Missions by the Spirit: Learning from Quaker Examples

Missions by the Spirit captures Quaker (Friends Church) dynamics in global outreach. Author Ron Stansell shows that Quakers have carried out some aspects of missions differently than other evangelicals. Consciously and unconsciously, twentieth-century Friends were influenced by traditions and beliefs about the Holy Spirit, interpersonal relationships of peace and harmony, convictions that the human condition involves both physical and spiritual needs, and the belief that a passionately holy life full of integrity was required of them as missionaries. The bold witness of early Friends includes biblical teaching about the equality of all human beings, the work of God in the hearts of people everywhere, loyalty to Scripture, the centrality of Christ, the possibility of culture being transformed, and the personal guidance of the Holy Spirit. The theology and practice of Friends is evident in the mission work of twentieth-century Friends missionaries Arthur B. Chilson, R. Esther Smith, Everett L. Cattell, and Jack L. Willcuts. Rather than offering comprehensive biographies of these four pioneer missionaries, Stansell focuses on the principles that make his subjects worthy models for Spirit-directed service.