True to His Word

by Lewis, Gregg; Lewis, Deborah Shaw

• ISBN13: 9780830857760
• ISBN10: 0830857761
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-08-01
• Publisher: Ivp Books

Summary

This gripping history of Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) begins at a dead end--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.

Table of Contents

A Tribute to 50 Years	p. xi
Preface	p. 1
An Unexpected Beginning (1950-1959)
At Life's Crossroads	p. 5
Audrey Wetherell Johnson arrives in California
No Spoon-Feeding	p. 11
The formation of Wetherell Johnson's Bible study methods
Bible Study Fellowship in the Bay Area	p. 17
Miss Johnson moves to Oakland
Ideal Partners	p. 23
Miss Hertzler joins Miss Johnson in Oakland
Rapid Early Expansion (1960-1979)
God's Plan for Expansion	p. 35
The many ways Bible Study Fellowship classes grew and spread
The Youngest BSFers	p. 43
The beginning of the Children's Program
Adding Bass Notes to the Harmony	p. 51
The beginning of Men's Classes
From Foothill to Skymount	p. 67
Evidence of God's provision at headquarters
A Youth Movement	p. 85
Reaching out to young adults
Repeating the Pattern, Part 1	p. 101
Training leaders
Repeating the Pattern, Part 2	p. 113
Establishing policies and an organizational culture
An Arm of the Church	p. 123
Bible Study Fellowship's partnership with the Christian community
Retreats and Seminars	p. 137
Nourishing the spiritual lives of leaders
New Leaders, New Classes, New Cities	p. 151
Further U.S. expansion through the 1970s
Heading Overseas	p. 167
Bible Study Fellowship moves into Australia, England, and Canada
The Second Generation Begins (1980-1984)
A Change of Leadership	p. 185
Bible Study Fellowship gets its second director: Rosemary Jensen
The Texas Transition	p. 199
Reorganizing Bible Study Fellowship in San Antonio
Signs of God's Blessing	p. 213
Building headquarters in San Antonio
Putting on the Finishing Touches	p. 231
Furnishing and dedicating the new headquarters
Settling In	p. 243
The early years in San Antonio
God Closes a Chapter	p. 263
Audrey Wetherell Johnson goes to be with her Savior
A New Era of Growth and Change (1985-1999)
On the Same Page	p. 273
Coordinating age groups, classes, and study series
Making More Room	p. 283
Expansion and additions at headquarters
A Universal Body	p. 297
Bible Study Fellowship moves into more of the world
Person to Person	p. 315
How Bible Study Fellowship grew
Growing a Different Way	p. 333
Focusing on larger, stronger classes
Mission to Developing Nations	p. 343
Forming Rafiki and The World Outreach
Welcoming the Next Generation	p. 357
Bible Study Fellowship launches the School Program
New in the Cycle	p. 371
Introducing lesson series on Moses and Romans
A Farewell	p. 381
Rosemary Jensen retires
The Third Generation and Beyond (2000-2010)
Another Change of Leadership	p. 393
Bible Study Fellowship gets its third Director: Jean Nystrand
Third-Generation Vision	p. 403
Jean Nystrand helps the ministry listen for God's will
Growing Separate Ways	p. 415
Bible Study Fellowship and Rafiki formally divide
One Thousand Classes	p. 425
and milestones beyond
Looking to the Future	p. 437
New challenges, new opportunities
Epilogue	p. 445
Afterword	p. 453
Appendix	p. 465
Notes	p. 471
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