I know that many of this blog's readers are MK's, PK's,
or are in the ministry now with children.
Though not any of the above.
I was a child of a Christian School teacher and church deacon.
Hubby was an MK and PK.
What is expected of the child of ministry?
Is it unreasonable?
Will it create a bitterness toward future service?
I am not sure if my parent's thought about the effect of ministry on us children.
I remember thinking at one point that I hated that I had ...
to dress differently,
to act differently,
that I was held to a different standard.
As an adult,
I see it differently.
I do not think that I was held to a different standard because of my parent's positions in ministry...
I was held to a different standard because I was their child.
Can you see the difference?
I was a Hadley ... not just a deacon's kid.
Do you worry about the effect of ministry on your children?
How do you balance the expectations of ministry on your children?
Do you fear that your children will despise the ministry?
Or what was your view of being a ministry kid?
Ministry is serving, and I have found that my children love doing that. Therefore, I do not worry about the effect of ministry on my children, as much as the effect of own my personal attitude and habits.
ReplyDeleteMinistry happens when Christ in me given to others. When children have an example and an instruction on how to follow Christ to minister to others, ministry will become how they live, not something they resent. Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.
All people (including Children) will resent being used to promote an "image" for ministry, rather than being involved in real ministry.
I don't think my kids see themselves as different because we are in ministry, but different because we have differing standards from some other families. It helps to have other families with similar standards around us and to have a church family that does not expect perfection out of our kids because they are pastor's kids. I think grace is the best defense against bitterness growing in children.
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