Pastors and their families

I Timothy 3 verse 4
4He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect.


I think it was very wise for this verse to be in scripture. How anyone runs and treats their family says alot about them. This area is really important for a pastor to get right since he has to deal with people well and also looked to for help. however, I do not want to stop here. This verse should not stand in vacuum. This is aimed at the leaders of the church but I think it is something universally true for all. Church leader or not, christian or not, we need to do the best job with our families we can.

The thing that bugs me though is when well meaning Cristians use this verse as a weapon against the pastor instead as a qualification for a pastor. The pastor and his family live in a glass house and with some good reason. However this can be unfairly hard on the pastor and his family. Every child is going to act up and just be a normal kid who gets into trouble. Leave this normal everyday family alone. If there are some chronic issues, then steps need to be taken. If it just a matter of parenting styles, keep you r trap shut. Some will breast feed their children and some won't and both will stand just as well before God. Parents will have tons of equally valid choices for their children which can have so many different answers. I don't care if it how many kids you have, whether they watch tv or not, go to the movies or anything else activity that affects how children grow up, be informed when you go after the pastor or anyone else on how they raise their children. Ask why they do it before you judge. you may just learn something.