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Gospel Preachers - B. H. Carroll

 

Another gospel preacher that we can glean from is Benajah H. Carroll (1843–1915). Carroll was born near Carrollton, Mississippi, into a large family led by his father, a Baptist minister and farmer. The family moved to Arkansas and later to Burleson County, Texas, where Carroll spent most of his youth. He entered Baylor University as a teenager, showing strong intellectual gifts, especially in debate. His studies were interrupted by the Civil War, during which he served first with the Texas Rangers and later in the 17th Texas Infantry of the Confederate Army.

Carroll significantly impacted preaching in the twentieth century through his evangelistic fervor and focus. B. H. Carroll spurred the thrust of evangelism by creating the Department of Evangelism within the Home Mission Board and within Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.[1] His evangelistic focus gave rise to the Southern Baptist commitment to evangelistic preaching. I offer three observations of the preaching of B. H. Carroll.

Sacred Nature of the Ministry of the Word

Carroll focused on persuading his congregation. In one of his sermons, Carroll reflects upon his view of the primary obligation of the preaching ministry. He stated, “Our work is divided into two distinct parts—reconciliation and edification. The reconciliation of sinners to God—the upbuilding of the reconciled in their most holy faith. How awful the responsibility, how solemn the obligation, how important the service of carrying to the lost the Word and hope of eternal life. Salvation!”[2] He demonstrated that the significance of the preacher’s message was beyond rhetorical eloquence—eternal life hangs in the balance. Whatever role Carroll held—pastor, denominational leader, or educator—he was committed to propagating the gospel. He demonstrated his resolve by leading the charge to establish the Department of Evangelism in the Home Mission Board, creating the chair of evangelism at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and influencing the committee to establish the Sunday School Board.

The Necessity of Repentance and Faith

Nothing draws attention to Carroll’s motivation for preaching better than the attestation that Christ died for sinners. In one of his sermons, Carroll discussed the connection between the philosophies of Socrates and Aristotle and those of Jesus. He asserted, “Socrates taught philosophy by asking questions which awakened thought and led his pupils to proper answers. Our Savior taught religion by asking and answering questions. No questions ever propounded on earth, and no answers given to questions have been so staggering and searching as his questions and answers.”[3] Carroll illuminated the connection to rhetorical persuasion existing in the preaching of Christ. Persuasion served as the end of employing the Socratic method of teaching. Hearers were convicted of sin and drawn to the gospel by the questions proposed.

Preaching Must Shape the Church

Carroll’s style wove in rhetoric for its persuasive purpose. He brought the depth of his fervor for evangelism in his message “An Address on Evangelism” when he declared, “Brethren, give me evangelists. Deny not fins to things that must swim against the tide, nor wings to things that must fly against the wind.”[4] The implication of his request rings true today when applied to the summons within the substance-structure-spirit framework of the text-driven preaching model. Eloquence alone is insufficient to sway the hearts of the congregation. Instead, spiritual persuasion demands dependence upon the sufficiency of the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. Carroll viewed preaching as the primary means by which God’s truth forms churches, trains ministers, and guides denominational life. His collected sermons show a consistent concern for doctrinal clarity, pastoral responsibility, evangelistic urgency, and institutional faithfulness—reflecting his belief that preaching drives the health and direction of Baptist life.[5]

Conclusion

Carroll’s ethos was, by his own account, that of an infidel before Christ.[6] His conversion marked the beginning of a life of Christian devotion, and he was a model pastor and preacher. Next, his logos derived from a deep-seated conviction of the truth claims of Scripture. Finally, his conviction of the propagation of the gospel ignited his pathos. His pleas were sincere from a life acutely aware of the necessity of redemption through Christ.

 


[1] Brandon Kiesling, “An Investigation of Benajah Harvey Carroll’s Contribution to Evangelism within the Southern Baptist Convention” (PhD diss., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2017), 161.

[2] B. H. Carroll, “Sermon to Preachers,” in Baptists and Their Doctrines, ed. Timothy George and Denise George (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1995), 232.

[3] B. H. Carroll, “Christ Died for Our Sins,” in B. H. Carroll Pulpit, ed. Adam W. Greenway Legacy Series (Fort Worth, TX: Seminary Hill, 2021), 199.

[4] B. H. Carroll, “An Address on Evangelism,” in B. H. Carroll Pulpit, 167.

[5] Lefever, Alan J. Fighting the Good Fight: The Life and Work of Benajah Harvey Carroll. Austin, TX: Eakin Press, 1994. 

[6] Adam W. Greenway, ed., B. H. Carroll Pulpit, xi.

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