I have a friend who has a daughter & so I wrote him, telling him about the fact that my daughter will be here within months and then I asked if he had any advice. This is what he said…and it was PRICELESS!!!
“As a pastor, and especially as a successful pastor, it will be easy to let the church steal time from your family. Don’t! What difference will a great history of church building matter, if your kids know you only has the “hero on the platform.” I know way too many PKs of “successful pastors” who struggle with their faith (if they even believe), struggle in relationships and just simply struggle. They see this apparently incredibly relational person on the platform - and don’t experience that at home. Make a vow now that you will not be that kind of successful pastor. Let your children be a testimony of the goodness of God in families. Don’t expect them to follow you into the ministry. God has uniquely gifted them (he knew them before they were in their mother’s womb) to have an impact on the planet. Encourage that gifting. If it happens to be the ministry - then encourage them to study and find themselves approved. Gee, all of this and your daughter isn’t even born yet. But the years fly by, man. Tomorrow she will be a teenager. The next day, she’s left home. Think, plan, believe and pray - and not necessarily in that order. My advice. For what it’s worth.”
WOW…thanks Bill! I have always said that if I am a success at church and a failure at home then I am a failure in life. My passion is that when I die that my family will grieve because they will miss me…and not because I didn’t tell them “where all the money was.”
Pastors…question…who admires you more—your wife and children…OR your congregation?