Overview

Author Paul Schlehlein provides an overview of the life and ministry of John Paton, missionary to Vanuatu (then New Hebrides). After a few chapters of summary, the author makes observations and applications from Paton’s ministry to God’s leading, the Christian family, and missions philosophy.

If you want to read the riveting story of Paton’s adventures in Vanuatu, read Paton’s autobiography (see my review). However, if you want a broader analysis of Paton, his day, and missions in general, this book is for you. Really, the two books belong together. Read Paton’s autobiography first which will provide helpful context to Schlehlein’s observations. While Schlehlein leans heavily on the autobiography, he extends his research to works written by Paton’s contemporaries as well as his son, Frank, as seen in the end notes and the bibliography in the appendix. The final chapter reflects both Paton’s and the author’s reformed soteriology.

Highlights

  • The analysis of courage and risk in missions as illustrated by the life of John Paton.
  • The description of the home life of John Paton as recorded by his wife, Margaret.
  • The discussion of missions strategies based on the ministry of John Paton

Quotes

  • A local man, on converting to Christianity: “Had he [John Paton] stayed away from such danger [threats of violence and cannibalism], I would have remained heathen; but he came, and continued coming to teach us, till, by the grace of God, I was changes to what I am [a believer in Jesus].” (p. 125)
  • His wife, Margaret, on living among cannibals and in a climate that claimed Paton’s first wife at age 19: “Life, humanly speaking, is perfectly safe here.” (p. 119)
  • Paton, on the principle of self-support of indigenous churches: “In all my work amongst the natives, I have striven to train them to be self-supporting, and have never helped them where I could train them to help themselves.” (p. 147)
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Other Sources

John Paton is also highlighted in Daring Devotion, Day 4.