Previous Q&A with Pastor Rob, Expository Outlines & Observations on Romans

Q&A with Pastor Rob

Evan: Please tell us what motivated you to write the first commentary in this new series on Romans.

Rob: Good question, especially since there are many good commentaries on Romans already available (e.g., John Murray, Douglas Moo, Thomas Schreiner, and John Harvey). In fact, I have the privilege of owning over one hundred and forty commentaries on this exceptional epistle. While Romans is a well-served letter, surprisingly, I did not find many resources that gave me quick, accessible, expository nuggets to help me prepare Greek-informed, hermeneutically-sound, and homiletically-clean sermons in time for preaching each week. Further, I noticed that few of the commentaries I used had any real practical and pointed applications to help bring home the truths of the text to the hearts and minds of my hearers. To address these matters, I wrote my volume. This material comes from my personal study and verse-by-verse preaching through this excellent epistle. I hope that this work will prove profitable to all who read it, but especially to preachers and teachers as they labor to instruct their hearers out of the precious Word of God, line upon line, and precept upon precept (Isa. 28:10).

Evan: How has the response been to this new volume?

Rob: In a word, excellent by God’s grace. Repeatedly, I hear from pastors saying that they find it super useful and a timesaver. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, people appreciate the solid reformed theology and all of the components of this book, which make it unique as for every section, there is a central theme, homiletical outline, exegetical and practical insights, and applications for believers and nonbelievers. Further, I am happy to say that my commentary was chosen to be published this year through the African Pastors’ Conferences (APC), which takes place throughout that continent. In fact, they will be printing up to 4000 copies for people in multiple countries to receive for free.

Evan: Is it true that Mentor Books will now do a five-volume set on all of the Pauline epistles using your commentary on Romans as its pattern?

Rob: It is! And I am happy and thankful this is the case. For these five volumes (after my first volume), there will be Volume Two on Galatians and Thessalonians, Volume Three on First and Second Corinthians, Volume Four on the Pastoral Epistles, and Volume Five on the Prison Epistles.

Evan: Will you be the only one writing this work, or will others help you?

Rob: Thankfully, I have helpers. I have a bunch of great authors about whom I am excited. I have Dr. Nick Kennicott, pastor of the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Coconut Creek, Florida, for Galatians. For First and Second Thessalonians, I have Dr. Brian Borgman, pastor of Grace Community Church in Minden, Nevada. For First Corinthians, I have Dr. Jeff Johnson, pastor of Grace Bible Church of Conway, Arkansas. For Second Corinthians, I have Brice Bigham & Dr. Sam Waldron, pastor of Grace Reformed Baptist Church in Owensboro, Kentucky. Additionally, I have John Reuther, former longtime pastor of Covenant Baptist Church Lumberton, New Jersey, for the Pastoral Epistles. And then, for volume Five, the Prison Epistles, I will be writing that with my fellow elder, Pastor Jack Buckley.

Evan: What is the release date of these volumes?

Rob: The plan is to release a volume every other year, so the next one should be out in late 2025 or early 2026, God willing.

Evan: Any final thoughts, Pastor Ventura?

Rob: Yes, I am very grateful for all the authors who agreed to contribute to this series. I pray that their labors will be blessed by the Lord and that people would profit from their material worldwide.

Thank you Pastor Rob for this Q&A!

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Evan Knies is an elder of North Hills Church in West Monroe, LA. He serves as the publisher for Courier Publishing and teaches at Claiborne Christian School. He is the husband of Lauren and father to Maesyn and Josiah. He is a graduate of Boyce College and Southern Seminary.