Editing Noel Stanton (section)

==Life==

Stanton was born in [[Bedfordshire]]<ref name=Army/> and educated at [[Bedford Modern School]].<ref>"School Of The Black And Red-A History Of Bedford Modern School" by Andrew Underwood (1981); reset and updated by Peter Boon, Paul Middleton and Richard Wildman (2010)</ref>  His parents were farmers.<ref>{{Cite book|page=149|title=Exploring New Religions|first=George D. |last=Chryssides|year=1999|publisher=[[Continuum International Publishing Group]]|isbn=0826438903 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2131404687 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> When he was 18, he was [[Conscription in the United Kingdom|conscripted]] into the [[Royal Navy]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Fire in Our Hearts: The Story of the Jesus Fellowship/Jesus Army|author=Cooper, Simon|author2=Mike Farrant |page=24|publisher=Multiply Publications|year=1997|isbn=1900878054}}</ref> The Navy sent him to [[Sydney]], Australia,<ref name=Army>{{Cite web|title=Noel Stanton (1926-2009)|publisher=[[Jesus Army]]|url=http://www.jesus.org.uk/jesus-army-more-depth/noel-stanton|access-date=26 September 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053616/http://www.jesus.org.uk/jesus-army-more-depth/noel-stanton|archive-date=21 September 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> where he was approached by [[Evangelism|evangelist]] [[Frank Jenner]], who asked him, "If you should die tonight, where would you go?  Would it be heaven or hell?" Stanton felt conflicted for several months afterwards and consequently converted to [[Christianity]] the next year.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Jenner of George Street: Sydney's Soul-Winning Sailor|author=Wilson, Raymond|page=44|year=2000|publisher=Southwood Press|location=[[Hurstville, New South Wales]]|isbn=0646408305}}</ref>

When [[World War II]] ended, Stanton attended [[All Nations Bible College]] and worked for  and then went into business.{{sfn|Chryssides|1999|p=149}}<ref>{{Cite book|page=315|title=Encyclopedia of New Religious Movements|editor=Peter Clarke|publisher=[[Routledge]]|year=2004|isbn=0203484339}}</ref> In 1957, he became the [[pastor]] of a Baptist church in Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire.<ref>{{Cite book|page=69|title=Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements|author=George D. Chryssides|edition=2|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]]|year=2011|isbn=978-0810879676}}</ref> Under Stanton's leadership, the church took on characteristics of the [[Charismatic movement]] and then of the [[Counterculture of the 1960s|1960s counterculture]].<ref>{{Cite book|page=177|title=The A to Z of New Religious Movements|author=George D. Chryssides|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]]|year=2006|isbn=0810855887}}</ref> In 1973, he began turning the church into an [[intentional community]] modelled after [[early Christianity]], and the resulting movement became the Jesus Army.<ref>{{Cite news|work=[[The Independent]]|title=The Jesus Army Wants You|author=Fiona MacDonald-Smith|date=29 April 1995|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/the-jesus-army-wants-you-1617501.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220621/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/the-jesus-army-wants-you-1617501.html |archive-date=21 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=26 September 2013}}</ref> He wrote the book ''Your Baptism Into Jesus Christ and His Church'', which was published in 1998.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Noel Stanton|title=Your Baptism Into Jesus Christ and His Church|year=1998|publisher=Multiply Publications|isbn=1900878062}}</ref> Stanton remained the Jesus Army's leader until 2009, when he named Mick Haines the new leader before dying on 20 May.<ref>{{Cite news|work=[[Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph]]|title=Funeral of Jesus Army founder to be screened|date=23 May 2009|url=http://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/news/top-stories/funeral-of-jesus-army-founder-to-be-screened-1-733019|access-date=26 September 2013|archive-date=30 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130930023727/http://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/news/top-stories/funeral-of-jesus-army-founder-to-be-screened-1-733019|url-status=dead}}</ref>