How to Raise Mostly Normal Kids in the Fishbowl of Ministry by Geoff & Sherry Surratt
One of the hardest things about raising kids in the fishbowl of ministry is finding the right path, the right model for your family. I( Geoff) remember sitting at a table with several pastors as the conversation turned to parenting. One particularly confident leader described a ritual he took each of his sons through on their 13th birthday. I don’ t’ remember the details, but I think it involved a trip to the mountains, a lot of manly oaths and the sacrifice of a goat.( I’ m not sure about the goat.) I was completely intimidated because our 13th birthday ritual involved Applebees and a game of mini-golf. I always wanted to be a
24 • Solutions ritual and sacrifice dad, but it didn’ t fit how I’ m wired.
That’ s the biggest key to raising kids in the fishbowl, you have to be who you are. You can’ t create an image that look looks good to church people, but doesn’ t match your DNA. We decided long ago that we are simple folk. We like silly games and stupid jokes that no one outside our family thinks is funny. We think sarcasm might just be a spiritual gift, and we exercise that gift regularly. We are an odd bunch that like to talk about church and ministry strategy at dinner with our kids. We seldom had structured family