A week ago we got together with several of our children and grandchildren. We now have a few visiting with us, with another daughter coming for a brief visit next week. Pastors are, for the most part, with the Lord's blessing, family men.

While this status ought not to be abused, the church ought to encourage their pastor to be a godly, faithful husband, son, dad and grandfather. The pastor's family is in need of all that he would counsel other men to give to their family.

The pastor's family is also a sinful family. In saying this I am not saying that the families of pastors are all very dysfunctional. Certainly some may be. On the other hand all of the children and grandchildren come into the family being in the state of spiritual deadness. They will not show signs of spiritual life until, and if, God makes them alive in Christ.

Therefore, we might pray for our pastor and his family like we would pray for any other Christian family – that he and his wife might be godly testimonies at home and that God would graciously save his children and grandchildren. Further, as in my case, not all my children are waking with the Lord, and my grandchildren have not yet professed Christ. Continue to pray, lest the love of family overwhelm his heart, pushing out the love of the Lord. Or, that he would cease to love and care for those in his family who are rebellious against the Lord.

In other words, the pastor, in his relationship to his family, is a man just like any other Christian man; therefore, pray for him as you might for yourself or your husband.

“Because He [God] is not capricious, He can be known. He can be trusted. His words are a true revelation of Himself, and we need not fear that He will act arbitrarily. Such was good news for the ancient Israelite, and it remains good news for us today.” Table Talk, July 2010

This means, among other things, that as we come to know this God, our character will become more stable, less capricious. This is a good, especially if it is coupled with holiness.

I have not counted but I suspect that Princeton Baptist Church, like many other church, is made up of a majority of women. While we believe that men and women are saved by the same Savior, through the same cross, and the same faith, we also believe that God has made men and women with distinctions. We are not the same.

As mentioned we believe that our distinction were designed and given to us by our Creator. This has many implication for life, work, families and church, many of which are actually addressed in God's Word.

Every couple of months www.9marks.org publishes an eJournal. This issue is entitled Pastoring Women. I found it a helpful and challenging read, and wish to pass it on to you. The eJournal is on the home page.

May our women be glorious, holy women and a men, noble, faithful leaders, even here in Princeton.