3. Some church members were jerks to the PKs.
Many of the stories are heartbreaking. It is really hard to imagine some of the awful words that were said to the PKs. Some still feel the sting of those words decades later.
4. Many PKs resent the interrupted meals and vacations.
They felt like their pastor parent put the church before the family. One PK, now an adult, lamented that every vacation his family took was interrupted; and many times the vacation was truncated.
5. Some of the PKs have very positive memories of when their parents included them in the ministry.
I read comments about hospital visits, nursing home visits and ministry in the community. These PKs absolutely loved doing ministry with mom and dad. They felt like the church ministry was something the whole family did.
6. A key cry from the PKs was: “Let me be a regular kid.”
A number of the PKs expressed pain from the high expectations placed upon them by both their parents and church members. Others said that some church members expected them to behave badly because that’s just what PKs do.
7. Some PKs left the church for good because of their negative experiences.
They viewed local congregations as a place for judgmental Christians who are the worst of hypocrites. They have no desire ever to return. You can feel the resentment and pain in their comments. Their hurt is palpable.
On the one hand, I feel badly for the opening of wounds that blog post caused. On the other hand, I am grateful for the forum it allowed for many of the PKs to express themselves.
If you are a PK, do you identify with these comments?
How do the rest of you react to their hopes and hurts?
