Knowing that we were called into ministry, raising our
children in church was a given. Most likely our kids are going to spend countless
amount of time at church. As a family in ministry there is no way for our
children to escape being around the church. There are a few things that come to
mind thinking of our children growing up in church:
children in church was a given. Most likely our kids are going to spend countless
amount of time at church. As a family in ministry there is no way for our
children to escape being around the church. There are a few things that come to
mind thinking of our children growing up in church:
Would our children be the kids known as “bratty
pastor’s kids” because they use their position as an advantage?
Would our children feel the pressure of being a
pastor’s kid and rebel like the picture of “pastor’s kid” portrays?
Would they grow so accustomed to the church that
they didn’t really see the importance of going to church?
Would church and God become just a habit for
them, something they just do and miss the meaning behind it?
them, something they just do and miss the meaning behind it?
Would they get so tired of the pressures of
being a pastor’s kid that they end up hating the church?
I am sure these are valid thoughts in the mind of any parent
called into ministry. Unfortunately, we cannot control what our kids will do.
We will not be able to predict the way growing up in ministry is going to
affect them. But if we teach them to
love the church by showing them that we love the church it will make a
difference in their perspective of church. If we teach them that they are
just as much a part of the church as we are, we can help them understand the
mission and heart of the church.
called into ministry. Unfortunately, we cannot control what our kids will do.
We will not be able to predict the way growing up in ministry is going to
affect them. But if we teach them to
love the church by showing them that we love the church it will make a
difference in their perspective of church. If we teach them that they are
just as much a part of the church as we are, we can help them understand the
mission and heart of the church.
In Scotty’s Gibbons message on “The Church” he asked the question, “What is your attitude towards
the house of God?” Do we come to church out of obligation or out of routine? Or
are we coming to church because we are passionate about the church? Do we wake
up on a Sunday with the attitude of; oh I have
to go to church today. I do not want to get up and get ready, but I have to be at church. Or are we getting
up on a Sunday morning and saying, today is the day! We are going into God’s
house today! Is there an excitement that we are building up in our children
about going to church? In our attitude are we showing our children that we are
passionate about the church?
the house of God?” Do we come to church out of obligation or out of routine? Or
are we coming to church because we are passionate about the church? Do we wake
up on a Sunday with the attitude of; oh I have
to go to church today. I do not want to get up and get ready, but I have to be at church. Or are we getting
up on a Sunday morning and saying, today is the day! We are going into God’s
house today! Is there an excitement that we are building up in our children
about going to church? In our attitude are we showing our children that we are
passionate about the church?
Chad and I were immediately challenged. Preparing to bring
our first child into the world (and little did we know getting ready to accept
a ministry position), we wanted to evaluate our heart and attitude towards the
church. We want everything we say and do to point back to our love for God, and
part of that is loving the church. We
want to show our children we love the church because it is His house. We
want our children to see that we are eager to be in God’s house on Sunday
mornings. Not only are we eager to be there, but we are just as eager to serve
the church. There is an excitement in our hearts about serving in God’s house. The
church is not there just to meet our needs; if it stopped there we would be
missing so much. The church is about coming together and worshipping God as one
body. The church is about serving each other and meeting the needs of others
around us, not only our own. When we love the church, we are eager to serve the
church. If God is passionate about the church we want to be passionate about the
church.
our first child into the world (and little did we know getting ready to accept
a ministry position), we wanted to evaluate our heart and attitude towards the
church. We want everything we say and do to point back to our love for God, and
part of that is loving the church. We
want to show our children we love the church because it is His house. We
want our children to see that we are eager to be in God’s house on Sunday
mornings. Not only are we eager to be there, but we are just as eager to serve
the church. There is an excitement in our hearts about serving in God’s house. The
church is not there just to meet our needs; if it stopped there we would be
missing so much. The church is about coming together and worshipping God as one
body. The church is about serving each other and meeting the needs of others
around us, not only our own. When we love the church, we are eager to serve the
church. If God is passionate about the church we want to be passionate about the
church.
