Rolfe P. Barnard (1904-1969) is the 17th essay in A Noble Company, volume 11

Historian Leon McBeth referred to Rolfe Barnard as “the pioneer of Calvinist resurgence among Baptists in America.” This assessment of evangelist Barnard is a telling one, for his influence among Baptists in twentieth-century America is profound and still has a lasting impact today in the twenty-first century. Yet, the name Rolfe Barnard never figured prominently within the Fundamental Baptist culture he so much influenced, not even rating a public notice of his death within his denomination. He died as he lived—in relative obscurity. However, God used Barnard’s ministry in a “deep” way. D. L. Moody once stated that he wished to dig a channel so deep and narrow so that others would feel its influence; so too was the life and ministry of the Calvinistic Baptist evangelist Rolfe Barnard. His good friend R. T. Kendall stated publicly that Barnard confided in him that “he once estimated that approximately 100,000 had responded to make some kind of a commitment to Christ in his 40 years of preaching.” --E. A. Johnston