A couple weeks ago I was thinking and praying through some things: how to appropriately discipline our daughter, when to start memorizing scripture with her, being a spiritual leader for my wife and church, how my boundaries in ministry have changed the past couple months, and more. The best answers I have are based on what I saw modeled for me by my parents. Some of what they did was great, some of it not, but either way it’s all I know, the only frame of reference I have for raising children in ministry.

My wife, Dana, is in the same position, so together we try to talk through how our parents raised us, our experiences of being P.K.’s (pastors kids), and the effect we feel it had on us.

So while I was praying, I thought, “While we’re wrestling through these issues of serving as a ministry family, why don’t we share them out loud and let others chime in so we can mutually learn from each other?” Dana liked the idea, as well, so here goes nothing…

I think we’re both in a unique position to think about some of these things out loud because we already went through it from the perspective of a kid growing up in a ministry family and now we’re on the flip side raising our own kids in a ministry family.

You can read more about our story if you’d like. In the meantime, we’re looking forward to sharing, engaging, struggling, celebrating, and thinking along with anyone who wants to join us.

Growing up in a ministry family can be full of pressures and unrealistic expectations, just like trying to lead a ministry and family simultaneously. We trust God will be gracious to us as we pursue Him and grow together as a ministry family.