On Monday 17 August, Andrew Davies went home to the Lord he loved and served for over 70 years. He was 85 and had suffered deteriorating health for a year or more. He died peacefully with his family around, who were able to remind him of their love and the hope they all share in the Lord Jesus. A great father in the faith has gone to his eternal reward, to be with the Lord he loved and pursued since coming to Christ aged fifteen.
Pastor at Chessington Evangelical Church 1979–1984
Many today at King's Church Chessington will not have known, or even been aware, that Andrew was the second pastor of the church from 1979 to 1984 in our original home at Parbury Rise. But on those who were around at the time he left a lasting impression.
He followed our first pastor, Harry Kilbride, who himself went to glory four years ago. Together they laid the foundations of the Doctrines of Grace as the theological heartbeat of the church. Both were passionate evangelists, reflected in their preaching each week. By God's grace, during their time the church grew as many came to know Christ.
Andrew's conversion and his reflections on a lifetime of ministry are in this wonderful video interview recorded a few years ago: youtube.com/watch. It is gold dust, capturing something of Andrew’s warmth, humility, graciousness, deep spirituality and rich knowledge of church history and its relevance and importance to every generation.
He also had a keen sense of humour. I soon discovered that a raised eyebrow or feigned look of shock was enough to dissolve him into often uncontrollable mirth at deacons' and elders’ meetings – to the extent that he would avoid giving me eye contact!
Love for the Lord
His great legacy, though, is his passion for the glory of God; it was the hallmark of his life and ministry.
It was not unusual for Andrew to shed tears in preaching, especially when he proclaimed the glory of God and His grace to sinners. He was not satisfied just imparting truths about God and the gospel; he preached for folk to have a "felt experience" of the Lord in which he constantly strove to wed truth (doctrine) and life (application to everyday life) – or to express it in another way, Doctrine and Experience, Word and Spirit.
Andrew and Harry had a profound influence on my wife Val and me, and were instrumental in different ways in us going into pastoral ministry in 1986. Both men had a great heart to train and raise up men for pastoral ministry.
For many years Andrew lectured on church history at London Theological Seminary – where invariably he would start in lecture mode but soon, to the delight of the students, would slip into preaching mode to declare the great stories and relevance of those who God had used over the past 2000 years.
Andrew and his wife, Pam, served many churches during their long time in ministry, in New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, America, Spain, Cyprus, South Africa, England, and of course, their beloved Wales. People in these countries will be praising God for this dear, humble couple who have brought the fragrance of Christ into our lives.
He lived by the famous truth expressed by the Scottish pastor Robert Murray M’Cheyne:
“The greatest need of my people [as their pastor] is my personal holiness”.
Andrew leaves behind a family who adored him: his wife Pam and four children, Mark, Sharon, Steve and John Paul, and their spouses – plus numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Please pray for them as they adjust to life without this beloved man.
- Andrew's Thanksgiving Service will take place at Heath Evangelical Church, Cardiff, on 14 September at 2pm. An online link will be made known nearer the time.
Trevor wrote this obituary for King's Church Chessington (previously Chessington Evangelical Church). It has been lightly edited and published here with permission.
