The Pastor’s Family Book Review by Jeff Bush

By Brian and Cara Croft 

• You should not neglect your family for ministry, but you should not idolize your family over ministry either. 

• Your ministry can begin together as a family and end together as a family; they do not have to be separate. 

• What if God judged our ministries according to our family unity as opposed to our ministry success? 

• The temptation to prioritize ministry over family is not new. It has been a struggle for many good men. 

• The squeaky wheel gets the grease. The problem in ministry is that many times others get the attention and your family gets left out. 

• In a recent conference, the author did a survey and over 77% of the pastors admitted to not having a good marriage. 

• A pastor must recognize his sin of neglect to the family and ask forgiveness. First to God and then to his wife. 

• A pastor’s child that constantly sees dad choose ministry responsibilities over family, will become exasperated (Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21)

• Be careful not to pile too many things on your wife. 

• As a pastor, be careful not to treat other women in your church better than you treat your wife.

• There are four practical ways you can consider your wife: 

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Loving her. 
            2. Encouraging her. 
            3. Discipling her.
            4. Praying for her. 

• If your marriage is struggling, your ministry is also struggling.

• A pastor should take every day of vacation he’s allotted in the year. 

• When was the last time you thought about all the things you’re thankful for in your spouse? When was the last time you told him?

• There’s great impact in an unanswered phone call. When you are at dinner or  with your family, leave your phone alone and don’t answer.