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