A Modern Barnabas

Can a man be an effective pastor using the Bible as his total guide? Starting with fewer than 100 members, pastor Beal built a congregation of over 3,000. How? Foremost, he let the Bible be his guide, surely evidence that the Bible is an up-to-date book. Secondly, he had the ministry of encouragement, just as the Biblical Barnabas. Through being an encourager he led over 200 young people into full-time Christian service. As an encourager he gained the trust of many other pastors, who looked to him for leadership. Most importantly, he wanted everyone to understand the truth of salvation by grace through faith alone in Christ alone. A rough estimate of the number of people he led to faith in Christ is 5,000, approximated by the number whom he baptized as adult believers. Pastor Beal was a major founder of the Conservative Baptist denomination, a surprising role he never chose for himself. Some of the historical background of events that split the American Baptist Convention have never before been told.