Fredrik Franson

Fredrik Franson (June 17, 1852 – August 2, 1908) was a Swedish-born American evangelical theologian, founder of The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM), of Chicago, Illinois. He has been called "Moody's Swedish disciple".

Biography

He was born in Pershyttan, Västmanland, Sweden to Frans Ersson and Maria Nilsdotter. His father died when he was young and his mother later remarried a member of the mission society, Per Olsson. He joined his two brothers, Frans and Eric, in America in 1869. He was accompanied by his parents, a brother August, and a half-sister Anna; the group traveled with Lutheran minister Olof Olsson. They settled in Saunders County, Nebraska, where the family established a home three miles north of Mead. He underwent a spiritual crisis while ill, leading to his religious awakening. In 1875, he joined a small Baptist church near his home in Estina, Nebraska, and was baptised. He preached his first sermon in that school house where the Baptist church held its services.

His next years were spent traveling to many countries teaching and preaching. Franson went to Chicago in 1876 hoping to meet the famous evangelist Dwight L. Moody. He became a part of the church founded by Moody and was trained by the evangelist as a counselor and learned Moody's revivalist preaching techniques. Like Moody, Franson was an ecumenist and believed in working together with other Christians to spread the gospel regardless of differences in denomination. He was part of the Free Mission Friends, who followed after Moody and distinguished themselves from the Mission Friends, who were followers of the more traditional Carl Olof Rosenius and Läsare movement. Franson adopted premillennial beliefs, preaching on the imminent rapture. One scholar argues that Franson, "more than any other Swede in America and Sweden, promoted the new premillennial view".