VISION: BSF HISTORY

BSF was founded in 1959 by a woman named Audrey Johnson.

Ms. Johnson was born and raise in England and then her family moved to France in her teens. While in France, she declared herself an agnostic.

She then returned to England and went on a quest for truth- eventually finding life in Christ alone.

After her conversion, she started to study the Bible..asking over and over again:

What does this passage say?

What did it mean to the people who it was written to?

What does is mean for me today?

….this process began her deep love for God and His word.

She decided to become a full time missionary, eventually finding herself in China.During WWII she was placed in an internment camp for 3 years. After being released from the camp she came to America to rest and recover. While she longed to return to China, her health had declined because of the war and she was unable to do so.

In 1952- she was asked to teach the book of Colossians to 5 women in San Bernadino, California.

This was her response:

My heart fell!  What had I come to?  In San Bernardino, there was such an abundance of churches where people could hear God’s Word—while by contrast, in China, there were millions who had not even heard His name.  I asked God, “Am I to give more to those who already have so much?”

She prayed about it and God led her to two scriptures: Jeremiah 45:5 and Zechariah 4:10,

Jer 45:5 Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it!…I will give you your life as a reward wherever you go. I, the Lord, have spoken!

Zech 4:10 Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.

she wrote in her book:– it seemed like He meant this for me. You are here, not yet recovered in health; cannot you do this small thing for Me with these dear ladies who desire teaching!

So…she moved forward…She told them, “I will not spoon-feed you. 

Are you willing for me to dictate a few questions, which will help you in your study of each passage? 

Then for you to share with all of us what God has given you–after which I will share with you what He has given me.” 

She noticed during her teaching the women were scrambling to write so she began to also provide notes to go along with her teaching.

Commentaries were not allowed.

and hence..the 4 fold approach was created…

and in 1959..Bible Study Fellowship was officially established.

From 5 ladies to more than 400,000 class members on six continents in more than 120 nations, including China- a place and people that always remained near and dear to her heart.

and God had used the words from our passage today, in Zech. 4:10 to encourage her to trust God in the small things..

Audrey passed away from breast cancer in 1984, but as she reflected on how God used his word all God had done through BSF she said: “I hope you’ll see that the smallest thing you do for God, God multiplies in Jesus’s name.”

Great is Thy Faithfulness…

and now…I’m going to turn it over to Anna to unpack the rest of our passage today in Zechariah and see what else God might have for us today in his word!