Demos Shakarian (1913–1993)

Demos Shakarian, an American businessman of Armenian heritage, died on July 23, 1993, in Costa Mesa, California. He was widely known for strengthening laymen to live openly for Christ, not as clergy but as men whose daily work became a platform for prayer, testimony, and compassionate courage.

Raised in a family marked by suffering and deliverance, Shakarian carried a deep gratitude for God’s preserving hand. That heritage helped form in him a steady, quiet heroism: the conviction that faith is not private, and that ordinary believers can speak with holy boldness in ordinary places.

Shakarian’s professional life in Southern California demonstrated disciplined stewardship and integrity. Yet he believed success was never an end in itself. He often urged men to see the workplace as a mission field and to treat coworkers, customers, and competitors with honesty, humility, and Spirit-filled love.

Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (1952)

After sensing God’s direction, Shakarian founded the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI) in 1952, creating a fellowship where men could gather around Scripture, worship, and personal testimony. Local chapters and meetings—often in restaurants, banquet rooms, and conference halls—made space for believers to pray for one another, confess Christ without embarrassment, and encourage perseverance in marriage, parenting, and work.

FGBMFI became known for simple, direct witness: men telling what God had done, inviting others to repentance and faith, and expecting the Holy Spirit to empower changed lives. The movement spread internationally, connecting believers across denominations while keeping a clear focus on Jesus Christ and the authority of the Word.

Legacy and Spiritual Significance

Shakarian’s legacy underscores the biblical pattern of Spirit-empowered witness flowing outward from daily life: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses…to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). His life also commended vocational faithfulness: “Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23).

Remembered in Costa Mesa and far beyond, he stands as an example that courageous faith can begin at the workplace—and, by God’s grace, reach the world.