Book Review: From the Pen of Pastor Paul

Rev. Hyde’s latest book, From the Pen of Pastor Paul, offers readers a collection of 32 sermons going through 1 and 2 Thessalonians. While high points abound, the book had varying degrees of helpfulness and focus. I was hoping for a pastoral commentary that I would use as a sort of base text from which I could teach, though I would probably be more likely to use it to assist other works as a secondary source. I will say, it seemed to get better as I read through it, with some of the weaker sections occurring at the front.

There are several strengths to this book. First, Hyde’s pastoral heart for both his flock and for other pastors is evident and leaps off the page at you. He see Paul’s heart the pastoral ideal in caring, protecting and nurturing his sheep. On many occasions, I had to evaluate my own heart because what Hyde was proclaiming was dead on.

Second, I always appreciate his commitment to incorporate great thinkers throughout the church’s history as he supplies quotes and ideas from Justin Martyr, Augustine, John Calvin, and a host of many others. Not only does he provide great quotes, but emphasizes a level of historical authority in an age dominated by “chronological snobbery.”

Third, I appreciate the orderliness of how his sermons were laid out, where you can clearly see his affirmation of Scriptural authority as he works his way through it. Through this, Hyde has scattered throughout great insights and applications for both pastors and laypersons. He is also very concerned to remind how an individual section relates to the larger paragraph or argument of Paul.

Now in regards to the issues of the book.

My biggest issue with the book is that it seems to vary so widely from chapter to chapter how it’s supposed to be applied. Because I knew I was going to be writing a review, I had the question “For whom would I recommend this book?” in the back of my head the entire time. Because of the aforementioned problem, my answer shifted several times: from pastors using devotionally, to a lay person, and finally to a pastor using it as a preaching aide. At times it functions almost like a devotional for pastors as we are called to reflect upon whether our hearts match up with a Pauline ideal in care for our flock. While I fully believe in the importance of prayer, to spend the entire sermon showing how a pastor should have a heart like Paul and only giving the congregation the application of “please pray for your pastor” doesn’t make the greatest sermon. Other sections have great penetrating application that would help my sermons tremendously. Other chapters seem largely focused on understanding the text with very little application for either party. For this reason, how this book should function varies.

Rev. Hyde can on occasion preach his theology with minimal connections to the text. Perhaps as a Methodist and he’s very much Reformed I am more sensitive to this (though I am consciously trying to not allow our doctrinal differences bias me against the work), but several times I had to question how appropriate the message related to the text. At times, certain words would springboard him into what Paul or the NT says elsewhere in ways that weren’t in play in the current text.

Overall, Rev. Hyde has produced a work that can help aid pastors as they prepare to preach through 1-2 Thessalonians, though you will probably want to use it to supplement other works if you are needing assistance with application or sermon crafting.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review from Cross Focused Reviews. I was not required to give a positive review.