Pastor, your family is your first ministry. You know that, but it is good to be reminded.
The health of your home has a direct impact on the health of your ministry. Ministry flows out of your home and then back into it. Paul wrote, “For if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?” (1 Timothy 3:5). The calling to shepherd and serve God’s people begins with the calling to shepherd your family.
Your wife and your children need your spiritual leadership. They need your prayers, your presence, and your protection. Pray with your wife and your kids. Pray over them and with them. Let them hear your voice calling out to the Lord on their behalf. Protect your home from evil influences. Lead your family in the Word. Let your home be a place where Jesus is honored and where grace is practiced.
You are called to model what it means to walk with Jesus, not just to the congregation, but to your family first. Your children will learn what it looks like to follow Jesus by watching you. They will learn how to pray by hearing you pray. They will learn to love God’s Word by seeing your love for it. They will learn to serve by watching you serve. This is part of your calling as a pastor.
If you are single, you are still called to cultivate a Christ-centered home. Let your home reflect your devotion to Jesus. Let your time, your habits, and your priorities reflect your commitment to Him. Your home, whether filled with children or quiet in your singleness, should be a place where Jesus is welcome, honored, and glorified.
It is easy to get so busy with ministry that your family receives what is left of your time and energy. Guard against that. Your church can get another pastor if needed. Your family cannot get another husband or father. They need you to be present, spiritually engaged, and full of love.
Be intentional with your family. Spend time together. Pray together. Open God’s Word together. Be quick to listen, quick to forgive, and quick to show grace. This is part of what it means to lead your home well and to walk in the calling God has given you.
Stay steady. Stay faithful. Stay present. Let your family see Jesus in you, and let your ministry flow out of a home that is built on love, prayer, and the Word of God.
Adapted from the book, Sure and Steady by Pastor Ed Taylor. Chapter 8
