Topic: What really makes pastors children rebel? (Read 415 times)

Just the same way you made this post with some kind of over expectations from those pastors or their children, and we often forget that they are humans too and beign close to God doesn't make them any different from the rest of the world and the flesh can also have its way with them.

Even biblically the children of Jacob also had issues and a different character from their father, Ruben the first born slept with Jacobs wife and can you see just how far this shit went, even moses GOD'S own servant had anger issues that made him not to enter the promise land he so fought for.

The truth here Is there is nothing wrong with pastors children they are humans too and they don't rebel they just act as the as they please, and most of us if not all are Christians so why do you rebel are you not also children of God.

Bro I have come to understand that most times it is not about how you raised a child though it also plays a major role but what matters most is how the child wants to be, people retrain themselves when they turn adult, yes I know that pastors children are expected to be well behaved of but we should also know that they are always a major temptation their parents believe.

There are things we should when we talking about this people, they are like every other person so they can also misbehave, talking about not practicing what you preach, even though you preach about a particular stuff, you don't expect your entire household to practice it, to me it is impossible, the only thing that can happen is for you as person practice it and pray for your household to follow up but not by force or persuasion.

I agree, teenagers are on the stage of being more curious to things and they can easily influenced by their peers. It's just hard for them to stay whatever is expected to them because they're children of men of God. They've got actually a harder childhood to teenage days and for sure that they've got some wildness that are hidden from within that they can't contain. They might become whatever they want as they grow older but the curiosity stage of teenagers will be hard to defeat. Despite with all of the teachings that are coming from their parents, they'd still have their own time in doing nasty things.

And this is happening to all of the parents and children out there regardless of their calling and profession because as you've said that it is the nature of the teenagers. I wouldn't say that most of them rebel but it's about being curios to things and what they want to try out. But there are ways of preventing them in doing so and it all depends to the parents on how they do parenting to their children. I may somewhat hard to explain that because I am not yet on that level but soon I will be but that's how it is. Not just about parenting and disciplining the teenagers but also the environment that they're living with.

There are so many expectations on pastors' children. Their families expect them to act in a certain way, the society still expects them to act in certain ways. These children never bargained for these strict lifestyles imposed on them. This lifestyle can be tiring, stressful and boring. This is why when most of these children taste small freedom, they go wild and explore the world of freedom till they become out of control.

The only mistake these parents made was being too strict on their kids and failing to really see through the stress societal expectations is causing to these children. Pastors' children deserve to live like other children born by non-pastors. They should be at liberty to choose what religion and the kind of life they want to live without the society giving negative opinions about them. If Pastor's children are given some freedom, there will be very few rebellious pastors' children

In this situation maybe a young child thinks having a Pastor as a Father isn’t cool. Maybe they don’t want to be labelled as a person of God, a goodie goodie so to say, so it makes them want to rebel. Potentially they want to show their peers that they are not like their Father, not a man of religion so they make extra effort to rebel & not conform to what society expects from a Pastor’s son.

Am not disputing the fact that no one is born holy as am aware of that but for someone who's into the ministry as a pastor we expect your children to be holy because from birth they are already learning and hearing the word of God because their parents are always engaged in the Christian conversation all the time and after birth as they start growing up their up bringing is in the way of the Lord so i expect them 5o be a living examples to others instead of being equally yoked with unbelievers. You can not preach what you don't practice so I expect pastors to have more energy in building their children in a godly way more than what they teach other people out their because charity begins at home, the reason why most children of pastors are wayward is because they are not properly raised as some of the pastors will prefer to preach outside instead of teach his own family what he wants others to know, too bad.

Even the pastors you see today were not born righteous and holy, they were unbelievers before they began rented, I don't see why people will expect the pastors children to be holy from birth just like that their father, this is what people don't know.  You can't be holy and righteous from birth, everyone has it time of it transformation to become holy and righteous next. Another thing thst makes pastor children to be totally different is because of the energy pastor put in making others to change, they do not put the same energy on their children to change too.

It’s actually somewhat in the nature of teenagers to rebel no matter what kind of environment they are placed in. This is understandable because teenagers are still trying to find for their identity and they might feel as though they are being too caged in or restricted to explore when they are heavily exposed to the religious community without even allowing him to formulate thoughts and beliefs of his own.

