Doyle Spears

Doyle Lamar Spears was born on October 3, 1930, in Zama, Mississippi, the son of Zacky and Eula Mae Spears. His parents pastored churches in Mississippi and Louisiana and started several churches with the “brush arbor” method in Mississippi. He was very proud of his brother, J. W. Smith, who started and pastored the UPC church in Columbus, Mississippi, until moving to Sumpter, SC, to start a church there.

At 14 years old, Bro. Spears enrolled in Rising Star, a Bible College in West Texas, and at 16 years old, he went full-time in the evangelistic ministry. He was a God called an evangelist. At 18 years old, he met and married Mary Faith McFarland. The moment he met her, he was totally in love. Writing her a letter the very next day, he said, “Without faith it is impossible (for me) to please God. Dear Faith,” … From that day forward, Mary McFarland became known as Faith McFarland. On June 6, 1948, they were married. There were 4 children born to their union. David Spears, Steve Spears, Daniel Spears, Judi Spears Boyd.  David and Daniel went to be with the Lord at a very young age.

Bro. Spears pastored 4 churches in his 49 years of ministry: Hartford City, Indiana; Longview, Texas; Powell’s Grove, Jayess, Mississippi; and Pearl, Mississippi.

He loved preaching at Youth Camps and served on the Youth Board in Indiana and on the committee that named the Youth Missions branch, Sheaves for Christ. He tells of being in the meeting to develop a mission giving program for the Youth Dept. Everyone was on their knees, praying for God to lead them in the correct direction. Someone got up and walked to the blackboard and wrote, “Sheaves for Christ”. The Holy Ghost fell in that room as the Lord anointed their choice. These are some of the Youth Camps he preached, many more than once: Missouri, Hawaii, Northern California, Southern California, Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, West Texas, Idaho, Florida, and West Virginia.

At 21 years old, the Lord began to deal with Bro. Spears about evangelizing the mission fields. He pursued that calling, looking for open doors for 20 years, until one night in Longview, Texas, the Lord spoke to him through a message in tongues. “I will go with you, but I will not sit with you”. Plans were made for the Spears family to hit the road. It was a mighty step of faith. No promise of income, no invitation to preach anywhere on the mission fields. The Lord opened the door for the family to move into a music ministry, and the sale of their albums helped mightily with the finances. Also, several brethren, pastors, friends, and supporters of missions gave abundantly to the cause. There are too many countries to name each one and be sure not to miss some, but here is a list of the places Bro. Spears and his family carried the Gospel of Salvation: Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, the Philippines, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand, Madagascar, British Isles. Along with some other missionaries and pastors, Bro and Sis. Spears took Bibles into China, helping to spread the Gospel where Bibles were not allowed. Many of these places were visited more than once.

Bro. Spears and his family sang and preached in malls, on street corners, in thatch huts, in the open fields, in the sunshine or rain. In the middle of the upheaval of countries being overthrown, in the wake of hurricanes, in places where no one spoke English, sometimes as many as 5 interpreters/translators were needed. Often, theirs were the first known voices to share the Gospel in that location.

Bro. Spears served as a panelist on several doctrinal symposiums, spoke at General Conferences, MC for many general conferences and district conferences. While preaching at the European Conference in Vienna, Austria, he baptized a group of Romanian Gypsies in the lovely name of Jesus in a fountain in the middle of the traffic circle in front of the hotel where the conference was being held. It was cold, but there was no swimming pool, bathtub, or anything else available, and these people had to leave and go back to their home country. Someone called the police, who came to say baptizing in the fountain was not allowed, and they had to leave. They happily obeyed because by then they were all baptized!

Bro. Spears baptized folks in Jesus' name wherever he found them. In rivers full of Piranha, in bathtubs, in swimming pools, anywhere to see them come out of the water speaking in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Thousands received the Holy Ghost under his ministry. Deaf ears were opened, those who could not speak uttered their first word, “Jesus”, and many possessed of demons were freed.

While living in Mississippi, Bro Spears served as a Foreign Mission Director, Presbyter of Section 11, and District Secretary for 6 years.

He was known for his signature white suits and shoes, and his Native American heritage that produced a “war whoop” when he felt the Spirit. He played the piano, guitar, trombone, upright bass, but was most known for his tambourine. He was involved in recording 12 LPs and wrote several songs.

In 1995, God reached from heaven to earth and took D. L. Spears to his eternal home. He is missed daily, but his memories will not be forgotten because he impacted multitudes with his unique ministry.

By Judi Spears Boyd