Ivan Stewart married Polly in 1944. At the time, she was a recent convert to Christianity. Ivan realized that preaching alone was not enough to help people fully understand the Gospel and their responsibilities as Christians. He spent six months trying personal Bible studies, but without success. Eventually, his first conversion came as a result of using the Open Bible Study method.

The Open Bible Study proved to be a useful tool for helping individuals understand the plan of salvation and the responsibilities of living as a Christian. It was designed to be easy to understand, simple to follow, and direct in its presentation. The study also provided an overview of key scriptures that most clearly address salvation.