You know it's not every preacher's kid that had the luxury of choice. Some of them are forced to follow in the steps of their parents and this makes them feel like they are in some form of chokehold or duress. I've seen kids who after leaving the same environment as their parents and those who know them, they easily change.
Some of them do not have in bred discipline and feel they don't know what to believe and as such are easily disinterested in listening to anything or anyone who talks about religion because to them they've seen it all. This is after they must have rebelled though.

When it comes to finding their place in the world, pastors' children are frequently caught between something and a hard spot. On the one hand, they have a responsibility to be examples for those around them, which might make them feel lonely and unlike other children their age. However, because they have become used to being in the attention, they may not feel comfortable believing in other adults in the church community.

This sense of being "different" can inspire pastor's children to rebel as a means of expressing their own uniqueness and discovering their unique perspective. After all, when you're continuously being judged and anticipated, it might make them feel like they're constantly being watched.

As others will go with the fact that they rebel because of too much expectations or evil friends, I agree with that but I still feel there’s more to it than just that. I feel God taste those that he loves the most to see if they can handle to the test. I believe Christians from Nigeria are devoted ones and they all believe in God and his words and what he has destined for everyone to happen in their lifetime. Wealth and children are the greatest test that can happen to anyone from God, just pray your test don’t temper with your faith and believe for your Almighty but should make you stronger and believe in him more to guide those that have already rebelled.

The only thing I expect from religious leaders children is discipline,  because every religion is more of discipline, I don't expect one to be so religious because his/her parents are religious.  Religion is choice,  anyone can choose or choose  not to be religious fanatic or follows his father's   footsteps. What is expected from pastors children is discipline,  it is lift for them to be grinded in religion or not. If pastor children must practise what their parents are, that means a doctor,  police,  engineers,  their children must be what they are but this is not possible. Religious is a free thing,  it is a thing of choice.  But being discipline is a pattern of life everyone must choose for a better life.

Indeed! Because if I'm being honest, it's not easy to look past the lies and pretentious behaviors of the parents who are pastors and still determine to be different.
 I think some of these children rebel because some of them do not have personal relationships with God; thwy easily get swayed because all their lives, all they've known about Him is what the parents have either told others or read from the Bible.

But there is a distinction in these people and regular hypocrites. These people don't know that they are hypocrytes,

and,

they are saved hypocrites.

Bravo for the kids who recognize the hypocricy, and continue in faith, completely trying to get out of being hypocrites.

All wrongdoing is forgiven. But, as you^ say, there must be repentance... turning away from the wrongdoing. But why? If it is all forgiven, why do we need to stop doing the wrong? Here's why.

Every time we do wrong, it eats away a little of our belief that we need forgiveness. If we intentionally do enough wrong, and trust that we are forgiven, we will start to believe that we don't need forgiveness at all. When that happens, we have rejected the forgiveness, and it is not applied to us because we have rejected it. While this reason is basic, there are other reasons, like the example we become for our families and communities.

The shaman or witch doctor of any tribe or nation has this understanding of forgiveness, just like the Muslim. And this forgiveness is often taught by the religious leaders of those tribes and nations, just like Muslim religious leaders teach forgiveness. However, religious people of all nations that are Muslim, or have shamans or witch doctors, have one major failure. They don't know WHY God forgives. Here's why.

Jesus was/is a prophet. But He is much more than that. He is the holy Son of God. And since He is a man, as well, He was able to live a perfect life, and take the punishment for the wrongdoings of all people. He died, and arose to life on the third day after, to show that He is God as well as man.

This is why there is forgiveness. The punishment that a perfect God requires, was taken by the God-man, Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God.

Islam, the religion that accepts Judaism and Christianity, should now accept that the Jesus written about in their own Quran is the Son of God... Who has taken the punishment for all people, and is the reason why God can offer forgiveness to all.

People often make mistakes and no matter who he is, he or she is not exempted because this is human nature. As long as you keep returning to the one God almighty asking for forgiveness he will forgive you in the condition that you don't do the same mistakes again. if ever you fall into that sin again just ask for forgiveness just don't let the devil fool you by making you think that you already have so many troubles and sins you will not forgive. this is not the case with God because he always forgives someone as long as they are asking it sincerely when they are alive. this is the Islamic perspective I don't know about Christianity. Asking for forgiveness is always available wherever you are don't let it be the hardest thing you can do because all you need to do is move your tongue and lips and pray for it.

