Marshall Keeble, the premier evangelist in Churches of Christ in the twentieth century, died in April 1968, the same month as Martin Luther King Jr.
Keeble spent fifty-five years as a full-time evangelist using his remarkable gifts, steadfastness, toughness, and tactical navigation of the Black/White divide to baptize as many as forty thousand people. He planted and raised over three hundred congregations and mentored powerful sons and grandsons in the faith, including Fred Gray, the famous civil rights attorney.
Keeble's message was simple, but his life is more complicated than many have thought. Even his closest admirers disagreed with him and were baffled by his unflinching silence on the topic of race. Never in his life did Keeble openly defy segregation although he did confront the innumerable racist attacks and humiliations he experienced. His commitment to evangelism was unwavering; he wanted nothing to get in the way of it. He championed self-help and personal morality and thought broader politics were of little value.
Faithful Defiance recounts the remarkable story of Keeble's life, revealing fresh insights into how his legacy continues to challenge and inform the present day. Marshall Keeble, the premier evangelist in Churches of Christ in the twentieth century, died in April 1968, the same month as Martin Luther King Jr.
Keeble spent fifty-five years as a full-time evangelist using his remarkable gifts, steadfastness, toughness, and tactical navigation of the Black/White divide to baptize as many as forty thousand people. He planted and raised over three hundred congregations and mentored powerful sons and grandsons in the faith, including Fred Gray, the famous civil rights attorney.
Keeble's message was simple, but his life is more complicated than many have thought. Even his closest admirers disagreed with him and were baffled by his unflinching silence on the topic of race. Never in his life did Keeble openly defy segregation although he did confront the innumerable racist attacks and humiliations he experienced. His commitment to evangelism was unwavering; he wanted nothing to get in the way of it. He championed self-help and personal morality and thought broader politics were of little value.
Faithful Defiance recounts the remarkable story of Keeble's life, revealing fresh insights into how his legacy continues to challenge and inform the present day. C. Leonard Allen serves as dean of the College of Bible and Ministry at Lipscomb University in Nashville. He taught theology, ethics, and philosophy for many years at Abilene Christian University, Biola University, Fuller Theological Seminary, and John Brown University. He has spoken widely on college campuses and in churches over the past thirty-five years on biblical, historical, and theological themes. He is the author of numerous books, including, The Cruciform Church, Distant Voices, Things Unseen, Poured Out, and most recently, The Bookroom: Remembrance and Forgiveness - A Memoir.
