Unknown: The Extraordinary Influence of Ordinary Christians

by Matthew Everhard

Nearly every Christian has struggled with their own significance. Sometimes we look at the "giants" of the faith such as the Apostle Paul and wonder if we--ordinary Christians--matter much at all. In this short book, perfect for group or individual study, Pastor Matthew Everhard sketches the lives of eight very ordinary men and women in the New Testament. Each of these "ordinary" Christians, tucked away in the lesser-known paragraphs of the Book of Acts and Paul's epistles, show us that common everyday men and women can make a huge impact for the Kingdom of Christ. Each chapter--complete with discussion and reflection questions--studies the life of a relatively obscure Ananias (the mentor), Silas (the sidekick), Priscilla and Aquila (the married couple), Apollos (the up-and-coming pastor), Lydia (the business woman), Onesimus (the runaway slave), and Epaphroditus (the sick missionary). Discover just how powerful being an anonymous Christian can be!

Genres: Christian, Biography

103 pages, ebook

First published May 6, 2013

Reviews

[K. Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the beautiful Christian allegory Sir Knight of the Splendid Way, there is a chapter titled "The Adventure of the Nameless Knight." The main character, Sir Constant, comes to a place of fair waters and fertile valleys. As he enjoys the peace and prosperity of the region, he meets an old man guarding the well at the fount of the stream and meets there, too, the Chief Shepherd, who tells the story of a knight who came to the well long ago. There was no one to hold the post at the well, so the knight took that task upon himself. He thought to hold it only for a short time before going on to do great deeds for the king, but no one came, and he passed through the prime of life into old age, unknown and nameless to everyone but the King who had assigned him that task. And when the old man comes at the end of his night to his death, the Chief Shepherd tells him, "Never for an hour wast thou forgotten."

That story came to mind with every chapter of this little book. If you're suffering from Christian celebrity fatigue or discouraged because you can't match up to greater saints, or if you don't know how to work for the Kingdom, please read this book.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the message of this book. We need to be reminded that even everyday people can have a huge impact on the kingdom of God. I also liked how he used biblical people to illustrate his point.

I felt that sometimes he went off topic, or stretched a passage of scripture to make a point.

I still would recommend this nice, short book as it is a great encouragement to everyday Christians.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book was very encouraging and easy to read (the use of words such as “dude” and “legit” made it feel more like a conversation with a friend than a group study book and I feel that non-avid readers would respond well to it). Overall, I loved the message of the book; but I would have loved to see one more chapter specifically addressing biblical motherhood and fatherhood as extremely important ordinary ministries that very truly correlate with the rise and fall of entire nations. In our current cultural moment, we tend to focus ministry efforts outside the home (professional vocations, missions, volunteer work, etc.) and I believe one additional chapter on the topic would have rounded off the book quite nicely - It almost felt incomplete without that topic being addressed.

[Tyler Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unknown is okay!!

A short and powerful book reminding us that it’s okay to not be known! It’s okay to not have all the success and the biggest church! What matters is faithfully serving Christ wherever we are, known or not. SDG!

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Short and Powerful Book

In an age where fame is available at every turn, it's refreshing to read about the virtue of being unknown. In short , brisk chapters Everhard tells the story of the unknown saints that are often ignored.

[Matthew Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, short book on some of the lesser known people of Scripture. Throughout the entire thing, Everhard encourages us to find our place in sharing the Gospel rather than simply seeking notoriety. It’s a good read for a longtime follower of Christ or a new convert.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is a delightful devotional about little known, but important, men and women of the New Testament. If you labor for the Lord in anonymity, their stories will encourage you that your work is never in vain and always rewarded by the Father who sees in the secret.