Book Review: Pastor Well by Hershael W. York

Hershael W. York, Pastor Well

Hershael York serves as dean of the School of Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and recently retired after 20 years as senior pastor of Buck Run Baptist Church. Pastor Well is an edited transcript of York's podcast of the same name. You can download Pastor Well as a free ebook on SBTS's website. Pastor Well is a broad yet insightful book that is useful for both the seminarian and the seasoned pastor.

York handles six areas on how to "pastor well." He addresses how to start well, how to preach well, how to lead well, how to shepherd well, how to love well, and how to finish well. In each section, he answers a number of questions that all answer the overarching topic of "How to pastor well." York brings gravitas to each of these areas, seasoning each answer with biblical truth, pastoral wisdom, and experienced scholarship.

York's section on how to preach well is especially helpful. York answers difficult questions in this section, including:

• When is a topical sermon permissible?
• How much time should I spend preparing for a sermon?
• Should I give an invitation?
• How do I preach secondary and tertiary doctrines? and
• How to preach the funeral of a non-believer

To answer each of these questions, York begins biblically and theologically but then addresses the questions practically as well. York gives a biblical and theological defense for expository preaching but also recognizes the need for a topical sermon on occasion. York is not hard and fast in a set amount of time to be spent on writing a sermon but rather acknowledges that each pastor's life and experiences vary, causing the time spent to vary. York attempts not only to answer the broad question but also to address the nuances of each question.

Pastor Well is a book that will greatly impact your preaching and pastoral ministry. York is a pastor's pastor and a preacher's preacher who has offered a gem for pastors and preachers everywhere in Pastor Well. Whether you're a new pastor trying to navigate ministry or a seasoned pastor seeking to finish well, Pastor Well will be a great resource for you.

Klayton Carson