Jason Helopoulos - The New Pastors Handbook: Help and Encouragement for the First Years of Ministry

2015 by Jason Helopoulos

Published by Baker Books

a division of Baker Publishing Group

P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

www.bakerbooks.com

Ebook edition created 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4934-0036-2

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2007

Scripture quotations labeled NASB are from the New American Standard Bible, copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations labeled NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

I wish I could have read this book when I was just starting out in ministry. Jasons writing is marked by grace, biblical insight, and the sure-footed wisdom that only comes from experience. This personal, practical volume will serve as a valuable guide for many young pastors, and quite a few older ones too.

Kevin DeYoung, senior pastor of University Reformed Church; author of Crazy Busy : A ( Mercifully ) Short Book about a ( Really ) Big Problem

The joys of pastoral ministry are enormous, but so are the challenges. Helopouloss work is a welcome guide for new pastors as they confront the many difficult issues new pastors regularly face. New pastors and their churches will be greatly served by this book.

R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

I wish The New Pastor s Handbook had been available when I was starting out. Thirty-nine years on, it is a helpful reminder to do the basics. I commend it enthusiastically.

Alistair Begg, senior pastor of Parkside Church

If you are sensing a call to ministry or in the early years of ministry, this book is a must read. As a pastor for over thirty years, I find Jasons book has reenergized my own calling. May God use it as a template for gospel training.

Bob Bouwer, senior pastor of Faith Church (RCA)

Finally , a practical and thorough guide for real pastors in the trenches of real ministry . This book tells you what they don t tell you in seminary . I have been in some form of ministry for twenty years now , and this is precisely the sort of book I could have used at the outset of my service to the church . Pastor Helopoulos shows us how we are to be not only shepherds of God s flock but also , more fundamentally , shepherds of our own hearts and homes . I want to get this into the hands of every seminary student and every new pastor to the end that Jesus Christ might be glorified in our love and care of his bride .

Burk Parsons, copastor of Saint Andrews Chapel; editor of Tabletalk magazine

Jason Helopoulos has written a modern classic that will prove to be as helpful as The Christian Ministry by Charles Bridges has been since 1830. Every new or young pastor should consider this required reading as they follow Gods call in their life to serve the church.

Joe Thorn, lead pastor of Redeemer Fellowship

So who is helping younger pastors these days, especially in their first church? It is hard to come up with a name or two. Well, you can add Jason Helopoulos to the list. Jason has a burden to reach out and help younger pastors, and he can help you too in The New Pastor s Handbook .

Aubrey Malphurs, professor of leadership and pastoral ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary; founder of the Malphurs Group

Where was this book when I was first ordained? The New Pastor s Handbook is the perfect book to give to a new pastor (or an old one, for that!). Ultrapractical and stuffed full of timeless wisdom, this is a book I will recommend often and reread regularly.

Tim Challies, author of The Next Story ; pastor of Grace Fellowship Church

To Paul Settle, Ligon Duncan, Thomas Watson, John Calvin, Richard Baxter, and Jonathan Edwardsfaithful pastors who have shaped and informed my own pastoring in significant ways.