HB Charles Jr. reveals 'key' for pastors to 'endure to the end': 'Sound doctrine doesn't excuse ungodly behavior'

Pastor H.B. Charles Jr. speaks at the annual Shepherds Conference in Sun Valley, California, on March 7, 2025. | Screenshot/Grace Community Church

Pastor H.B. Charles Jr. urged pastors to be "coronary Christians, not adrenaline Christians" who endure to the end and prioritize sound doctrine over earthly wealth in a message titled “Enduring to the End” at the Shepherds Conference in Sun Valley, California, last week.

Speaking to an assembly of pastors, theologians and church leaders at the event, a ministry of John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church, Charles emphasized the high calling of pastoral ministry.

Charles, a pastor-teacher at Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida, drew from John Piper’s The Roots of Endurance, likening faithful ministers to the human heart, which "without attention or fanfare or reward, just keeps beating, doing its work to sustain life." In contrast, he warned against ministers who seek constant highs from new books, methods or influencers, cautioning that "the heart of the matter is always the matter of the heart."

“The coronary Christian endures to the end, and that is all the more so for coronary ministers,” he said. “If the minister is not careful, brothers, he can become an adrenaline junkie seeking the next high from some idea, book, method, program or influencer to help him get a little further or [a] little closer to his ministerial goals. And in the process, that minister can forget that the heart of the matter is always the matter of the heart.”

"Sure, we instruct the mind and exhort the will, but the true hard work of pastoral ministry starts with us, not with them," he added.

Charles anchored his message in 1 Timothy 4:11-16, where the Apostle Paul exhorts Timothy to "keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing, you will save both yourself and your hearers." 

He broke down Paul’s instructions into two central duties: a call to watchfulness and a call to perseverance.

“The command is to keep a close watch,” he said, citing the Greek verb that means "to hold fast or hold firmly." He noted that the duty is perpetual: "There is no season of life or ministry in which you can afford to neglect this call to watchfulness."

He warned against the temptation to prioritize one aspect over the other: "Some read the verse to say, ‘Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching.’ Others read it to say, ‘Keep a close watch on yourself and the teaching.’ It is both, brothers, not either-or."

Reflecting on his own early years in ministry, Charles shared a pivotal moment from when he became a pastor at 17.

"A group of older pastors pulled me aside after my installation service. I was nervous, not knowing what they were about to say. One of them told me, 'You're a young man, and at some point, your mind will turn toward dating. Make sure you don’t date anyone in the church.' I wish they had simply said to me: 'Be holy.'"

Charles pointed to 1 Timothy 4:16 as Paul’s central instruction: "Paul does not tell Timothy to be careful or discreet. Paul tells Timothy to be holy, godly, Christ-like, to keep a close watch on himself."

He emphasized three areas where ministers must be vigilant: their time, their money and their relationships.

"How are you spending your time? Has your busyness crowded out your devotion to the Lord? Are you making time for believing prayer, Bible intake and self-examination?" he asked.

He also cautioned against the love of money, citing 1 Timothy 6:9-10: "Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction."

As for relationships, he underscored Paul’s directive in 1 Timothy 5:1-2: "Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity."

Charles also stressed the vital role of sound doctrine, contending that "a godly life does not excuse false teaching, and sound doctrine does not excuse ungodly behavior. Your life should testify to the message you proclaim."

He called pastors to prioritize biblical exposition: "Our people need to hear the truth, not see a show. Preach the Word, not personal opinion. Preach the Word, not motivational speeches. Preach the Word, not self-help advice, not political viewpoints, not worldly theories."

He recounted a story about a slave owner’s son who secretly read the Bible to slaves. "One of those slaves became sick, and when the master asked what he could do for him, the slave asked him to bring the son who knew how to 'make the book talk.' That’s what our people need, brothers. They need preachers who know how to make the book talk."

Charles concluded with an exhortation to perseverance, reminding listeners that “the minister who endures to the end is characterized by personal holiness and expositional ministry.” 

“Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing, you will save both yourself and your hearers,” he said.

"Brothers, faithful ministers persevere. Hang in there. It may be hard, but it’s worth it," he said, citing 1 Corinthians 15:58: "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."

He pointed to Galatians 6:9: "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up."

Ending his message, Charles told of bandits who set barns on fire outside a town, distracting the people while they robbed the bank. "Brothers, do not let the enemy distract you with secondary concerns while the real treasure is lost. Keep your eyes on Christ. Preach the Word. Endure to the end."

Founded by John MacArthur, The Shepherds Conference, held at Grace Community Church, aims to equip church leaders in fulfilling the Great Commission. This year’s speakers also included Michael Reeves, Paul Washer and Conrad Mbewe, among others. 

MacArthur, who was scheduled to speak at the event, was unable to attend in-person this year due to a weeklong hospital stint. 

“I want to say grace to you, all [of] you who are at the Shepherds Conference. For me, it’s the highlight of the year, so you have to know my disappointment in coming to you through video,” he told attendees in a video message. 

“It really came down to being the only option. I haven’t had such a speedy recovery as I had hoped to have. I feel great; I just lost a lot of strength by being seven weeks in the hospital. ... I’m seeing a physical therapist, trainers, and trying to get back as soon as possible.”

MacArthur also thanked supporters for their prayers and faithfulness.

He added: “I realize I’m on the last lap. That takes on a new meaning when you know you’re on the short end of the candle. I am all thanks and praise to God for everything He’s allowed me to be a part of and everything He’s accomplished by His Word in these years of ministry. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ.”