Jacari P. Davis, Senior Pastor
Pastor Jacari Pierre Davis joined the Bella Vista family as Senior Pastor in 2014. Pastor Davis attended Texas Southern University in Houston, TX where he earned the Bachelor of Science degree in Child and Family Development. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Houston Graduate School of Theology and is presently pursuing the Doctor of Ministry degree at Payne Theological Seminary in Wilberforce, Ohio. Pastor Davis is also a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated.
Pastor Davis and his wife, Danielle, have four children: Devyn Dionne, Daryan Devonne, Jameson Pierre, and Jordan Parker.
Pastor Davis’s ministry focus is to empower people towards maturity in Christ and to equip them to live in wholeness in the world. It is his desire that every member and guest feel welcomed and are free to worship.
Danielle Davis
Danielle D. Davis is a wife, mother, ministry leader, mentor, and active community member. The beautiful partner in love and ministry to our beloved Pastor Davis, First Lady Davis is a vital part of the church and can always be found supporting its vision. Her love for God is evident as she walks in His wisdom and favor.
A busy mom of two beautiful daughters (Devyn and Daryan) and two handsome sons (Jameson and Jordan), she has her hands full training up her little ones but is never too busy to stop and give words of encouragement, a smile, or a hug to anyone who needs it.
First Lady Davis serves as the leader of Sisters In the Spirit where she champions causes for the women of the congregation. In addition to working with the women’s ministry, she enjoys working for the youth and serves as a member of the youth council where she has mentored several young ladies.
She demonstrates her love for all of God’s creation through her professional work, community involvement and hobbies. A native Houstonian, she graduated from Booker T. Washington High School with honors and earned both an Undergraduate and a Master’s Degree from Sam Houston State University with an emphasis on accounting. She has been an accountant in the oil and gas industry for over 14 years and recently worked for non profit organizations. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, serves on the board of Neighborhood School, Inc., and spends whatever free time she has left with her family, watching movies, playing games, listening to live music, and dancing.
The Church That Cares!
At Bella Vista, We Encourage People to:
Love God, Build Relationships, and Improve Their Lives
In Memoriam of Rev. Dr. Calvin J. Abraham, Pastor Emeritus
A native of Houston, Texas, he accepted his call to preach on January 18, 1956. He was licensed and ordained at the Galilee Baptist Church by Pastor Robert M. Shepard. A 1957 Graduate of Phillis Wheatley High School, his success was recognized through his induction to their Hall of Fame. Rev. Dr. Abraham attended Texas Southern University, Nassau College in New York, and Manhattan Bible Institute. In 1969 he became the Senior Pastor of Bella Vista Missionary Baptist Church, serving faithfully for forty-three years. Upon his retirement in 2012, the church voted unanimously to confer the distinguished designation of Pastor Emeritus. His influence was cast throughout the country after having discipled thousands, preparing Gospel preachers, and providing counsel to leading Clergy, Mayors, and elected officials for over four decades. Rev. Dr. Abraham was an ambassador for Christ, volunteering as a Crisis Counselor at Booker T. Washington High School, Affiliate Minister for the Christian Coalition for Change and the Independence Heights Youth Crusade for Christ, Community Liaison for the Independence Heights Baptist Pastors and Ministers Alliance, Teacher/Lecturer and District Congress 2nd Vice President of the Independent Missionary Baptist General Association, Affiliate Minister to Interfaith Ministries of Texas, and as Associate with the Christian Coalition for Change. His visionary leadership resulted in the construction of a new sanctuary and multipurpose building. Equally committed to the spiritual and social well-being of the community, he formed the Bella Vista Christian Academy and implemented a Food Bag Program and Prison Ministry. Weekly bible study included over two hundred participants eager to discuss the word. He focused on building a better future for the community by opening a Summer Enrichment Camp for Youth, with an enrollment of more than one hundred children. His monthly publication, Resource for Christian Living, became a staple for those seeking direction on biblical principles to manage life’s challenges. In 2014, he received the Houston Graduate School of Theology’s first-ever “Seminary’s Meritorious Service Award. Rev. Dr. Abraham traveled to the White House in 2015 and met then-President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the invitation of the Honorable Shelia Jackson Lee. The Virginia University of Lynchburg, in recognition of his lifetime of achievement in service, conferred an Honorary Doctor of Theology in 2017. A self-published author, his book, Somewhere to Lay My Head, was placed in the Library of Congress and at Texas Southern University’s Robert J. Terry Library.
His quiet and gentle spirit beckoned lost souls to come and hear about a man that would forever change their lives if they would but trust. A man of unshakable faith and integrity, he often shared how his life had been spared after being diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1980. His resolve to trust God, knowing he had only a ten percent chance of survival, is a testament to his unyielding faith. He frequently expressed how the church prayed for him hourly, and God granted their petition and graciously extended his life for more than forty years after his diagnosis.
Rev. Dr. Abraham was an outstanding pastor, teacher, preacher, and friend. His most precious earthly possession was his family. He was jubilant as he mentioned the beautiful love of his life Alice Hancock Abraham, his sons Michael and Timothy, and his daughters-in-love Tina and Nichol. There are no words to describe the joy he found in his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, mother, favorite sister, brothers, and other family members.
The world, Independence Heights, Houston, Texas, and most particularly Bella Vista Missionary Baptist Church, is a better place because of the dedicated work of servant leader Rev. Dr. Calvin J. Abraham. On November 5, 2022, we celebrated as his legacy is forever etched in the annals history by the City of Houston, Honorable Mayor Sylvester Turner, and the members of the City Council bestowing a Street Honorarium in his name