I will kindly say that peer-group, the environment they find themselves and too much expectation from people around them are what could lead pastor's kids into going astray in life, because one thing I have notice is that fact that majority of most of these pastor's kids who goes astray does that after getting admission to study in an environment far away from home, which most of them uses that as an advantage to explore the life they thought they might have been missing all this while living a church life.

Jesus spoke in parables to the unbelievers to get them to start thinking. Those of us who are believers in Jesus salvation, are barely believers. How do we know? By the way we believe the basics, but are unwilling to go further on in our faith... further on to the rest of the things Jesus taught.

Little children simply believe. They believe because they understand that they have no explanation for millions of things they are learning in their lives. But after they get older, they start to piece together reasons for things they learned - that is, after they start to think. They want to know the reasons behind the things they have learned.

One of the greatest contradictions that the general, good, Bible-believing churches have is, they believe and practice some of the things that Jesus taught, but ignore other things that Jesus taught, even though they might acknowledge that they are there.

You go to church every Sunday, and hear the same things. And this is good, because it is the words of salvation. But if you try to ask the leaders why they don't preach on other things that Jesus said and did, or the way to live like Jesus lived, they talk all around you and never answer your questions.

Adolescent children are getting fed up with this seeming contradiction by their parents, especially those parents who are knowledgeable church leaders. And since they can't find anybody to teach them thee other things - like walking on water, and doing miracles like Jesus did - they fall away from the whole ball of wax, as though it all is BS.


If you were ever frustrated by teachers of God's Word, I'm here to tell you that all the things of Jesus are available for us all. While I haven't become active in all of these things (very much), I have found the way. It may not be easy. But at least I can show and explain it somewhat. It starts with not only reading the Bible, but also listening to Bible tapes/CDs every day... especially the New Testament.

Read, listen, believe, even if you don't understand, and much of the understanding will come to you.

Yes in this part of the world today,pastor's children some of them are not pacient,now first of all we should remember that the children of this christian leaders are same like all other children,even if they are to show some moral examples to others,they are human being too and if the parents are christian leaders does not make them 100% perfect,after all jesus came for the sinners not the righteous onces,and one thing have observed in this type of children they believed God called their parent alone and not them

Here is why many sincere people, including children of religious leaders, are falling away. They are impatient. What are they impatient about? The things that Jesus taught that the church doesn't teach about.

For example, Jesus says in Matthew 7:7,8:Yet, how many times do we ask and NOT receive? Why? After all, if it was not God's will for us to receive it, Jesus wouldn't have said it.

The structure of the universe must be maintained. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness after He had fasted for 40 days and was very hungry, the Tempter said, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones be made into bread." Jesus answered, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God." In other words, asking and receiving must come through every word that God has brought into existence throughout the operation - physics - of the universe.

St. Paul says in 2 Corinthians chapter 4:In other words, we have the treasure of the power of God that brings us to salvation, and can bring us into all kinds of powerful and wonderful things, NOT because we are being denied these things in our jars of clay (our bodies), but to show that the power is from God and not from us. After all, look at how powerful our bodies are; nobody knows how they work they are so full of the knowledge that God has placed in them.

St. Paul goes on to say:Death was at work in the Gospel preachers, because they were bypassing all kinds of powerful things that they could do and be, just to bring the message of the Gospel of Life - Jesus salvation - to the people.

Since everything operates through every word of God (the physics of the universe), and since every power is given through the grace that Jesus provides through His work on the cross, why don't the churches have a training program to bring people into the use of the power of God that Jesus won for them... the power of, "Ask and it will be given to you," etc.?

The children of Christian leaders are simply impatient and frustrated by their parents, the leaders. They are being told by Scripture that if they have faith they can move mountains, and nothing will be impossible for them. But nobody has a training course for them to use to get to the point of having a little more faith... to do some of these great and wondrous things. Rather, the church leaders keep on rebuilding the foundation of Jesus-salvation, often tearing it down somewhat to rebuild it again, instead of building on it, this Jesus-salvation foundation, the buildings of power.

Meanwhile wicked people use the faith they have from God - even though they don't really know where it is from - to build all kinds of fantastic and powerful things in this world... some of which produce great evil.

NOTE: The important thing is to maintain your personal salvation with Jesus, both before and after you start being built in the faith that you can use to move mountains.

True, but as pastor's son they're things I thought of doing then I recall that my dad is a pastor I have to represent the church too. Let people see me and change their belief to Christ. Some times I do things secretly to avoid public judgement. that's the best life to lief as children of pastor, whatsoever you're doing hide it, don't let people rate your dad as bad one because of your character.  

