To Pastor's Kids

[bunced]

The moving was the worst bit really. Fortunately, I was not a PK with my Dad as a local-church leader for my teenage years, so I could go through the teenage development and maturing bit in my local church without being scrutinised quite so closely by everyone, as Dad was off elsewhere.

The only other bad bit was the occasional joke who asked me when I was going to go into Ministry too. But I can take care of those - a couple of withering looks prevents that question from being re-posed lol

 

[breakfastsurreal]

I've been a PK my whole life...as a result I was one of the rebellious ones...I got tired of being told one thing in the sermons, but then being encouraged at home to be "fake" in front of church members. I am NOT a fake person, and I didn't take this advice from my parents. As a result I was judged and felt like I was the one being nailed to a cross. So I quit church. I still love God but it took me a LOT of time before I felt like I could finally be ok with going to church again. And I can't go to my parents' church, that place makes me have a panic attack when I walk through the doors...too many bad memories. It's sad that PKs are trained to be a certain way that is NOT necessarily the type of christian the bible tells us we should be. We are puppets of hypocrisy....

 

[Scrat]

i feel that the worst part of being a PK is the fact that (almost) everyone who knows you expects you to be so perfect and all-knowing. it can be really irritating sometimes.
i really can't complain about themoving aspect, since i've only moved once in my life.

 

[Razorbrooke]

I think the worst part has been seeing your father (or mother) the way he is at home if it is at all different from what others see. My father was revered. I could never understand why.

 

[BookReader]

The worst part of being a PK is the fact that every one expects you to be the pinnacle of perfection just because you are a PK. Even though my parents don't pressure me to be picture-perfect, I feel the pressure from some people in church.
The other bad part is the moving. In my short fourteen years, I have moved at least eleven times.

 

[Tallerthanatree]

Probably people expecting me to be all well-behaved and crap, and being shocked when they find out I'm not.

 

[BookReader]

Everyone expects me to be well-behaved, say the right things at the right time, and know more about the Bible.

 

[Zoness]

I've been a PK my whole life...as a result I was one of the rebellious ones...I got tired of being told one thing in the sermons, but then being encouraged at home to be "fake" in front of church members. I am NOT a fake person, and I didn't take this advice from my parents. As a result I was judged and felt like I was the one being nailed to a cross. So I quit church. I still love God but it took me a LOT of time before I felt like I could finally be ok with going to church again. And I can't go to my parents' church, that place makes me have a panic attack when I walk through the doors...too many bad memories. It's sad that PKs are trained to be a certain way that is NOT necessarily the type of christian the bible tells us we should be. We are puppets of hypocrisy....

Your story is exactly identical to my girlfriends story. Her family is not even in the ministry but they attend a small independent church and their family is kind of like the Joneses church version. They act all Godly and legalistic but the parents hit the girls when they have doctrinal disputes or make the family look bad. Naturally, they rebelled to the point of being extremely dangerous. The oldest one was kicked out of the house because she questioned her sexuality and my girlfriend is frequently harassed by other church youth because of her dress and beliefs. I think I am going to invite her to my church. A change of scenery is what renewed my faith a bit.

 

[godsupergirl]

The worst part for me was seeing my mother and father cry when people in the church hurt us. It made me really mad.

That and when people are outright rude and judgmental about my brothers backsliding.

 

[HavanaNights]

every "pk" i know is an up themselves snob and thinks they are the perfect ones and everyone else are mere mortals... i cant help but get angry when they try and make themselves something else just cause they're parents are pastors...

 

[Shahzam]

The most difficult thing for me was when people thought that since Father was a pastor, my life was blessed and that my parents were perfect. Neither were true. Life was tough, but you know what? I survived! And I would do it all again to have what I do now.

 

[Gentle Lamb]

For me the most difficult element has been having to hear them say one thing when they're up on stage and then having to deal with them at home... they don't always practice what they preach. Also, the Bible says the kids are a blessing, a gift from God, and I've rarely been made to feel that way, sometimes just the opposite so that makes me kind of sad to think about. Also having to wear a skirt all the time because they think it's wrong to wear pants for a woman, whereas I think it's superficial of them to preach that because they're just concentrating on what's on the outside when it's what's on the inside and the way you live that really matters.

 

[odessa deidres]

are any of your parents so devout that they would disown you if you did something un-christian

 

[geoffinsegg]

I am a PK and I found the most difficult thing being that sometimes I felt as if other peoples lives were more important than mine.. with Dad wanting to help others all the time..

 

[Want2DoRite84]

every "pk" i know is an up themselves snob and thinks they are the perfect ones and everyone else are mere mortals... i cant help but get angry when they try and make themselves something else just cause they're parents are pastors...

We often have to try to be perfect or everyone will tell on you.

For me I was the one got told on to my parents about a lot of things. My friend and I were doing the exact same thing and I was the one who got in trouble for it.

I was atypical in that I only moved once. During my childhood the congregation doted on me and then once I became a teenager all that changed. It was difficult since my father got involved in a bunch of other ministries besides the church and my mother worked so I was ignored.

Suffice to say my experience wasn't all that great.

 

[skuxess]

Well I think that being a Ministers kid.. its also very difficult living a IMPOSSIBLE life?
becuse everyone will might as well treat you like ''Royal Highness''? I mean like? HUH
I hate being treated like.. ROYALTY? its annoying me...you have to look neat,act good,brainy,and RICH but most of us just want to be NORMAL average kids!

 

[Want2DoRite84]

That everyone is watching your every move...its annoying, we're either expected to be perfect (and criticized if we're not)...or to screw up (and get criticized if you do screw up)...either way, there's way too many expectations...oh yeah and everyone expects u to follow in the footsteps of ministry...luckily I'm a girl so I haven't had to deal with that

I felt that way growing up as well. I had to deal with people expecting me to go in the ministry since my denomination allows women to be in the pulpit. I fought God about going into ministry and I am now going into ministry so maybe I can be a relief to the PK's in the church to which I am ministering. I won't be a pastor just a "minor" minister.

 

[skuxess]

everything thats been said yes very true. Im a ministers child too out of 7 children, majority of us grown up. Everyone thinks that the Minister must be living a glorious life wth the perfect family WRONG. We arent perfect, yet we still somehow have been expected to show that we ar or know. I have alot of family who are ministers kids like me. Trust me when I say this, we aint been the best roles models lately for certain things in our past, we're as normal as everyone else. I guess thats what pushes alot of the ministers children to go their own ways, I mean I did I moved away from home for 2 years - but I felt a calling to come back home. I may be thinking eveyrthings diffrnt but once youre a ministers kid, youre labelled like that everywhere u go.

 

[JosephOrtiz]

every "pk" i know is an up themselves snob and thinks they are the perfect ones and everyone else are mere mortals... i cant help but get angry when they try and make themselves something else just cause they're parents are pastors...

personally sometimes pks get mad at the mere mortals(as you call them) because those mere mortals(as you call them) do the most dumb things that have no common sense and is not christ like.they just see peoples flaws very easy.Some times it upsets me as a pk myself and i keep it to myself that members in church say ..... well....... dumb things.You might think snob but trust me there probly thinking how sad.How can a person say this or that when it is clearly wrong by logic.Because we been fused with this doctrine since birth.Sorry you feel that way but thats just the way it is instead of looking at us snoby ask us the word why?why you think this or why you think that? instead of name calling

 

[angels`]

can not be normal even with me being an adult