⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 2 min read
On today’s episode of Equipping You in Grace, I interview Jason Helopoulos about his new book The New Pastor’s Handbook: Help and Encouragement for the First Years of Ministry (Baker Books 2015).
About the Book:
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
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.
About the Author:
Jason Helopoulos (ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary) is associate pastor at University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan. Ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America, he has pastored three churches and speaks at conferences and retreats. A contributor to the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals’ Christward Collective blog, Helopoulos also blogs for the Gospel Coalition, and Servants of Grace, and is the author of A Neglected Grace. He lives in Lansing, Michigan.
If you have a chance, please leave me an honest rating and review on iTunes by clicking here. It will help the show and its ranking in iTunes immensely! I appreciate it!
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.
Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word.
He is the author of The War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).
You can connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.
When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.
Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
