My kids occasionally make the mistake of saying that they have to help out with something around the church or act a certain way because they are The Pastor’s Kids. They have learned that this is a bad idea because it rapidly earns them a lengthy lecture about how they are actually doing it because they’re an important part of the church, a contributing member, and a part of the body. It wouldn’t matter if they were a plumber’s kid or a doctor’s kid. If they are Christians then they are important, they should contribute, and their actions matter.

Every member of the church body should be an integral, important, contributing part. So here’s a simple question everyone should ask themselves. What if the pastor acted like you? What about the pastor’s spouse and children?

If they walked into service at the same time as you, would that be okay? Would the service start on time?

If they missed as many services as you, would it hinder the congregation in any way? How about if they used your criteria to decide what constitutes a family emergency or a reason to keep the family home. Would things continue on at a reasonable level?

On Sunday morning, if their focus, intensity, attitude, and worship were like yours, would that be okay?

How about involvement in activities? If they attended as many special events and extra meetings as you, could things go on as they should?

And giving. If the ministers of the church gave the same percentage of their income as you, what would happen? Would the lights go off and the missions commitment remain unfulfilled, or would things continue to hum along undisturbed and maybe even grow and improve?

What if the members of the pastoral team dressed like you? Spoke of others like you? Loved like you? Greeted visitors and new members like you? Trained their children like you? Prayed like you?

You see, since we are all children of God, equal at the foot of the cross, we are all responsible to act like children of God. The Bible doesn’t lay out a hierarchy of who is most important, who owes the biggest commitment, or who can sin a little more than others. No, we are all to be called, chosen, and faithful.

So my goal is that my children, when they are no longer The Pastor’s Kids, will continue to minister in some way no matter what their occupations. It might be in the form of praying for others and helping the needy, changing toilet paper rolls and picking up trash, having consistency in attendance and financial giving, or preaching a sermon and playing an instrument. Whatever the case, I hope they never drive by a piece of trash on the front lawn of the church without instinctually stopping to pick it up because they are really that important!