Stanley Jones
Stanley Jones, was an American missionary and a theologian who is known for founding the Christian Ashram movement in India. He accepted Christ when he was 17 and graduated in Law from Asbury College, Kentucky. He planned to become a lawyer but instead obeyed God’s call to ministry. He was sent by the Methodist Episcopal Church to serve as a missionary in India in 1907.
Biography:
Birth: 03-01-1884
Death: 25-01-1973
Native Place: Baltimore, Maryland
Country: United States
Place of Vision: India
In India, he met a Muslim during a train journey, and out of his missionary enthusiasm, he read to this man, the ‘Sermon on the Mount.’ Then the gentleman said “We have the same thing in our Sacred Book. All religions are the same – only the paths are different.” This encounter made Jones think about whether he should argue or debate with non-Christians to prove Christianity right or use some other way.
He found another way. He established the concept of ‘Christian Ashram’ to draw people to discuss what the other religions and their religion offered.
Stanley Jones ministry in India
He often used these discussions as an avenue for evangelism. His new approach to evangelism presented Christ as the universal savior without the trappings of Western culture.
Jones extended this ministry to many countries including America, Canada, and Japan. He delivered thousands of lectures and sermons in his lifetime which were centered on surrendering lives to Jesus Christ. His sermons had a life-changing impact on millions of people. He urged the Indian Christians to follow their own culture to prove that Christianity can be indigenous to India.
Jones has more than 30 books on his name which have changed the lives of many. He describes his mission in his own words as “I saw that the gospel lies in the person of Jesus, that he himself is the Good News that my one task was to live and to present him.” At the ripe old age of 90, he entered the Glory after fulfilling all his earthly duties.
Beloved, how can you evangelize those around you without any conflicts?
Take away from the article
“Lord, help me to preach the gospel in a way that people can relate to you. Amen!”
Word of Prayer
