Our Story
Establishing Vision of Cultural Mission
The year 1994, a time when huge numbers of the overseas Chinese intellectuals showing sincere interest in Christianity, brother Mark Yu, a deacon at the Bread of Life Church at Torrance, proposed to start a foundation to promote the cause of the Gospel. Responding to his zeal, Rev. Grant Chen, Rev. Edwin Su, and several brothers in business formed the Board of the BlessingsFoundation, Inc. They unanimously agreed that transforming the “soil” of Chinese culture was essential to effective evangelism inChina. This vision was written as the purpose of this newly formed organization.
Cultivating Talents for Ministries
The first 2 years, BF hired sister Yuan Yuan Zhou as staff writer (with penname “Ningzi” ). Later on she initiated a radio program “Skylight” in the station LA 1300, cohosting with brother Zhiming Yuan. The Board Directors soon realized that the great task of transforming Chinese cultural soil required nurturing a considerable number of talents. As a result the Blessings Seminarian Scholarship was set up in 1996. It supports two kinds of seminarians, those with potentials to become scholars to transform thoughts and those with abilities in carrying out mass media ministries. A third kind of seminarians, those with high leadership qualities, was included in later. The Board decided that BF not only provide scholarship financially but also take care of them spiritually while they are in school, and even keep long-term relationship after they graduate.
Moving toward Sending and Networking
In July 2001, Rev. Grant Chen assumed the office of the president. He took the major responsibility of talent nurturing and developed two other strategies, academic exchange and mass media ministry. The Blessings magazine was published in October that very year. Henceforth, the Blessings Foundation has a navigation helmsman and become a gospel organization.
Thus, beside the original title, “Blessings Cultural Mission Fellowship” (BCMF) was used in 2007 to highlight the vision and character of this ministry.
Moving toward Sending and Networking
In 2014, at the 20th anniversary, the BCMF decided to move forward and took the role of sending agency as well. Meanwhile, many graduates serving in different areas cooperated and connected well because of the friendships developed through the years. Now, the small seed of the Blessings Foundation has grown, from a seedling, a small tree, to a dense grove.