The New Pastor's Handbook: Help and Encouragement for the First Years of Ministry - Paperback

by Jason Helopoulos (Author), Ligon Duncan (Foreword by)

Most seminary graduates will begin their ministries with plenty of important head knowledge to share--but with a deficit of some of the most practical aspects of doing ministry, such as

- which ministry role most suits them
- how to start out strong at a new church
- persevering during difficult seasons of ministry
- leading meetings and delegating tasks
- safeguarding their family
- fighting discouragement, pastor envy, and a lack of contentment
- navigating special ministry needs, such as hospitals, weddings, and funerals
- and much more

Through his hard-won wisdom, Jason Helopoulos comes alongside new pastors as a trusted friend and mentor, ready to guide them through their first years of ministry with intelligence and compassion.

Back Jacket

Start your ministry off strong--and smart

If you're like most new pastors, you will suddenly realize in your first years of ministry that you are not prepared for many of the practical aspects of your calling. The New Pastor's Handbook is your guide to navigating these unfamiliar waters. With his hard-won wisdom, pastor Jason Helopoulos comes alongside you as a trusted friend and mentor to help and encourage you through your first years of ministry. He'll show you how to

- start out strong at a new church
- persevere during difficult seasons of ministry
- lead meetings and delegate tasks
- safeguard your family
- fight discouragement, pastor envy, and a lack of contentment
- navigate special ministry needs, such as hospital visits, weddings, and funerals
- and much more

"I wish I could have read this book when I was just starting out in ministry. 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. Helopoulos's work is a welcome guide for new pastors as they confront the many difficult issues new pastors regularly face."--R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

"Where was this book when I was first ordained? 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

"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 Jason's 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 Andrew's 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 God's 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

Author Biography

Jason Helopoulos serves as the senior pastor of University Reformed Church (PCA) in East Lansing, Michigan. He regularly contributes to Tabletalk, the Gospel Reformation Network, the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, and The Gospel Coalition. Jason has also authored A Neglected Grace: Family Worship in the Christian Home, The New Pastor's Handbook, Let the Children Worship, and These Truths Alone: Why the Reformation Solas Are Essential for Our Faith Today. He serves on the boards of Twin Lakes Fellowship, the Gospel Reformation Network, and the Malawi Reformation Network. Jason and his wife, Leah, have two children--Gracen and Ethan. He is an avid fan of the world-champion Chicago Cubs and the less-than-champion Chicago Bears.