Bill Bright often said that Henrietta Mears was the most influential person in his life outside of his wife and mother. When Bill graduated from university, he moved to southern California to open his business, Bright’s California Confections. Bill knew the Lord before he met Henrietta Mears, but something changed after she gave a challenge to be totally dedicated to the Lord and His kingdom. As he went home that evening, he found himself counting the cost.
Before sleeping that night, he told God he would invest his life in His kingdom.
From that day forward he was no longer a casual visitor to the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood and its College Department. He became a dedicated regular. The College Department of the church was where Henrietta Mears (Teacher) trained and prepared leaders for life-long ministry, vocationally and in the marketplace.
Holy Spirit encounter that turned the world upside down
During her 1946-1947 sabbatical, she saw and experienced Europe after WWII. The physical, cultural, and spiritual destruction was devastating. She realized the same influences were flowing into the US as the soldiers returned. Once home, she portrayed the grim reality of the effects of Communism and societies without God. Speaking passionately, she declared, “We must be expendables for Christ.” Later that evening Teacher, Bill, and three others gathered in her cabin to pray.
“These five spent much of the night in prayer and planning. At times they felt a total inadequacy and confessed sin in tears. They sought the Lord, asking for guidance and for the power of the Holy Spirit. At other times, they waited in silence as God spoke to each of them. There were also times of great praise in the face of God’s touch. Bill Bright describes how: “suddenly the Holy Spirit came upon us and we were just awed and overwhelmed. We fell to our knees and I sensed that my heart was so full of praise that if I didn’t pray, I’d burst.” Another man talked of how coals of fire ran up and down his spine.”*
“As they prayed, God showed them the college campuses of the world in need of Christ. They understood that God was showing them this because college students were the key to leadership for world revival. God wanted to call the “expendables” from the campuses.”*
The influence of Henrietta Mears
Miss Mears had always seen Bill’s leadership potential. So, not long after the first College Briefing Conference in 1947, Teacher made Bill Bright the President of the College Department. Since it was usually a position reserved for students, she had clearly singled him out for focused leadership development.
During this time Bill’s long-distance relationship with Vonette Zachary was becoming serious. When Vonette came to visit him in California, Henrietta Mears sat down with her and led her to a personal relationship with Jesus. As Vonette shared her experience, the way Teacher communicated was a possible foreshadowing of Bill’s Four Spiritual Laws.
In 1951 God gave Bill the vision for Cru. Five years later he sold his business to live by faith. Part of God’s provision included the Brights living with Teacher for the first ten years of Cru. Or as the Bright’s described it, “She lived with us in her home,” because the young couple managed the household for both ministries.
“Bill and Vonette’s last conversation face to face with Henrietta Mears was after her last Forest Home banquet. Though they no longer lived there, the Brights spent the night at the Stone Canyon house. Vonette prepared breakfast for Bill and herself. Miss Mears came down while Vonette was cooking and said:
“Now Vonette, don’t do anything, just stop, I want you both to sit here. I want to tell you what I think of you before I die. I don’t want you to hear it from anyone else. I’ve been impressed this morning to tell you what I think of you. Bill, I believe that God has gifted you with the gift of faith, and I believe that you are going to teach the world to exercise their faith as perhaps no other man of your time.”
“This prophecy was clearly fulfilled over the course of Bill Bright’s lifetime.”**
One might be tempted to say Cru® carries the thumbprint of Henrietta Mears. But both Teacher and Bill Bright would quickly correct that notion. They both carry the DNA of our loving God.
(*pp 86,87; **p. 108 – From Andrea’s book, A Little Drop of Love cited below.)
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