Episode 681: Sometimes church planters feel tension between being a pastor and a husband and father. Host Clint Clifton and guests Kathy Litton and Noah Oldham discuss how to deal with the practical issues “Pastor Dad” can face.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:
- What makes a church planting couple thrive
- Common struggles church planting families face
- How church planning families release pressures
- What a planting wife can do if her husband’s service is harming the family
- Questions planters need to ask their families regularly
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Books mentioned in this podcast:
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Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):
Families deal with these issues every single day. When they are ignored over the long haul, it will be destructive to their marriage, to their witness, to their relationship with their children and to their church plants. – Kathy Litton
There’s so much pressure to take time away from the home. Most church planters are willing to sacrifice for the mission of God and what they don’t realize is they’re not just sacrificing themselves but also sacrificing their wife and kids. @NoahOldham
Sometimes being a pastor can feel at odds with being a dad and a husband. I remember one family member saying to me at one point, Can I get my dad back? I don’t need my pastor right now; I need my dad. @clintjclifton
When I thought about “pastor dad” early on, what I thought was teaching all about teaching and discipling. But my wife helped me understand she doesn’t need me to be her personal Bible study leader. What she needs me to be is a shepherd who listens intently and with compassion. My kids need that. @NoahOldham
My wife sometimes is used as an agent of God to rattle my attention back to where it should be on family matters. I get all laser-pointed at something and sometimes I’m not able to see the more important matters in the home. @clintjclifton
We all need a plurality of voices speaking into our lives. So many times church planting wives don’t feel they can share with anybody about issues going on in their home because it’ll taint their view and they’ll leave the church. @NoahOldham
Published July 7, 2022