Seventy-five years ago, a group of bold men and women, driven by an unshakable commitment to the Great Commission, cast a pebble of faith into the waters of history. At that moment, the founding of the Baptist Bible Fellowship International created ripples that continue to move across oceans, nations, pulpits, and generations. The founders of the BBFI likely had no idea just how far those ripples would travel. But today, we stand in the wake of their faith, conviction, and obedience—and we are still feeling the impact.
The Ripple of Missions
Not long after the formation of the BBFI in 1950, the first ripples reached foreign shores. Early BBFI missionaries like L.D. Woosley, Frank Hooge, and Bob Hughes in the Philippines took bold steps to carry the gospel across borders. Fred Donnelson in China, Lavern Rodgers in Japan, and Jack Baskin in South Korea all carried a burden to reach Asia for Christ.
Across Asia, missionaries like Fred Donnelson in China, Lavern Rodgers in Japan, and Jack Baskin in South Korea laid deep spiritual foundations in cultures unfamiliar with the gospel. These men didn’t just preach—they trained leaders, translated truth, and birthed national movements.
In Africa, pioneers like Elmer Deal and Richard Konnerup brought the message of Christ to new fields, establishing churches that are now led by national pastors and multiplying disciples. Meanwhile, in Latin America, faithful servants like James Smith and Georgia Webb in Mexico, Joe Lingo in Chile, and Rudy Johnson in Peru sowed gospel seeds that are still bearing fruit today.
These pioneers were more than travelers; they were catalysts. The gospel they preached took root, and national leaders were trained. New churches were born. Bible colleges were started. The ripples of that initial obedience in the 1950s continue to flow across the globe, shaping lives in places the founders may never have imagined.
The Ripple of Church Planting in America
While missions expanded globally, the BBFI’s commitment to church planting within the United States remained central. From storefronts and living rooms to church buildings and growing campuses, BBFI churches were planted in every region of the country.
These churches weren’t started with fanfare, but with faith. Pastors preached the gospel, baptized new believers, discipled families, and raised up future leaders. Many of these churches planted daughter churches, started Christian schools, and launched outreach ministries that would touch thousands.
Today, the BBFI includes thousands of local churches across America—many of them birthed from the vision and sacrifice of a single family. The ripple continues as churches support new planters, mentor young leaders, and respond to the spiritual needs of their communities.
Church planting is not just part of the BBFI’s history. It’s part of its identity.
The Ripple of Education
In 1950, the BBFI established Baptist Bible College, now Mission University, in Springfield, Missouri. The goal was clear: to train pastors, missionaries, and Christian leaders to serve the local church and fulfill the Great Commission.
For 75 years, Mission University has done just that. Its graduates have planted churches, launched mission teams, written books, led worship, and pastored in every imaginable context from rural churches to urban centers to unreached tribes overseas.
In the Northeast, Boston Baptist College continues to equip leaders with a strong foundation in apologetics, church history, and ministry. Its graduates are prepared to reach secular and skeptical cultures with clarity, conviction, and compassion.
These schools and others associated with the BBFI aren’t just academic institutions. They’re leadership engines. Every graduate is another ripple, another pebble in the lake of gospel impact.
The Ripple of Relationships
Perhaps the most underestimated ripple is the power of one pastor investing in another. The BBFI is not just an organization; it is a fellowship, a web of relationships that stretches across geography and generations. When one pastor encourages another, when one missionary mentors a younger couple, when one leader invests in future leaders, the ripple grows.
Paul poured into Timothy. Timothy led others. The same is true today. When pastors take time to pour into interns, disciple young leaders, or simply offer a word of encouragement, it strengthens the fabric of the Fellowship. It multiplies ministry. And that is at the heart of what the BBFI has always been about.
Throughout the BBFI, stories abound of leaders who were shaped by someone who believed in them. Conversations over coffee. Late-night phone calls. Ministry moments filled with prayer, encouragement, and truth.
When one leader pours into another, the result is not just addition … it’s multiplication. That’s the power of the ripple.
Throwing Another Pebble
As we celebrate 75 years of the BBFI, we stand in awe of what God has done. The ripples are real. But this moment isn’t just about looking back—it’s about looking forward.
Now is the time for this generation to cast its own rock of obedience, faith, and vision. Let us dream again. The world still needs the gospel. Cities still need churches. Leaders still need training. The next generation still needs mentors.
So here’s the challenge: Throw another pebble!
Plant another church. Send another missionary. Mentor another leader. Start another ministry. Invest in another student. Speak into the next generation. The lake is still before us, and our God is still able.
Let’s pray for new ripples to begin, ones we may never see the end of, but that God will use to extend His kingdom and bring Him glory.
Throw the pebble. Trust God with the ripple.