We do not want our children to think that being a pastor’s
kid is a burden. On the other end, we do not want them to take advantage of
their position as a pastor’s kid. We
want to teach them that being a pastor’s kid and growing up in church is a
privilege and a responsibility. It does not make them better than anyone
else. It does not make them more important than anyone else. But it also does
not mean they have to feel the need to be perfect and to get everything right. Yes,
they may be viewed differently in some ways. They will be looked at as leaders.
Other kids will be watching them and looking to them because they are pastor’s
kids. But that is their opportunity to share Jesus with those around them; it is not a burden but a calling. We
cannot control the way our kids will react as pastor’s kids, but we can show
them that we love the church in the way we act towards the church, and we can
pray that they will love the church too.
kid is a burden. On the other end, we do not want them to take advantage of
their position as a pastor’s kid. We
want to teach them that being a pastor’s kid and growing up in church is a
privilege and a responsibility. It does not make them better than anyone
else. It does not make them more important than anyone else. But it also does
not mean they have to feel the need to be perfect and to get everything right. Yes,
they may be viewed differently in some ways. They will be looked at as leaders.
Other kids will be watching them and looking to them because they are pastor’s
kids. But that is their opportunity to share Jesus with those around them; it is not a burden but a calling. We
cannot control the way our kids will react as pastor’s kids, but we can show
them that we love the church in the way we act towards the church, and we can
pray that they will love the church too.
Ultimately, God loves the church. We want to raise our
children to love the things that God loves. The best way for them to love the
church is to see that we, their parents, love the church.
children to love the things that God loves. The best way for them to love the
church is to see that we, their parents, love the church.
So, to my sweet
children, we go to church because it is God’s house. God loves the church and
His presence resides there. It is an opportunity to gather with other people
and worship God for all that He is. It is an opportunity to grow and discover
more of who God is. You will spend lots of time at church, more than most of
your friends, but what a blessing it will be to be in God’s house! As a
pastor’s kid, you may be viewed as a leader, but don’t take it as a burden. We
don’t expect you to be perfect, we don’t expect you to always get it right, and
we are going to love you no matter what. We pray that you will see the love
your mom and dad have for the church, and you will love it just as much. We
pray that going to church will never be something you just do because you have
to, but that going to church will always be something you look forward to
because you want to be in God’s house! We pray that you will learn to love
ministry and serving the church because that is the mission of the church. We
believe that in growing up watching us love the church, you will find love for
it in your own life.
children, we go to church because it is God’s house. God loves the church and
His presence resides there. It is an opportunity to gather with other people
and worship God for all that He is. It is an opportunity to grow and discover
more of who God is. You will spend lots of time at church, more than most of
your friends, but what a blessing it will be to be in God’s house! As a
pastor’s kid, you may be viewed as a leader, but don’t take it as a burden. We
don’t expect you to be perfect, we don’t expect you to always get it right, and
we are going to love you no matter what. We pray that you will see the love
your mom and dad have for the church, and you will love it just as much. We
pray that going to church will never be something you just do because you have
to, but that going to church will always be something you look forward to
because you want to be in God’s house! We pray that you will learn to love
ministry and serving the church because that is the mission of the church. We
believe that in growing up watching us love the church, you will find love for
it in your own life.
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I have some missionary friends who are stateside right now. Their kids are actually mostly grown–two in college, one married and raising her first baby. Their recent newsletter recounted a story of how they were loving on some international students, and by each member of the family sharing the gospel in different ways throughout the day…one of those students came to accept Christ. All I could think is what you just shared–what an incredible privilege and how beautiful to be able to partner with your own kids to share the love of Jesus. Alessandra–you are going to get to do that, my friend!!
This post is so amazing! My husband is studying to be a pastor (he graduates in a YEAR!!!!!!) and we're planning on starting our family soon. I pray often that our children will find their dad being a pastor to be a blessing, not something to be negative about.