New Free Will Baptist History Book

Free Will Baptist History: Exploring Our Origins & Identity, Robert E. Picirilli, ISBN 9781614841081, Randall House Pubications (Nashville, TN), 11/01/2019 (Paperback).

According to Randall House, “This work provides a fresher and clearer picture of the rich history of Free Will Baptists. Stories are preserved in full detail from careful research to pass along to the next generation. Topics in the work include: the Free Will Baptist Covenant, the founding of the Free Will Baptist work in Texas, Free Will Baptist participation in the Unity Movements, the Free Will Baptist school in Unicio, the early history of the Christian Workers Institutes, along with several other valuable pieces of denominational history.” The author ably presents historical facts while maintaining the readers’ interest. Some individual Free Will Baptists mentioned in this work include D. J. Apperson, J. W. Lucas, and Redding Moore. I was privileged to contribute a chapter on Angus McAllister Stewart, the founder of the first continuing white Free Will Baptist work in Texas, which began in the county to the east of mine.

The author, Robert E. Picirilli, has previously written on Free Will Baptist history, including History of Free Will Baptist State Associations, History of Tennessee Free Will Baptists, and Little Known Chapters in Free Will Baptist History. He has degrees from Welch College (B.A.) and Bob Jones University (M.A., Ph.D.). He has taught and served in the administration at Welch College. He is a member of the Free Will Baptist Historical Commission.