A Tribute to Stanley Davies

After a struggle with illness, Rev Stanley Davies sadly passed away at the end of March 2024 at the age of 84.

In 1983 Stanley Davies was appointed as the first full-time General Secretary of the Evangelical Mission Association (latterly Global Connections). The work and membership grew under his leadership, and a number of specialist working groups were set up providing guidance and fellowship for people such as HR Officers, Finance Officers and those organising short-term programmes. During this period a stronger financial base enabled other staff to be employed. Stanley Davies retired in 2004 and was succeeded by Martin Lee.

Please continue to pray, for his wife and family who loved him very deeply and are feeling the loss.

Please find below two tributes to Stanley.

Stanley Davies – A Personal Tribute

by Bob Hunt (former Chair EMA/Global Connections; former Acting Principal All Nations Christian College)

I first met Stanley Davies in my little office at All Nations Christian College in the late 1970s. He had recently returned from service in East Africa and had been appointed to the staff at Moorlands Bible College. His post was similar to mine i.e. being responsible for the practical training in church ministry of students. It was typical of Stan’s methodical approach that he was taking time to investigate all that was involved in his new undertaking.

We next met on the plane en-route to the European Youth Missionary Congress held in Lausanne over the New Year 1982/3 where we were representing our respective colleges. That week we arranged to meet and share lunch together and discuss the morning’s presentations. I was impressed by Stan’s ability to liaise and relate to everyone there and to go around networking about worldwide mission.

Eventually I learnt that Stan had been appointed to succeed the late Ernest Oliver as General Secretary of the Evangelical Missionary Alliance. He shortly suggested my nomination as an EMA Council member and thus began for me a 12 year association; 9 years as a Council member and 3 years as Chair. During that time Stanley was appointed to the Board of All Nations College eventually becoming its Chair; Stanley liked to joke that at All Nations he was my boss while at EMA I was his boss!

By this time Stan was recognised as being an elder statesman among British mission societies. EMA was growing and taking on more staff. Among them was Richard Tiplady. As Stanley’s Associate Richard took on the role of introducing an “Image Update” i.e a revamping of name (to Global Connections), new stationery and décor and an overhaul of its Principles and Practices. Stan was conservative by nature but I admired the way he was willing to allow Richard freedom to innovate and develop.

My last major connection with Stanley came in my retirement year 2005/6 at All Nations. A hiatus meant that a new temporary Principal was needed – and Stan asked me to step up. So we spent the last 9 months of my tenure in close discussions about the way forward until new Principal, Dr Mike Wall, was free to take the reins.

Stan experienced many sad times and dramas in his life but his equanimity and forbearance shone through. He wasn’t perfect – of course he wasn't, but he served God’s mission wonderfully well in his diplomacy, astuteness, affability – and with his warm chuckle.

Ode to Stanley Davies

By Rev Dr Richard Tiplady, Associate Director of Global Connections from 1996-2002. Since then he has worked as a consultant to numerous mission agencies, as British Director of European Christian Mission, as Principal of International Christian College and the Scottish School of Christian Mission, and as Director of Mixed Mode Training for the Scottish Episcopal Church. In his dotage (he’s now the age Stanley was when they worked together), Richard is a research consultant and a mountain leader.

In theory, it shouldn’t have worked. The middle-aged, silver-haired, patrician diplomat at the Head of the Evangelical Missionary Alliance, and his young, rather unformed and outspoken deputy. But it did. From 1996 until 2002, I worked alongside Stanley as the Assistant General Secretary (later Associate Director) of the EMA (which we changed to Global Connections in 1999). And it was one of the best working relationships of my life.

Although we were very different people, we got on well and we respected each other. Stanley gave me space to grow and he trusted me with significant responsibilities. In return, I like to think that I took Global Connections in new directions, exploring new opportunities and building new relationships. And I tried to make sure I never embarrassed him or put him in an awkward situation. Usually, I managed that. Together we made a good team.

I have tried to apply these lessons throughout my own career. Trust in younger leaders, set them free to do their thing; and if (when?) they fail, pick them up, dust them down, and set them on their way again. The early investment that Stanley made in my life, by appointing a 29-year-old to a public and visible position, opened doors and helped me to go on to all kinds of interesting roles.

So if you’re a ‘Stanley’ (a senior leader), then who are your ‘Richards’ (or ‘Rachels’)? Where are the younger leaders with potential that you can invest in, endorse, support and promote, to let them do their thing and defend them from their detractors, as Stanley did with me? If you’re a ‘Richard’ (or a ‘Rachel’), then who is your ‘Stanley’ (or ‘Stephanie’)? Where are the senior leaders that you can work alongside, supporting one another, and doing more together than you would do on your own? Working relationships as good as these can be life changing. So why not change a life?