The Unknown Baptist

[Lord, help me to be the unknown baptist by Your wonderful grace!]

Who is the Unknown Baptist?

We know such a title could not belong to any of the denominational bigshots of the many so-called Baptist groups, because said bigshots get their names and pictures in their publications, and if one of them kills a fly, the world must know all about it.

The Unknown Baptist is not someone in the "fundamental" group. They have built churches as monuments to themselves. The Christian celebrities have built schools as "bastions of orthodoxy" that turn out "young champions for Christ". It would seem that the Lord could not get along without such "champions", and it seems their only message is the message of the horse¬leach's daughters ... "give, give". No ... nothing unknown about these boys.

No, the Unknown Baptist is not Falwell, Criswell, Wayne Dehoney, Rice, Robertson, Roberson, Broadus, Conners, Bob Jones III, Curtis Hutson, Robert Sumner, Ed Young, Archer, Martin Luther King, Ralph Elliott, Roy Stewart, Frank Stagg, Fred Hubbs, Penrose Santa Mont, Annie Armstrong, Duke McCall. No! None of these is "unknown" and it would stretch things to call some of them "Baptist".

So, who is the Unknown Baptist? There is more than one answer. The Unknown Baptist is the little guy with no greater desire than to be faithful to his church. The doors open and he is there. He absorbs Bible preaching like a sponge. He gives and gives. He is many times taken for granted because he is so faithful. He does not care if his name is ever mentioned in church. This guy prays for his pastor, and his church. He is the head in his home. He is the one his neighbors call when in need, and they know of his love for God, but you won't see his name in public or his picture in "The Gospel Gazette".

The Unknown Baptist is the sweet lady whose countenance cheers all that see her. She loves God's Word and reads it to her children. She knows the Scriptural place of women and accepts it with humility and desires to serve God all the more. She cries over her lost family members. She prays for God's guidance and holds up the sick in supplication.

The Unknown Baptist is that man of God who has faithfully proclaimed God's Book by preaching Christ's precious blood, by preaching the blessed hope, as well as all God's full countenance. This man's meager pay barely provides for his family. He must work a job where he is known, only to be ridiculed for his testimony. His stand for truth keeps him from the "mainstream". This man stands for God in spite of desertion by family and friends, false accusations, true accusations, financial reversals, physical ailments, unanswered prayer, mental stress. Yet, he asks no sympathy and humbly rejoices that God called him to service.

No one of this world knows or cares about these Unknown Baptists, but the God that they love loves them much more 'and He carefully watches all that concerns them. The God that listens to their prayers in His good time will change the circumstance of each.

Thank God for these obscure folk. Thank God for caring!

By Bill Farmer