Pastor Jack Hyles Was Impatient Toward People At Times

Several weeks ago I was listening to a life changing 1982 sermon by Pastor Jack Hyles titled, “Imperfect People In Heaven,” in which sermon he teaches that we should continue the work of the saints now in Heaven.

Now, I truly love brother Hyles, but he annoys me at times. At 17:48 time in the sermon he yells at a fella for leaving the pew while he's preaching. The man probably needed to use the restroom. You can't mistreat people like that. Dr. Hyles had a bad habit of doing this to people. A few moments later in the sermon he scolds someone else for falling asleep, accusing him of not loving the truth.

Dear reader, I am different than most preachers. Just because I love Brother Hyles doesn't mean I'll look the other way and remain quiet when I think he is wrong. I speak up! Most people are partial toward their friends, family and supporters, but if the shoe fits wear it!

I used to work a full time job afternoons as a truck mechanic to support a wife and kids. I went to Bible college during the daytime. I went soulwinning and on church visitation for most of the day every Saturday. And I voluntarily drove a church bus for the Lord 200 miles every Sunday. I fell asleep in church on Sunday evenings on a regular basis right in front of Pastor Hyles.

One night in church I went down so hard that I banged my forehead on the wooden back of the pew in front of me, and everybody heard it, and all the hundred and some odd choir members saw it. I was so drained and tired. I eventually decided every week to sit in the overflow room, separate from the main auditorium, with the mothers holding their crying babies and late-comers rather than distract Dr. Hyles because I couldn't stay awake. But, I LOVED THE TRUTH! It would be very cruel for anyone to say to me, “You'd stay awake if you really loved the truth!” No Sir, that is simply not true.

I fell asleep while driving one night on the Dan Ryan Expressway, on the way home from work in Chicago. My vehicle crashed into the concrete wall. A semi-truck driver stopped and asked if I was okay, and by God's grace I was. Was it because I didn't love life that I fell asleep? Of course not, I was just plain ole tired. By the time I graduated from Hyles-Anderson College in 1993, I was absolutely burned out from burning the candle at both ends for the previous 8 years to earn my degree in Pastoral Theology, signed by Pastor Jack Hyles.

That being said, I have a tremendous amount of love, admiration and respect for Brother Hyles. He wasn't a perfect person, and neither are we. I can only hope and strive by God's grace to have as many good qualities as did Dr. Hyles. He was truly a beautiful man! Jack Hyles never had a godly father to raise him up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, but thankfully he did have a godly mother who taught him well. Praise God!

God used Pastor Hyles to help millions of people, both directly and indirectly. I didn't write this article to tear down Brother Hyles, God forbid; but rather, I wrote this article to teach my readers that it matters how we treat people. I heard Dr. Hyles admit that at times he mistreated others, and so have you and I. We are all guilty at times of dropping the ball of kindness. All God expects of any of us is that we do better today than we did yesterday.