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.