However, people should also respect our right and freedom

First of all we have to understand that these group of persons being pastors children are not different from other children out their they are humans like others as such we should expect them to behave like one, they are meant to exhibit the functionality of hhmans which is tagged as being imperfect naturally but tends to change if corrected and adhere to the corrections given to them strictly, to me I don't see anything attached that might be the cause of this behaviour in pastors children I see this as an individual habit or friends influence which is through imitation, note this is possible when the group of children involved found themselves in an environment that's is not suitable for discipline, and also the person you keep your children with when busy be you a pastor or any person plays a pivotal role in your children up bring but the major cause of this behaviour predominantly in pastors children which is applicable to any other child out their is environment factor which needs to be worked upon in other to avoid the continuous repeatation.

You made a valid point there. I think the real reason people are shocked when a pastor or his child commits "sin" is because they are viewed as 'holy and righteous ' and forgetting one important fact that most have being kind to point out; before they are men and children of God, they're mortals too.

Maybe that pastor should look himself at the mirror. Christians has been oppressing people and abusing kids since the religion got started. And LGTB communities as well, especially in nigeria where homosexuality is now illegal. So why would anyone with a heart would feel the need to follow that path of bigotry and hatred? Why not rebel against hypocracy?

Or is rebellion somehow reserved for relationships that don't involve a pastor?

Sometimes pastors just make it seems like whatever they are doing like preaching, praising God that their children should follow their footsteps, it's so sad that pastors don't let therir children be who they want to be. In some homes pastors forget that in church they are suppose to be the pastor of the church but at home they're no longer the pastor but a father who have to lead the children in the way of life and probably use some scriptures to address them and not making it compulsory that they [children] must follow their ways.

Some of these actions force children to act the way they feel like whenever they find themselves outside their homes, like they feel free when they're not with their pastor if a father, they get wild oand friends also contribute to some of these act.

Is even hard for a pastor to teach his or her child/children sex education. It would be bad for them [children] to learn those things outside from friends and in a wrong way, so some behaviors of pastors to their children can make the children rebel against them.

A pastor's child is not a pastor. Maybe just too much is usually expected from the children of pastors and we forget that are also children who have to have an experience of life. In another version, the children of pastors are rebels as test for their parents who are religious to see if they will sin or not. Not all children of pastors are rebellious, some are actually very well behaved and good representatives for their pastor parents.

You are very correct.  Op should have known that not everyone are Christians and not everyone knows how Pastors children behaves. A story line would have been perfect or better he would have opened the topic in Nigerian local board where the users there know the behaviour of pastors and their behaviours.

Maybe their friends started telling them from childhood that they must not become pastor because their fathers are pastors. It could also be that the children are the true representation of what happens at the home of the pastors.

Your father's faith doesn't work together with your own except you work out your own by yourself, there are many things we take too common which are not it at all, you can be a good person and expect your children not be to thesame as you're because there are some things about you they unconsciously learn in the family at home which you don't need to explain it to them but they pick up those qualities abd build on it, if our home fails then the children may have challenges as well with their marital settlement because most of us look only at the title, we don't look into the task ahead a d the responsibility attached.

 i am a pastor son, the issue people have  is that they see us as an immortal children, we have same blood and same body as you, we have feelings and emotions too. that thing your are doing we love them too. just see us as one like you too. nothing like rebel. our fathers believe could be different from ours. being a pastor child doesn't stop one from enjoying life that God gave to us all. 

The society we live in work by certain rules and principles. People are subject to certain expectations based on what profession or family we find ourselves. It practically erases the fact that, we have a life of our own to live.
You see a reggae star and its almost natural that yiu expect him or her to have dreadlocks of hairstyle and smoke weed, a pop star, you would be expecting a tattoo covered fellow, dressed in big clothes materials and more, a religious leader and you expect him to never watch porn, have taste for alcohol, smokes and more. Same is transfered to them kids but, these kids have got a life of there own and your profession shouldn't subject them from not living there true.

Personally lets all acknowledge the fact that these so called pastor's children are individuals like the rest of us. Simply because their parents has some religious obligation does not have them bound to the same fate. They are entitled to their own way of life and choices and their personality are sometimes considered as rebellion by the "members" of their parent's congregation.

