Billy Joe Daugherty, founding pastor of Victory Christian Center in Tulsa, Okla., and author of more than a dozen books, died yesterday after a short battle with lymphoma, Tulsa World reported. He was 57.

One of America's best-known charismatic pastors, Daugherty--whose books included No Fear: Praying the Promises of Protection, Knocked Down But Not Out and Raising Champion Children for God: How to Build Faith and Character Into Your Children (all Destiny Image Publishers)--was hospitalized in October with a viral infection in his throat when tests discovered the cancer.

"He fought the good fight and he won. He touched so many people," Daugherty's son-in-law, Caleb Wehrli, said.

In 2005, Daugherty made national news when a man came forward at an altar call on a Sunday morning and slugged him in the face, opening a cut over his eye that required two stitches. He went to a Tulsa jail to forgive the man, did not press assault charges and later wrote about the experience in Knocked Down But Not Out, the World reported.

In October 2007, Daugherty--an Oral Roberts University graduate--was named interim president of the college after Richard Roberts, the school's president, stepped down in the wake of allegations that he misused university funds.

In addition to his wife, Sharon, he is survived by four children and his mother. A memorial service is being planned for Nov. 30.

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