My Good Talk With Baptist Historian

Kenny Mann of Conyers, Georgia contacted me a couple days ago. He wrote in his e-mail:

hello Bro. Stephen. ran across your blog and found it very interesting. i am a life long student of baptist history, and am currently digging into primitive baptists. ive never met someone who used to be PB but is no longer one. i realize youre a busy guy, but if you could find a few minutes to chat id really appreciate it. my name is Kenny Mann, from Conyers ga. my number is *****. feel free to leave a msg if im not in, ill def call you back and schedule a time to chat. thanks so much!

I did call this dear brother last evening and we talked for about three hours! He is a Southern Baptist, and one who is not a five pointer as I am, but that did not keep us from having an enjoyable discussion. We talked doctrine, history, but mostly about the "Primitive Baptists." He is an avid history researcher as I am. He is affiliated with Historical Rural Churches of Georgian (http://hrcga.org/home/) (see here).

He is a man in his 50s who, though not a pastor, nevertheless teaches and evangelizes much. After I wrote him today and telling him how much I enjoyed talking to him, we have exchanged several e-mails. In one of them he wrote:

hey Stephen yes it was great to ramble thru all that history with you. most baptists dont know squat about their history or about the other types of baptists that exist. i am not a pastor but i was a youth pastor for years. i currently have a bible study in peoples homes, and its been formed from people who have contacted me because of the devotions ive written, some of which deal with how to live with different views about theology and still work together for the gospel. as you know many denominations are splitting apart over different issues like the methodist church and episcopal church, ranging from homosexuality to biblical innerency, so there are many christians who are now seeing that they have more in common with a bible believing baptist, than they do members of their own denominations---thus our topic that last few months has been delving into baptist history. the interesting thing is that most in the group arent even baptists! we have methodists, a lutheran, a presbyterian, a few charismatics and a few baptists. i told them all up front that i would teach only what i believed to be the truth, and that would mean "baptist" theology. a couple of them googled stuff on their own and found out that there a a hundred different kinds of baptists lol, so they asked if i would delve into all that, so thats what we are doing. i am 54 yrs old and feel every bit of it lol! i dont do facebook, tho i probably should. blessing to you and YES, please keep in touch!

I have been blessed over the years to have had many calls from such folks and I tell you, it cheers my heart to know that our writings are read by such men. I feel very humbled and thankful to know that our labors have not been in vain.

Anyone in the Conyers area should definitely contact this brother! You can e-mail him at "jayhawkmann@yahoo.com"

Perhaps this brother will consider posting some articles for us here or on my Baptist Gadfly blog. I hope so. It is good that historians share the results of their research with other historians.

God bless you brother Kenny!