RE: 10 Pop Stars You Might Not Have Known Were PK's

Recently, Relevant Magazine posted an article about ten well-know pop stars who were all pastor’s kids. While the names on the list were extremely impressive,  many were a bit surprising!  The list included: 

Joy Williams (The Civil Wars)

Kings of Leon

Alice Cooper

Marvin Gaye

The Jonas Brothers

Katy Perry

Wyclef John

Marcus Mumford

Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic)

NeedToBreathe

I've read article after article about PK's turning a 180 away from their upbringing, and while articles of this nature generally start with a "wow...you won't believe this..."  I appreciated Relevant's approach:

There are a lot of different stereotypes about PK’s—some more fair than others—but maybe the safest thing you can say about being a PK is that it sets you up with some expectations. Every Sunday morning, you’re on a stage (sometimes literally), with members of the congregation going through a mental checklist of how you do or don’t fit in with their preconceived notions of what the son/daughter of a preacher man ought to be like.

There’s no blueprint for what becomes of PK’s. Some of them go on to become pastors themselves. Some of them hightail it out of vocational ministry fast as possible. And some of them, well, some of them go on to be stars. Here are a few of them.

As you peruse the list of names, no doubt you will notice a great deal of success for each, at least in the world's perspective.  And while notariety is great,  for many of those PK's, their turning away from the Lord is obvious!  The article is right,  there is no blueprint for PK living.  I have known PK's to grow up to be in ministry -  I'm a fourth generation preacher.  But all too often the story reads something like "PK leaves church at first chance, and now lives to spite an semblance of his upbringing."   

Yes, there are multiple factors that play into the future of a PK.  Consistency in the lives of their parents.  The culture of respect from the church members.  A PK's personal relationship with Jesus.  If any one of these is misaligned, a PK's course can be forever altered.  

To the PK:  Channel your energy into your personal relationship with Jesus.  Allow him control of your life. You need not seek approval from any man, because Jesus has called you and counted you worthy of the office you hold.  BE YOU, and not who others perceive you should be.

To the Pastor:  If you did not grow up a PK, don't pretend to understand the struggle of your children.  Pray for God's guidance as you lead the unique culture of your home.  When your HOME/Family is your priority,  they will in turn assist you in the ministry.  Ministry is most effective as a family affair.

The the Church Member:  Raising your pastor's children is not your job, so take a sigh of relief.  For many that will be a huge burden lifted off your shoulders!  Now you will be able to spend some time examining the lives of the family for which you are accountable before God.  Then,  should you have some extra time,  INVEST in the life of your pastor's children.  Invest in the life of your pastor!  You'll never know this side of heaven what baggage they bring into the church-house each week.  Translate the time you would spend criticizing into time praying.  

If you know a PK,  please direct them to the Preacher's Kid Network page.  Home of the 2015 PK Retreat!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/preacherskid/

25 Signs You Grew Up A PK

1.  You looked forward to Communion because of the snack after church.

**BONUS POINTS:  You ate communion bread as a snack because you thought it was good.
**BONUS POINTS:  You competed to see who could drink the most communion cups like shot glasses.

2.  You can recite the "don't forget who you are" speech.

3.  You had at least one secret radio.

**BONUS POINTS:  If you hid one of those mini TV's somewhere to watch at night.

4.  You have at least one childhood photo holding a Bible.

5.  You thought your patterns put the "cool" back in culottes.

6.  Your family secretly used the baptistry as a swimming pool.

7.  Piano lessons were a requirement because the church pianist was near death.

**BONUS POINTS:  You actually became the church pianist.

8.  "Mixed Swimming" only with family,  but the "neck to knee" rule still applied.

9.  You did not see the beach until adult-hood.

10.  You can recall every episode of every series on TV-Land.

11.  If you had a dollar for every time you got asked "So you're gonna be a preacher when you grow up right??" .....Millionaire

12.  Finding your parents in "car-line" after school was easy because they drove the Church van/bus.

13.  You felt a little convicted because you intentionally held hands with your crush for a few seconds after the prayer-circle "amen" was said.

14.  You were on a first-name basis with the local hospital staff.

15.  You once threatened a Sunday School teacher with "I'm telling my dad on you."

16.  You had this conversation:
Me:  Dad, I feel sick...I can't go to church.
Dad:  Throw up and prove it!
Me:  (((ACTUALLY VOMITING)))
Dad:  Well, don't you feel better?? Now you can go to church!

17.  If the bike/rollerblades you got for Christmas you learned to ride between the pews and down the church hallways.

18.  You got saved at every church your dad pastored.

19.  When cleaning the church building counted as "family time."

20.  You still had church in your living room when services were canceled.
**BONUS POINTS:  You sang hymns by the piano in your living room.
**BONUS POINTS:  Your dad REpreached what he had practiced the night before.

21.  You survived mattress-surfing down the church stairs with the nursery crib mattresses.

22.  You know the layout of every local funeral home, and which ones serve cookies.

23.  You either ran sound, or were the ring-bearer in at least 10 weddings of people you did not know.

24.  If your room was the Guest Room,  and missionaries from almost every country have slept in your bed.

25.  All your embarrassing childhood memories have at one time been used as sermon illustrations.