Ken L. Davis

Ken Davis, 75, of Medina, OH, went to be with his Lord and Savior, May 27, 2023, at his home in Medina. He died after an almost eight-year journey with stage 4 prostate cancer.

Ken was born January 16, 1948, in Indianapolis, IN to Leland and Gertrude (Dickinson) Davis. He attended high school in Georgetown, British Guiana, now Guyana, South America where his parents were missionaries. Ken graduated from Bob Jones University with a B.A. and M.A. He earned a Doctor of Ministry from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

On August 16, 1969, he married Sharon (Milner) Davis. In 1975 they were accepted by Baptist Mid-Missions (BBM), Cleveland, OH to be church planters. Their focus was on planting multicultural churches. In 1976 BMM asked them to move to Indianapolis, IN to pastor Trinity Baptist Church. During his years in Indianapolis, Ken, along with two other men, founded Baptist Bible College of Indianapolis (now College of Biblical Studies). He spent 19 years of ministry and teaching with the College. During that time, he also helped plant Greater Northwest Baptist Church in Indianapolis. In 1999 Ken was invited to be the director of church planting at Baptist Bible Seminary (BBS), Clarks Summit, PA. During his 20 years at BBS, he coached/mentored many men who desired to plant a church. Ten churches were planted during Ken’s 20-year tenure. He loved encouraging and teaching the next generation. Even when he “retired” he continued teaching for the Seminary online and mentoring young men. Ken also began working alongside the staff of Maranatha Bible Church in Akron, OH as a church planting coach. The last year of Ken’s life he wrote a book, Foundations for Fruitful Church Planting, Essentials Before You Launch. It will be available on Amazon in July 2023. He previously coauthored the book Y.B.H. (Yes But How) Handbook of Church Planting, with Roger McNamara, a fellow BMM missionary. It was published in 1985. Two years later, Ken and Roger launched the School of Church Planting. For the next 35 years nearly 700 missionaries and church planters were trained.

Ken will be deeply missed by his wife Sharon of 53 years, their 4 children Timothy Davis (Christy), Philip Davis (Lori), Joanna Young (Pete), Susan Lehman (Jeff), their 17 grandchildren, Ken’s brother Ron Davis (Christine), and sister Mary Sue Still (Rick). Ken was preceded in death by his father, Leland Davis, and his mother Gertrude Davis.

A Celebration of Life service will be June 17, 2023, at 11:00am, EST at Maranatha Bible Church, 1424 Killian Rd, Akron, OH with Dr. Charles Ware officiating. The family will have a visitation at the church starting at 10:00am. The service will be live streamed. Online tributes may be made at www.RobertsFuneralHome.com. Ken’s passions were ministry and church planting. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Maranatha Bible Church for church planting and missions in memory of Ken Davis. Donations will further the ministry of church planting and missions around the world.