Article from the Kalamazoo Gazette, continued. To read Part One, click here.
2) How are you involved in church? Do you think you would be as involved if you weren't the children of pastors?
MEGHAN: Being away at school, I'm not able to be involved at this point. But in the past I volunteered with the 3rd through 5th graders in their classroom. It was a great experience working with the kids because they are a really big part of our church. I think that even if I wasn't a pastor's kid, I would still be volunteering in some aspect of our church because I think it's an important part of being involved in a church.
ANNIE: We're very involved. We volunteer on the weekends, and help out a lot in the youth group. I think that even if our parents weren't pastors, we would still be involved but maybe not to the same extent.
LUKE: I play the bass guitar in our youth group band at my church and I love it. I would still be in the band whether my parents were pastors or not because of the love of music and worship.
ERIC: I am involved in the church in a couple ways. Some of these ways are that I help with children's church; I sometimes work the cameras, and I work media shout for our high school ministry En Fuego. I think I would still be involved if my parents weren't pastors but since they are pastors, it definitely lets me get involved much more.
3) Do you think you'd be as "full of faith" if you didn't have parents who are pastors?
MEGHAN: I think I would be at a different point in my faith if I didn't grow up in a pastor's home. I am so thankful to my parents for the way they raised me and my siblings. I've never felt pressure from them or felt that they set their expectations too high for us. It's been exciting to watch me and my siblings come to a place where we've made our faith our own. I know that even though my parents are pastors, that when we're at home with them they are our parents and they are great examples of what it means to really live out your faith. I think because of that it's helped me and my siblings to be confident that we can have a real faith that is evident in every single aspect of our lives.
ANNIE: Yes, ever since we were little, our parents made sure that they told us that being a Christian was more than just going to church, or having our parents be pastors but that it was something personal and they wanted to make sure that we found that out ourselves. Since all of us have gotten older, we have discovered our faith on a personal level and have taken the time to search out what each of us personally believes separate from what our parents say. Obviously our beliefs are pretty similar because our parents have taught us a lot, but we don't mindlessly follow them anymore and we all take the time to figure it all out on our own. But our parents do help us with a lot of the questions that we still have, so that is always nice to have.
LUKE: I don't think I would be as full of faith because I practically grew up in the church, ever since I was little I was fed the message up until now as a sophomore in high school. If I was in a different family or my parents weren't pastors, I believe it would be different, I wouldn't have the same faith as I do right know.
ERIC: I don't think I would still be as full of faith if my parents weren't pastors because I would not be at church and church events as much as I am now so I wouldn't have a chance to connect with God so many times.
**I'll post Part Three in my next blog.
Until then,
Beth
