The Apache config test does not catch every error and you can still cause crashes if you don't check it over by hand.

We have Apache running on some Windows boxes-- haven't found a way to run apachectl on Windows...

Oops, sorry, meant:

  service httpd configtest

I.e run the proper init script (which might also do other checks), not just test the apache config, as you wouldn't also just start apache with apachectl.

Even if you have your own version of apache compiled, you should still provide your own init script, and write in in the standard service way.