Bethany Global University in USA 

Bethany Fellowship was founded by five families in 1945. They were all members of Bethany Chapel (now known as Bethany Church), which was founded in 1943. These families each entered into a deeper, more passionate relationship with Jesus and were seeking to give all they had to God. The possibilities of the sanctified Christian life and the unfinished task of world missions greatly inspired them, but most of their time, energy and money were needed to support their families and maintain their homes.

After much prayer and discussion, they sensed God leading them to sell their possessions and pool their resources to acquire a common residence where they could live, worship and work together to fulfill their goal. Consequently, in 1945, they sold their homes and combined their belongings to support their newly formed organization, which they called Bethany Fellowship.

The headquarters were established in a large, 30-room home in Minneapolis called “Bethany House.” The purpose of this community life was to reduce unnecessary work and expense entailed in maintaining several households so that more time and money could be given to missions. The name “Bethany” was chosen because it was a place Jesus preferred and would retreat to for prayer and reflection with the Father.