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A review by danielle_w
The Pastor's Kid: What It's Like and How to Help by Barnabas Piper
5.0
I haven't read the original of this book, but had heard about it and read some reviews here. People can be critical in the face of honesty! Especially in the sort of taboo subject of the unique experience of a pastor's family. But I as a fellow pastor's kid now grown, I could totally appreciate Barnabas Piper's sharing parts of his experience because it allowed me to not feel so alone in mine. But with as much transparency and critique he offered, he gave equal parts grace (no, literally- grace was the thematic word here) and change.
There are many things in Barnabas Piper's story that were not true to my situation- because, well, my dad isn't John Piper, and we have 250 congregants- and didn't resonate with me personally. But the basis of his experience always did. Having a father in a high-trauma job is bound to affect their family in a unique way. The expectations of a pastor are bound to bleed into his family- and I'm thankful Piper took the time to write out a collective experience here, as well as suggestions for change and a healthy dose of gospel grace.
I read through this as both a pastor's kid and as a wife of a budding pastor, and found an ally. It's sparked a lot of constructive conversation with both my dad and my husband that will continue. Piper's own experience of fatherhood no doubt helped round out his perspective and wisdom here. This book showed Barnabas's full circle experience from pastor's kid with church hurts to a pastor's kid who loves the church in spite of its hurt, and I hope that will be my testimony too. The Lord will no doubt use this book to move more pastor's kids towards restoration, affection, and passion for the church.
Also, randomly, I really liked that Piper switched between talking about pastor's kids as males and females in his examples rather than having to wade through masculine pronouns!
There are many things in Barnabas Piper's story that were not true to my situation- because, well, my dad isn't John Piper, and we have 250 congregants- and didn't resonate with me personally. But the basis of his experience always did. Having a father in a high-trauma job is bound to affect their family in a unique way. The expectations of a pastor are bound to bleed into his family- and I'm thankful Piper took the time to write out a collective experience here, as well as suggestions for change and a healthy dose of gospel grace.
I read through this as both a pastor's kid and as a wife of a budding pastor, and found an ally. It's sparked a lot of constructive conversation with both my dad and my husband that will continue. Piper's own experience of fatherhood no doubt helped round out his perspective and wisdom here. This book showed Barnabas's full circle experience from pastor's kid with church hurts to a pastor's kid who loves the church in spite of its hurt, and I hope that will be my testimony too. The Lord will no doubt use this book to move more pastor's kids towards restoration, affection, and passion for the church.
Also, randomly, I really liked that Piper switched between talking about pastor's kids as males and females in his examples rather than having to wade through masculine pronouns!