Father-Son Churches

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On Tue, 1 Sep 1998 11:38:01 -0500 (CDT) richardm@bif.cd.com (Richard
Masoner) writes:
>
>>  And is it only me or does anyone else notice that there are a lot 
>of  "family churches" where the Pastor's son(s) are ministers and what a
>> coincidence, God called them to take over their dad's Church?
>
>I'll comment on the churches I know about:
>
>Life Tabernacle, Wichita Falls, TX -- asst totally unrelated to the 
>pastor.

Oh, I'm clearly not saying ALL or even MOST Pentecostal Churches have
Father-Son Pastor-Associate Pastor.  I am just saying that there are more
than I believe possible as being called of God.

>Euless (TX) 1st UPC -- when I was there the assts and other ministers
>were totally unrelated, but last I heard his son-in-law, who is very
>capable, has moved back so he might have been made an asst.  But I 
>don't know.
>
>Apostolic Life UPC (here in Champaign IL) -- asst is son-in-law.  
>Again, he's very capable.

Capability is not the question.  Did God CALL him to his father-in-law's
Church?  That IS the bottom line.  The Church should not be used (I am
not saying it about this case, clearly I don't know that individual
situation) for financial support of the Pastor's kids once they've grown.
 And what does it do to non-family members?  I've seen times when people
have wanted to sing, and their voice perhaps isn't polished but they can
sing on tune and their heart is sincere.  They have been put off so that
Pastor's Daughter can sing again and again and again.  

I am curious in all such cases, whenever the opening was declared, how
they went about obtaining their son/son-in-law to be
Assistant/Associate...was there an open "audition"?  I know that's not a
nice word, but it's blunt and pretty much describes it.  I know of
Churches when an opening occured that invited SEVERAL Preachers to preach
for a couple of weeks at a time, there was prayer and fasting to seek
God's will.  Spiritual nepotism gives the indication (whether real or
imagined) that God was not consulted.  That Jr started Preaching and
needed a Church, so Dad stepped in to help.  

That is not what the Church of God is for.  

>But I've noticed this trend too, and having a hereditary "Levitical" 
>type of thing can seem a little troubling.

Because it gives room to abuse and alienation to some people.  Especially
to those who are outside the family.  I merely find it hard to believe
that in all the world that someone's been called to preach that BY
COINCIDENCE it happens to be their Dad's Church.  (Yes, I know they are
all Jesus' Church; I am using it as when we reference "Brother Smith's
Church".  I rarely say "The United Pentecostal Church of Anytown".  I
usually refer to a Church by the name of the Pastor.

And I am explaining that so no one gets the wrong idea.  

Jerry Welch

www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/2810/

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