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E. Stanley Jones
Eli Stanley Jones (1884–1973). Born on January 3, 1884, in Clarksville, Maryland, to George Washington and Lydia Jones, E. Stanley Jones was an American Methodist missionary, evangelist, and author renowned for his global ministry and interfaith dialogue. Raised in a devout Methodist family, he converted at 17 during a revival meeting, sensing a call to preach. He graduated from Asbury College in Kentucky (1907), where he honed his oratorical skills, and briefly studied law before committing to ministry. Ordained in the Methodist Episcopal Church, he sailed to India in 1907 as a missionary under the Methodist Board of Missions, pastoring an English-speaking church in Lucknow and later focusing on evangelism among India’s intellectual and low-caste communities. His “round table conferences” fostered open discussions with Hindus and Muslims, earning respect from figures like Mahatma Gandhi. Jones authored 28 books, including The Christ of the Indian Road (1925), a bestseller translated into 30 languages, Christ at the Round Table (1928), Victorious Living (1936), and The Divine Yes (1975, posthumous), emphasizing Christ’s universal appeal. A global preacher, he spoke in over 40 countries, advocating Christian unity and social justice, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962 and 1963. Married to Mabel Lossing in 1911, a missionary educator, they had one daughter, Eunice, who became a missionary. Despite health struggles, including a stroke in 1971, Jones died on January 25, 1973, in Bareilly, India, saying, “The way to God is Christ, and He is open to all.”
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E. Stanley Jones emphasizes the importance of Christians listening to God in a world filled with uncertainty and confusion. He shares a powerful anecdote of a caretaker challenging the pastor about receiving fresh news from God before attending church. Jones suggests dedicating time during church services for the congregation to listen to God's guidance collectively, fostering a sense of expectancy and active participation. Small prayer and listening groups are highlighted as essential for training individuals in corporate listening, with a church witnessing tremendous impact through this practice.
Let Us Be the Listening Church
The world of uncertainty and confusion will not listen to us as Christians unless we listen to God. A caretaker, when asked by the pastor why he didn't attend church service, replied: "Have you had any fresh news from God?" The listening church will have fresh news from God. Suppose on Sunday morning ten minutes were set aside for the audience to listen to God, listen to what God would say in answer to this question: "What would You have us as individuals and as a collective body to do?" Then have a church meeting to prayerfully listen to the suggestions that emerge. It would bring a sense of expectancy into the Sunday morning service. Now we listen to a sermon and leave it at that. And that is the result -- it is left at that, nothing happens. In order to produce a listening congregation, small groups for prayer and fellowship and listening to God may be the training ground for corporate listening in a church. I know of a church where there are seventeen of these prayer and listening groups. They are the training ground for collective prayer and listening. The total impact is tremendous.
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Eli Stanley Jones (1884–1973). Born on January 3, 1884, in Clarksville, Maryland, to George Washington and Lydia Jones, E. Stanley Jones was an American Methodist missionary, evangelist, and author renowned for his global ministry and interfaith dialogue. Raised in a devout Methodist family, he converted at 17 during a revival meeting, sensing a call to preach. He graduated from Asbury College in Kentucky (1907), where he honed his oratorical skills, and briefly studied law before committing to ministry. Ordained in the Methodist Episcopal Church, he sailed to India in 1907 as a missionary under the Methodist Board of Missions, pastoring an English-speaking church in Lucknow and later focusing on evangelism among India’s intellectual and low-caste communities. His “round table conferences” fostered open discussions with Hindus and Muslims, earning respect from figures like Mahatma Gandhi. Jones authored 28 books, including The Christ of the Indian Road (1925), a bestseller translated into 30 languages, Christ at the Round Table (1928), Victorious Living (1936), and The Divine Yes (1975, posthumous), emphasizing Christ’s universal appeal. A global preacher, he spoke in over 40 countries, advocating Christian unity and social justice, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962 and 1963. Married to Mabel Lossing in 1911, a missionary educator, they had one daughter, Eunice, who became a missionary. Despite health struggles, including a stroke in 1971, Jones died on January 25, 1973, in Bareilly, India, saying, “The way to God is Christ, and He is open to all.”