Pastor's lost Bible shows up 15 years later, brings man to Jesus: 'The Word is alive and powerful'
When Paul Daugherty, pastor of the Oklahoma-based Victory Church, lost his Bible over a decade ago, he never thought he would ever see it again. To his surprise, 15 years later, his Bible was recovered — and it led someone to Christ.
The Tulsa-based megachurch pastor took to social media to share his discovery in a post titled “Crazy Story.”
“Meet Clayton – he found this old Bible at a shelter 10 years ago and started reading it, and saw the name P. DAUGHERTY on the front cover not knowing who that was but seeing all kind of little journal notes, and underlines and scribble thoughts next to Scripture verses from the Old Testament to the New Testament,” Daugherty wrote.
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It was the written, scribbled thoughts and notes in the Bible that Clayton “treasured” as much as the verses, according to Daugherty.
“He surrendered his life to Christ recently and broke free of a lot of stuff,” the Facebook post continued. The pastor said that after Clayton gave his life to Christ, he visited Daugherty to ask if the Bible was his.
“He came to church tonight and showed me the Bible and asked if I knew who’s it was!!? It was my old Bible from middle & high school that I lost and hadn’t seen in 15 years!!!” Daugherty continued in his post.
“God used my old messy scribbled in Bible to save this guy’s life who now is saved, set free, and brought his whole family with kids to church tonight!!!! The WORD IS ALIVE AND POWERFUL!!!” he wrote.
Daugherty told 2 News Oklahoma that Clayton began attending Victory Church in January to hear Paul preach and inquire if the Bible belonged to him.
"At first I was like no way this is not my Bible because I hadn’t seen it in so long," Daugherty said. "Then I recognized the handwriting and I was like that’s definitely my handwriting."
According to the pastor, Clayton has read the Bible "off and on" and had been on a "journey of trying to find god, trying to live a better life."
Daugherty shared a message for others who may have lost something valuable.
“To change their perspective and recognize that they didn’t lose it because God’s going to use it to help someone else that’s in need,” he said.
Daugherty is a graduate of the Oklahoma-based Pentecostal Christian school Oral Roberts University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in theology, according to the church’s website. He is working on his master’s in theology from ORU.
In addition to preaching at Victory Church, Daugherty and his wife, Ashely, have traveled the world to speak at church conferences and crusade events.
Daughtery has also authored several mini-books, including The Fourth Quarter, Relationship Refresh, 60 Promises, Born for More and Stepping into Revival. He has also released worship albums that have appeared on the Trinity Broadcasting Network and Daystar. Daughtery’s show “Victory with Paul Daugherty” airs on the Hillsong Channel.
Victory Church was founded by Daugherty’s parents, Sharon and Billy Joe Daugherty, in 1981. Paul Daugherty transitioned to lead pastor in 2014. Paul and Sharon Daugherty host the “Victory in Jesus” broadcast transmitted via satellite to over 200 countries.
