True to His Word: The Story of Bible Study Fellowship (BSF)

by Gregg Lewis, Deborah Shaw Lewis

Overview

This gripping story history of Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) begins more like an ending when an unknown, single, middle-aged, British-woman Missionary, was forced to flee China when Communists moved in. Grieving the heart-breaking conclusion of what she'd believed was her life-long calling, Wetherell Johnson's journey home to England collided with a Divine appointment when five California women asked her to teach them more about the Bible.She agreed and that Bible study with five women grew into an organization which exploded into a movement that now ministers to hundreds of thousands of students every week and has impacted the lives of millions of people in countries around the world including the Republic of China. Told through a big family photo album pasted together and held in place with a fascinating narrative thread, God's faithfulness through His plans, will touch your heart and renew your passion for His Word.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780830859627
Publisher:	IVP
Publication date:	01/06/2012
Sold by:	Bookwire
Format:	eBook
Pages:	482
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Gregg Lewis is an award winning author or coauthor of more than fifty books, including the NY Times bestseller, Tom Landry: An Autobiography. Gregg and his wife Deborah have been married for more than thirty-seven years and have five adult children. They currently write and live in Georgia.

Deborah Shaw Lewis is the author or coauthor of eighteen books including Motherhood Stress, the New York Times bestseller Seven From Heaven and Mother in the Middle.Debi is also and educator and speaker on motherhood and family issues, and holds a Masters degree in early childhood development.

Gregg Lewis is an award winning author or coauthor of more than fifty books, including the NY Times bestseller, Tom Landry: An Autobiography. Gregg and his wife Deborah have been married for more than thirty-seven years and have five adult children. They currently write and live in Georgia.

Deborah Shaw Lewis is the author or coauthor of eighteen books including Motherhood Stress, the New York Times bestseller Seven From Heaven and Mother in the Middle.Debi is also and educator and speaker on motherhood and family issues, and holds a Masters degree in early childhood development.

Table of Contents

A Tribute to 50 Years Anne Graham Lotz xi

Preface 1

Part 1 An Unexpected Beginning (1950-1959)

1 At Life's Crossroads 5

Audrey Wetherell Johnson arrives in California

2 No Spoon-Feeding 11

The formation of Wetherell Johnson's Bible study methods

3 Bible Study Fellowship in the Bay Area 17

Miss Johnson moves to Oakland

4 Ideal Partners 23

Miss Hertzler joins Miss Johnson in Oakland

Part 2 Rapid Early Expansion (1960-1979)

5 God's Plan for Expansion 35

The many ways Bible Study Fellowship classes grew and spread

6 The Youngest BSFers 43

The beginning of the Children's Program

7 Adding Bass Notes to the Harmony 51

The beginning of Men's Classes

8 From Foothill to Skymount 67

Evidence of God's provision at headquarters

9 A Youth Movement 85

Reaching out to young adults

10 Repeating the Pattern, Part 1 101

Training leaders

11 Repeating the Pattern, Part 2 113

Establishing policies and an organizational culture

12 An Arm of the Church 123

Bible Study Fellowship's partnership with the Christian community

13 Retreats and Seminars 137

Nourishing the spiritual lives of leaders

14 New Leaders, New Classes, New Cities 151

Further U.S. expansion through the 1970s

15 Heading Overseas 167

Bible Study Fellowship moves into Australia, England, and Canada

Part 3 The Second Generation Begins (1980-1984)

16 A Change of Leadership 185

Bible Study Fellowship gets its second director: Rosemary Jensen

17 The Texas Transition 199

Reorganizing Bible Study Fellowship in San Antonio

18 Signs of God's Blessing 213

Building headquarters in San Antonio

19 Putting on the Finishing Touches 231

Furnishing and dedicating the new headquarters

20 Settling In 243

The early years in San Antonio

21 God Closes a Chapter 263

Audrey Wetherell Johnson goes to be with her Savior

Part 4 A New Era of Growth and Change (1985-1999)

22 On the Same Page 273

Coordinating age groups, classes, and study series

23 Making More Room 283

Expansion and additions at headquarters

24 A Universal Body 297

Bible Study Fellowship moves into more of the world

25 Person to Person 315

How Bible Study Fellowship grew

26 Growing a Different Way 333

Focusing on larger, stronger classes

27 Mission to Developing Nations 343

Forming Rafiki and The World Outreach

28 Welcoming the Next Generation 357

Bible Study Fellowship launches the School Program

29 New in the Cycle 371

Introducing lesson series on Moses and Romans

30 A Farewell 381

Rosemary Jensen retires

Part 5 The Third Generation and Beyond (2000-2010)

31 Another Change of Leadership 393

Bible Study Fellowship gets its third Director: Jean Nystrand

32 Third-Generation Vision 403

Jean Nystrand helps the ministry listen for God's will

33 Growing Separate Ways 415

Bible Study Fellowship and Rafiki formally divide

34 One Thousand Classes 425

and milestones beyond

35 Looking to the Future 437

New challenges, new opportunities

Epilogue 445

Afterword Susie Rowan 453

Appendix 465

Notes 471