I recently heard a piece of online news that the daughter of a pastor married a preacher, but they got a divorce soon after because she had an affair with another pastor's son.
Just as a tossed stone raises a thousand ripples the issue caused huge waves in the local church. Feeling astonished and sad, many believers had difficulty understanding why two children of pastors did a thing against religious teachings.
Children of the clergy are generally raised up in Christian families, steeped in the Christian faith. Many people believe that they have more mature lives than believers of ordinary families and have a deeper understanding of truth.
However, the opposite is true. A large percentage of preachers' kids are like the sons of Samuel (1 Samuel 8:1-3), acting against truth with a lack of moral character. They bring shame to their parents and dishonor the Lord's name.
Despite living in Christian families, a lot of preacher's kids don't experience life changes. They just perform religious duties.
It is remarkable that although they seem devout, sensible, and good at dealing with people, they behave in a completely different way out of the church, and some are even worse than non-Christians.
A sister told me that her church leader had a beautiful daughter who looked godly in the church. She dressed conservatively and almost always wore a long skirt. However, she found out that the girl was not the same outside the church. The girl's dress was frivolously gorgeous and sexy, like a "prostitute."
Some descendants of clergy were "good children" in the church, but they became criminals in society and were put into prison when they grew up.
Actually, a number of preachers' kids naturally fit in "church manners" when they are in the church over time, with the purpose of following the will of their parents. But if their lives and values are not transformed, they are prone to turn to their own ways in society and behave totally differently from when they are in the church, free from their parents' control and being enticed by the world.
Many preachers' kids are spoiled in the church.
In urban churches, the children of lots of pastors and elders are only children. Their families dote on them and the congregations also pay particular attention to them. Owing to their parents' prestige among the congregations, they become "the apples" of many believers.
For example, a good preacher has a cute fat boy. Due to his father's popularity among members, he, good-looking and charming, is favored by many believers. Each time he goes to the church, his schoolbag is filled with snacks, toys, and even clothes. The way he is treated is envied by other Sunday school children. However, he is the most rebellious child in the Sunday school. Almost every class, he makes trouble -- teasing female classmates, reading comic books, using a phone. He even drew pornographic images on the blackboard. Even so, many people turn a blind eye to what he does and indulge him.
Pampering children has become a social issue. Moreover, the children of clergy face much more temptation than normal children in this area. They are not only taken care by their own families but also doted on by the churches.
Their growth problems should get more concern from pastoral staff and Christians, not just special respect and overindulgence.
Don't be surprised at their evil deeds or overcritical of their parents for them. Avoid falling away on account of those kinds of things since we are all sinners and imperfect.
The most important thing is to watch and pray for pastors' families that the Lord may lead them and their descendants to always walk on the road of truth.
- Translated by Karen Luo
