Our History
More than 50 years ago, five women heard former China missionary Audrey Wetherell Johnson speak at their church in Southern California and asked her to lead them in a Bible study.
Having for years taught people who had no Bible knowledge or had never heard the name of Jesus, Miss Johnson thought, “What have I come to?” After all, there was an abundance of churches in San Bernardino. But she prayed. God gave her a clear answer. So she agreed to teach but told them, “I will not spoon-feed you.”
It soon became obvious that God had bigger plans for Miss Johnson and BSF. Her first class outgrew two homes before moving to a church to accommodate the new women who were attending. Billy Graham’s 1958 crusade was the impetus for the fledgling organization to move to the San Francisco Bay area. As a follow-up to the crusade, Miss Johnson accepted the invitation to teach a class at Melrose Baptist Church in Oakland, Calif. New BSF classes sprang up across the Bay area. The Berkeley BSF class was the birthplace of the ministry’s international expansion. Faculty members of the China Bible Seminary experienced BSF and requested the material needed to start classes in Hong Kong.
Beyond California
In the early 1960s, the wife of a graduate student at the University of California asked if she could start a BSF class when she returned home to Indiana. Another class soon began in Arkansas. BSF continued to expand across the United States as class members changed jobs or moved, taking BSF with them. A class member’s husband formed a men’s group, and classes for preschool children grew from the desire to offer more than childcare for class members’ children. The first young adults’ class opened in the early 1970s.
By 1980, Miss Johnson had been writing BSF lessons and leading a blossoming ministry for more than 25 years. Her decision to retire led to a major move for the organization. Under the leadership of Rosemary Jensen, BSF’s second director, BSF moved to San Antonio, Texas, where the headquarters is now located.
Global expansion
The 1980s and 1990s saw “BSF International” expand into many countries around the world. More than 900 classes were in operation by the new millennium. During this time, classes for school-age children began.
After nearly 20 years of leading BSF, Rosemary Jensen retired in 2000. Jean Nystrand succeeded her, faithfully serving from 2000 until 2009. After years of dramatic growth, Jean helped BSF face its 21st century challenges with a commitment to what makes BSF unique and with faith in what God has in store for the future.
Today, Susie Rowan directs a global ministry of Bible classes that serve more than 200,000 class members on six continents in 39 nations.
Find a class near you by clicking here.
