Just finished Faithful Defiance: Marshall Keeble’s Life and Legacy by C. Leonard Allen, and I’m honestly so moved. Keeble’s story is one of incredible faith, strength, and humility. He preached boldly during a time of deep racial injustice, yet carried himself with grace and conviction that challenged and inspired so many — including me. This book gave me a deeper appreciation for Black church history and the power of staying faithful even when the world says you shouldn’t be. Highly recommend if you want to be both encouraged and challenged. 🙌🏾📖

I highly recommend “Faithful Defiance, Marshall Keebler’s Life and Legacy”, edited by C. Leonard Allen. What a powerful story of faith in action.

Marshall Keeble was a key shaper of Black preachers among Churches of Christ.
He was the premier evangelist in African American Churches. His preaching life consisted of “sacrifice, selflessness, and suffering”, including physical abuse and racial violence. He was born on December 7, 1878 in Tennessee and he died in 1968. What a beautiful life!

Pastor Keeble desired to preach the gospel in “destitute places.” He also saw the need for a “trained ministry.” He baptized at least 30,000 people. into the Christian faith. Through the years, and a variety of circumstances, he stayed strong because of his favorite hymn, “Hold onto God’s Unchanging Hand.”

Pastor Keeble knew “the power was in the Word, not in the man.” He remained true to his commitment. This is the story of a faithful servant of Christ.
I learned a lot from this book and I encourage people to learn more about the faith of Marshall Keeble. Thanks to NetGalley and Abilene Christian University Press for an advance review copy. This is my honest review.