a Model T with his wife and children. Davidson led in singing and also did some preaching. He received ordination from Victoria Hall in 1927.

By 1931 Davidson felt a burden to start a new church. He purchased an empty Christian Science church in Santa Paula and began what later became First Assembly of God. He was ordained with the Assemblies of God on July 31, 1936. About this time, the railroad transferred him to Calexico, where he pastored the nearby Assembly of God church in El Centro.

Davidson always felt it was important to follow God’s direction. In the mid-1930s, Davidson got tired of El Centro and the heat. He decided to go to Monrovia and start a church. He loaded up his wife and six boys in their ’36 Chevy. A Mr. Potter drove a hay truck that carried all their belongings.

They arrived early in the morning in Monrovia and saw their beautiful new home. But Davidson had a check in his spirit. He told his wife, “You know, as the tires turned, they said to me, ‘Go back, Go back.’” His wife said, “Do you think it was the Lord?” His answer was “Yes.” Her response was, “Let’s go back.” They told Mr. Potter, and then they all returned to El Centro, praising God in this decision.

Soon after returning to El Centro, Davidson started a radio program called The Gospel Train in which he used some of his railroad experiences to help share the gospel. On the program Davidson also played the guitar and Mamie played the accordion.

In 1939, the Southern California District (which at that time included Arizona) sent him to Phoenix to pastor First Assembly of God. He loved the people in his congregation, and he loved children. While pastoring in Phoenix in the late 1930s, he bought a bus and picked up kids, brought them to Sunday school, taught a class, preached the morning service, drove them all home, and he was ready to preach again on Sunday night. In 1940 he was elected superintendent of the Arizona District and served for three years.

Davidson was next called in 1947 to pastor Portland Gospel Tabernacle (later Portland Christian Center) in Portland, Oregon. He helped the church purchase new property and build a new facility. While pastoring, he also served as Oregon district secretary for eight years (1948-56). He edited the district magazine called Fellowship Monthly, and then was elected Oregon district superintendent, serving for 20 years (1956-76).

Some of the things he accomplished in over 50 years of ministry included: building an addition to the El Centro church; pioneering Christian radio with The Gospel Train at El Centro; building a C.A. (youth) hall in Phoenix; spearheading a building program in Portland; and developing a district camp in Oregon that later was named Camp Davidson. He pastored several churches and was superintendent of the Arizona district (1940-42) and the Oregon district (1956-1976).

Read, “Workers Together With God,” on page 5 of the Aug. 30, 1959, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “Revival Fires Spreading in France,” by Kenneth Ware

• “Miracles in a Missionary’s Life,” by C.M. Ward

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

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