On Pastoring: A Short Guide to Living, Leading, and Ministering as a Pastor

I've been following the faithful preaching ministry of Pastor Charles since the year 2000. However over the last couple of years I've been challenged, encouraged and helped by his writing ministry which is equally as faithful as the preaching ministry that's been entrusted to him.I am an associate minister (non-pastoring preacher) and I highly suggest that every preacher purchases this book and keeps this valuable piece close by. In this book Pastor Charles does not tell us how to pastor but he paints a picture of the noble task for us. While reading this book the growing burden and desire to shepherd God's people was solidified within me. I am thank for this project and I am extremely thankful for Pastor Charles. Like E.V. Hill and E.K. Bailey blessed their generation; H.B. Charles is a blessing to ours.Please purchase this book and read it with a highlighter and pen close by. Once you've finished reading it, read it again.

Easy to read but challenging to do. Great advice and a book that would be great to give to those pursuing pastoral ministry

As someone who grew up in Los Angeles and now resides in Charlotte, I am familiar with the author's background in Los Angeles and his current assignment at Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida.The book provides learnings from pastoring since age 17 but does not turn into a manual on how to pastor. He stays above the gossip fray to provide insight into the pastoral experience. While I am not called to be a pastor, the book was extremely helpful to understand proper attitude towards the sheep and the preaching of the gospel.

As a young pastor this book was incredibly helpful to me. Extremely practical and easy to read. H.B. Charles, Jr. took over as pastor at his father's church when he was only 16 years old and has been involved in full-time ministry since. Even better, he's only pastored at two different churches in his lifetime, so the principles he lays out in this book are time-tested. Charles has endured the trenches of ministry long enough and consistently enough to see what works and what doesn't and he graciously recounts not only the successes of his ministry but the failures as well so as to warn young pastors what NOT to do.The book is divided into three parts, and I'll quote the titles from the book:1) The Pastor's Heart - Being a pastorwho is first and foremost a Christian.2) The Pastor's Leadership - Practical wisdom for leading your church with integrity, wisdom, and love.3) The Pastor's Public Ministry - Preaching, teaching, and the ministry of the pastor before God and his congregation.Basically, what you see above is exactly what you get and the reader shouldn't expect any more. This leads me to a warning: this book is not a comprehensive manual on pastoral ministry. Charles defines pastoral ministry as "being devoted to prayer and the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:4). As a result, you won't find much helpful information related to other duties that pastor's may find themselves in: weddings/funerals, hospital visits, hiring staff, etc. However, I mention this only to inform the potential reader and not as a means of discouraging anyone from reading this book. In relation to prayer and preaching/teaching, Charles' work is a gold mine and is worthy reading for any new or seasoned pastor.I would recommend this book as a first reading for either new pastors or those considering pastoral ministry, then I would encourage them to consult the appendix of this book where Charles provides a very helpful list of books for further reading, commentaries, and other resources.

Good read and keep on hand as preparing to enter the ministry life.

I have been blessed for the past four years to witness this dynamic Pastor as he preaches in Dallas at Antioch. His writings have been a well of knowledge for me as a bi-vocational Pastor. This book is a must read for every Pastor that desires to lead according to biblical principles. The personal experiences are enlightening and encouraging. It comforts me to know that I am not alone in my thought process as it relates to being a Pastor from time to time. I am always excited to read the writings and thoughts of H.B. Charles and looking forward to more.

As a pastor I find this book very helpful. Many of the principles and truths laid out are obvious but it is always good to be reminded about them from time to time. I think all pastors should read and re-read this book regardless of experience

As a young man in my 30's thinking about going into ministry this is one of the best resources I have come across.Charles writing is clear, concise, and biblically grounded. It cuts through the glamor and glitz of being a "reality TV pastor" and gets to the heart of what it takes to be a shepherd of a flock.Thanks for the wonderful read, and please keep them coming!