Following the reported miraculous healing of a close friend, Basham and his wife Alice experienced a spiritual awakening that led him to leave a career in commercial art in 1951 to enter the Christian ministry.
[citation needed] After the publication of his first book, Basham left the pastorate in 1967 to commence a freelance writing and travelling ministry.
He travelled extensively in the US and abroad (Jamaica, England, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Austria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Israel and New Zealand) [5] teaching on subjects such as the Holy Spirit, deliverance, spiritual authority and faith.
[6] In 1970, Basham, along with Bible teachers Derek Prince, Bob Mumford, Ern Baxter and Charles Simpson, began teaching a controversial doctrine of 'spiritual covering' that required individual Christians to be submitted and accountable to a leader.
[8] Basham was the editor of CGMs monthly magazine, New Wine from 1975 to 1981 and served as chief editorial consultant until it ceased publication in 1986.