The Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International (FGBMFI) is a fellowship of lay businessmen. Its main purpose is to bring interest to the Christian gospel. Theologically, the organization has its roots in Pentecostalism.[1] The headquarters is in Irvine, California.
| Founded | 1951 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Demos Shakarian |
| Type | Christian Interdenominational |
| Location | |
Area served | 85 countries |
President | Mr. Francis Owusu |
| Website | fgbmfi.org |
History
editFGBMFI was founded in 1952 in Los Angeles by Demos Shakarian, a California rancher.[2][1] The expression "Full Gospel" in the name of the association is central to the vision of the organization.[3] Following a difficult start (for a year nothing happened to the original group that met weekly), then a donation of $1000 was given to start a small publication titled Full Gospel Business Men's VOICE, it grew steadily, the second chapter was in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and after a few years chapters were set up throughout the world.[4] In 1972, the membership was 300,000.[5] In 1988, there were 3,000 chapters in 90 countries.[6]
After Demos Shakarian died in 1993, his son Richard Shakarian assumed the organization's leadership.[7]
In 2023, Francis Owusu was elected president of the organization.[8]
The organization was present in 85 countries in 2023.[9]
Controversies
editIn the 1980s, the presence on the board of directors and the financial management of Demos Shakarian were challenged.[10]
See also
edit
Literature
edit- Demos Shakarian, John & Elisabeth Sherrill: The Happiest People on Earth. Old Tappan, N.J.: Chosen Books: distributed by F. H. Revell Co., c1975. ISBN 0-912376-14-7. 187 pages.
- Val Fotherby: The awakening giant. London (UK) (Marshall Pickering), 2000. ISBN 0-551-03234-0. 200 pages.
External links
editBibliography
edit- "FGBMFI: Facing Frustrations and the Future", by B. Bird. Charisma (June 1986)
- "FGBMFI Struggles toward the Future", by D. Shakarian(?). Charisma (March 1988)
- All Things Are Possible, by D. E. Harrell Jr., 1975
- How to live like a King's Kid, by H. Hill. Logos International, 1974. ISBN 0-88270-083-9.
- "Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International" by J. R. Zeigler; pp. 653–54 in The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, revised and expanded edition, ed. Stanley M. Burgess, associate editor Eduard M. Van der Maas. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2002)
References
edit- ^ a b Heino, Harri (1997). Mihin Suomi tänään uskoo [What does Finland believe in today] (in Finnish) (2nd ed.). Helsinki: WSOY. pp. 115–116. ISBN 951-0-27265-5.
- ^ Randall Herbert Balmer, Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism: Revised and expanded edition, Baylor University Press, USA, 2004, p. 274
- ^ J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, ABC-CLIO, USA, 2010, p. 1082
- ^ The Happiest People on Earth, the story of Demos Shakarian as told to John and Elizabeth Sherrill, Steward Press, Chuppaqua, New York, 10514, 1975
- ^ Randall Herbert Balmer, Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism, Westminster John Knox Press, USA, 2002, page 274
- ^ Robert H. Krapohl, Charles H. Lippy, The Evangelicals: A Historical, Thematic, and Biographical Guide, Greenwood Publishing Group, USA, 1999, page 74
- ^ Allan Anderson, An Introduction to Pentecostalism: Global Charismatic Christianity, Cambridge University Press, UK, 2013, page 160
- ^ FGBMFI, Our International President Archived 2022-04-21 at the Wayback Machine, fgbmfi.org, USA, retrieved March 7, 2020
- ^ FGBMFI, OUR HISTORY, fgbmfi.org, USA, retrieved February 4, 2023
- ^ John Dart, Worldwide Christian Body Divided Over Funds, Power, latimes.com, USA, January 14, 1989