I guess that depends on what you want to do.
Apache is partially configured (should be) so you should be able to view the "It Works" page as soon as you start it. Remember that when you start it, that cursor will just blink, nothing more. httpd -k start is supposed to release the command prompt, maybe not right away but should eventually. Unless there are error messages, Apache should be running.
Study conf/httpd.conf first. Want to know what any single directive is, just look it up.
http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/mod/quickreference.htmlA little reading of the docs for background is not a bad idea. It's a hard read at first but gets easier as your understanding gets greater. One thing to note is context, Apache is a highly configurable beast but some things can only be configured in certain places while others can be done anywhere. It is also very modularized so not everything is available without the proper module loaded. I will not say we ship with the very minimum needed, but we do not just enable everything either.