Moreso, I would also add that their attitudes are easily noticed because it is almost as though they are placed in the spotlight of the church and sometimes other parents who are members of the church use them as yardstick to judge the behavioral pattern of their own children but this is very wrong!
I know that if other members of the church are carefully examined, we will discover lots of other members that are alot more rebellious than the pastor's children.

Pastors are normal human,likewise their children,they are also been affected by the social devices of the society. The difference is that the clergy will overcome these social devices easily because he is guided by God and lives a holy life. The pastor child can be influenced by his friends and age groups. Children are easily influenced by the society. If the pastor is always in the church based on his spiritual assignments and neglect his responsibilities as a father. It is possible that his children will turn the other way round. The devil can also play his own role to disorganize the pastor's child to go against his father's will to make the pastor not to stay focus on God.

The main problem is that society expects too much from pastors and their families. They are humans who are not spirits so they are also affected by the growing ills in society. When the pastor or his children commits any crime it receives wide condemnation, meanwhile, most of us are guilty of even greater offenses. In my country, a child that is 18 is responsible for his actions and not the parents. So the pastor's child is responsible for his/her action.

I agree that some clergymen focus more on the church, leaving their children to suffer from parental neglect. It is the responsibility of the pastor to raise their children based on the dictate of the Bible so that they can be good examples to the family and community. But I see the pastor and his family as a common family like mine, so I don't expect much from them.

Religion has its rules and practices that would make a person somehow rebel as it will suffocate the person, especially the pastors' children. Pastors are the one that teaches the word of God, making the religion going and embraced. They are Godly, and people are quick to expect a lot from the children of them being what they parents are. They will carry it along like it is their surname, and that is where the problems arises because they are being subjected and caged, putting them in a pedestal, expecting them to take the path.

They rebel because they would want to get out the narrative, pushing them to do the things that they do not expect. The thing with children, when they did not understand how things work, they would do things outside the box and try everything that people are limiting them. Seeing their parents, who are pastors, and doing every good deeds, of course they would take pride but when they started getting negative criticism, it could get in their head and think they are no better so they would just prove them right instead of changing their mind.

My quote: you can mould characters but you can't force character. Most Pastor's can not go in the ways of their parents probably because intently the ways of their parents is not their desires and because Satan knew that, he will wants to take advantage of that situations. I know of a pastors daughter that whenever the father has a crusade is an opportunity for her to stay with her boyfriend. She will dress fine enter church and escape from the church to go meet some guys. Dude, this things are serious cases but is more likely to be kind of spiritual battle that's why the parents can't control them, some even smokes, womanize, drugs and stealing. And that affect more pastors in such situations.

This question was actually coined from the experience of a friend and I thought it'd be a bore putting the whole stuff here, so I decided to just leave it like this
So they rebel as a means to get attention from their parents??

This discussion could have been easier and clearer if we have a story line to analyze and unless we have such we can base all opinions as just assumptions, and if so then let me make my own contribution based on that.

Pastor or imam are just spiritual fathers and at that, their still need to take care of their physical responsibilities, but nowadays, too much involvement in spiritual activities have made a lot of those pastors to become too busy that their children are left in the hands of mads and other caregivers who are total strangers and does not have experience enough as to early childhood training and this have led to the children lacking that basic parental guide that will shape their early unruly childhood characters and this has become one of the major issues in our today's society.

It's just too much expectation and became a standard knowing that these children's parent is a pastors. But then, how young are these children we're talking about? I've known children of pastors that really were rebelling against their parents at a young age up to their teenage.
And then when they've grown up and experienced the bitter truth about this life, they go back to their calling and continue the path of what their parents have started, which is to address the ministry that's been set on their shoulders. That's why I think, age is a big factor and also too much expectation from these children. Nobody's perfect but we compare and try to comprehend because they've got good parents that should lead them as an example.

 In the society we find ourselves today, the issue of rebellion amongst pastor's children is something that has caused a lot of concerns. As Christianity is one of the major religions in Nigeria, a man of God is highly regarded, not just in the society, but in his congregation, and the members look up to their leaders and the expectation that the children follow in the footsteps of the parents is not abnormal. But it's also not a new thing for some of these expectations to not be met as the issue of rebellion can be traced back to biblical times.
 For some children, the responsibilities and expectations can be too much that they feel like the only way they can achieve something or be heard is to rebel. While others go astray as a result of negligence.
 I've heard some say of a pastor's child who has gone wayward that they have been led astray by evil friends.
Asides from the above listed , what else can push a pastor's child to rebel? Is it too much expectations or what?