Demos Shakarian (1913-1993), an Armenian dairyman who founded the worldwide Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International, was a remarkable man who obeyed God. We look at the incredible story of the man who, through God’s power, established the largest network of Christian businessmen in the world, with branches in 132 nations.
Demos was named after his grandfather, who lived with his wife and five daughters, in the small Armenian village of Kara Kala, in the rocky foothills of Mount Arafat. As a strict Presbyterian, grandfather Demos refused to accept supernatural prophecy of the sort mentioned in the Bible. It was not until 1900, when God gave a word of knowledge to a group of travelling Russian Pentecostal Christians, that all of grandfather Demos’ doubts instantly disappeared. That night, Demos and his wife received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Exodus to America
Later that year, a fifty-six year old Russian man called Efim warned all of the village that they had to flee to America and that anyone who stayed would perish. Grandfather Demos and many other Armenian Christians heeded the warning and fled to Los Angeles in 1905. In 1914, the prophecy came to pass - Turkey overran Armenia, and every last person in Kara Kala was murdered.
Demos is Born
On 21 July 1913, Demos Shakarian (junior) was born, and grew up in a strong Pentecostal Armenian community, working on his father's farm. At 13, Demos was baptised in the Holy Spirit during a church service and spoke in tongues. When he returned home, the power of God rendered him helpless on the floor. As he lay there, God spoke to him and said “Demos, will you ever doubt My power?" Twice more God asked Demos that question and each time Demos assured him that he would never doubt His power. From that moment on, Demos proved again and again the reality of the power of God in his life.
When Demos was 20, Rose Gabriel came into his life and they soon married. As Demos strove to support himself and Rose, he realised the reason that he was not succeeding was because he was drifting away from God. Demos and Rose reconsecrated their lives and dedicated themselves to serve God wholeheartedly.
God’s Helper
Demos looked for things that he could do for God. In 1941, Demos met a man of God who would have a huge influence on his life Dr Charles Price, a well-known healing evangelist. Demos called for him in desperation to pray for his hospitalised sister, Florence, who had been involved in a serious car accident. Florence was told that if she lived, she would always be a cripple. One week after the accident Dr Price prayed for her, and she was instantly healed! Florence left the hospital a completely well woman and Demos knew, more than ever, that divine healing was real and part of the full gospel.
Demos was determined to put God first but continued to wonder what special work God wanted him to do. After one successful full gospel rally, Demos received his answer. He knew he was not a preacher, teacher, healer or prophet he was an encourager, an organiser somebody who could facilitate the spreading of faith.
He turned to 1 Corinthians 12:28 and saw something he had never noticed before his ministry was as a 'helper'. From that moment on he never doubted his divine appointment.
Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship is born
Demos was continually reminded of something that Dr Price had said to him. He had said that Demos would witness God's Spirit descending on all flesh and that ordinary lay people not the clergy would be His most important channel. In 1951, Demos helped to set up Oral Roberts' Los Angeles campaign. One night, after a meeting, Demos explained to Oral what God had put on his heart, that Demos should create a way for businessmen who had experienced the power and love of God, to share their experience with other businessmen. Men who might not believe what a preacher said, but who would listen to another man in business. Demos even had a name - Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International. Oral Roberts liked the idea and knew God was in it he agreed to speak at the first meeting of FGBMFI, to be held in a Los Angeles cafeteria. Demos invited every Spirit-filled businessman he knew, and told them all to bring their friends. This was going to be huge, especially as Oral Roberts was speaking. To Demos' shock, a total of only 21 people attended on that first Saturday morning, and heard Oral Roberts prophesy that the group would have one thousand branches!
“Demos, will you ever doubt My power?"
Frustratingly for Demos, he was not seeing any evidence of growth. Over the following twelve months the Fellowship appeared to have the same core people every week Πit was not expanding, despite Demos' tireless efforts. On one Saturday in December 1952, 14 months after the inaugural meeting, there were 15 attendees Π6 fewer than the first meeting. In despair, Demos decided to end FGBMFI, but God had other ideas...
On the following Friday evening, the day before the last meeting of the Fellowship, Demos prayed to God for an answer as to why he had seen no increase. Suddenly Demos was struck by the power of God, exactly the same as when he was 13. Demos heard the same voice he had heard so many years before, “Demos, will you ever doubt My power?" Demos suddenly realised he had been struggling to run the Fellowship in his own strength, struggling and straining to make it work.
God confirms His purpose for Demos
The following morning, Demos and Rose received confirmation from other members that they were to continue. Two other businessmen had heard from God overnight one was told by God to donate $1000 and the other that he should offer his company's printing press to Demos to spread the Fellowship around the world. And so the worldwide magazine, the Full Gospel Business Men's Voice was born.
The Fellowship quickly expanded from that day, as businessmen set up their own branches, or 'chapters', across America. Meetings coincided with breakfast, lunch or dinner and were run by and for lay businessmen.
In 1956, the first Canadian chapter was established in Toronto. In 1959, Demos was invited to the Republic of Haiti, a strong dictatorship, to hold three weeks of meetings. Demos accepted and saw God move in Haiti, even on the President! From then on, new chapters started across the world. By 1975, after 24 years, there were 1650 chapters across the world with an average of 500,000 people attending every month. Oral Roberts' prophesy of 1000 chapters had been achieved and exceeded, in God's strength!
Demos died in 1993, two days short of his eightieth birthday, leaving a vast global movement of laymen being used mightily through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Today, the Fellowship operates in 132 countries tens of thousands of men putting God first and making a commitment to spread the good news of Christ all due to one man's obedience to God.
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