WHO WE ARE
The Shakarian Journey
Shakarian Family contributions over many years have been a major part of church history.
This wonderful family was chosen by God to usher in the world’s largest Christian laymen movement, through a vision given by God to Demos Shakarian. This vision was carried on by Richard Shakarian, and has gone forward through today’s current leaders.
Long before the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship began, the miraculous journey from Armenia, which was the first known Christian nation, to America took place through a prophecy of a genocide which was to come. The Shakarian forefathers were instrumental in following the leading of the Holy Spirit which led many families into safety to the west coast of America.
Many of the Armenian Christians which settled in Los Angeles, California, participated in the historic 1906 Azusa Street revival which sent forth many Spirit-filled leaders to change their nations. The inception of the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International ministry organization went on to become one of the most influential organizations ever used by God. This fellowship continues today to fulfill the mandate to assist in ushering in the end-time harvest.
The Boy Prophet
•The Vision & The Future Genocide
From the book, STILL THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE ON EARTH by Richard Shakarian.
I am forever grateful that our family believed the prophecy. Those who chose to remain behind became eye witnesses and victims of one of the greatest genocides in recorded history. In 1896, years before our family left Armenia, more than 6000 Christians had been murdered by Muslims in Constantinople – but that city seemed so far away at the time.
The real trouble ignited in 1914 when the decision was made to totally exterminate the Christian Armenian Population from the Ottoman Empire. This was carried out during World War 1 and involved the abduction, torture, starvation, and deportation of the Armenian people. Hundreds of thousands were either slaughtered or forcibly marched to their death in the deserts of Syria.
History records the atrocities of young Turks, including locking Christians in barns and setting them on fire. Then they would yell, “If you would accept Mohammed in place of Christ, we will open the doors.” Time after time, the committed Christians became martyrs of the faith. They chose to die, many singing hymns as the flames engulfed them.
The warning by Efim, the boy prophet, became a horrifying reality. During the genocide, every remaining inhabitant of Kara Kala, was exterminated. Today, this blood-stained soil is near the site of the present Turkish village of Taslica. You can only find the original location on old Russian topographic maps of the area.