Ah, Mother's Day. A great day set aside to honor mothers everywhere, sell greeting cards, and fill restaraunts to over capacity making the average wait time over an hour. Ah, another great holiday.
So why on this day to honor moms did our pastor choose the opportunity to talk to tired, overworked moms about the topic of undisciplined children? Can't they have one day of guilt-free worship and actually be encouraged that something they're doing is actually right?
Not at our gathering this morning. No, instead they were treated to the idea that an unruly child is not at fault for their behavior - it's that parent's fault. We have to judge the parent for the child's behavior. That mom should be taking control of the situation spanking that kid - or putting him in time out first. And don't talk down the "church", the pastor, or anything such in front of the kids for they might get a wrong impression of the church, the pastor, or such things. Well, I think we are called to love (especially a woman 0r man in the stressful situation of an unruly child). I also think that kids know when things aren't right at "church", with the pastor, or in other situations. Hmmm...perhaps that's the cause of their acting out. Interesting thought to ponder.
Now I am not advocating Sunday afternoon disses on the pastor, fellow Christians, or other such things. Nor am I advocating discipline that doesn't involve corporal punishment. However, I do think that Pastors should make the effort to actually preach God's Word and not just to vent to the congregation about their pet peeves (that's what BLOGS are for!). Our family was left with a feeling of false guilt and hopelessness following the morning worship. During the "sermon" there were no solutions for tired, overworked moms, no hope for relief, just loads of guilt and accusations.
Needless to say, the altars were full - they had to do something with all that guilt, I suppose. Perhaps they were praying for the Pastor. I was.
Perhaps it would have been different if they had a few different perspectives on the subject. It may have been different if they're grown children were actually attending church. It may have even been different if they actually had young children living in their home with them. How soon we forget.
Next time we have an all church event, my children will run wild (they're children after all), my wife and I will no doubt be "judged" because our kids are acting like kids, and another sermon will be preached about this issue (he's gotta preach about something on Father's Day) rather than coming to the parents of "unruly" children and talking about it.
I love you Pastor, but you were wrong on this one, and I love you enough to tell you that.
So why on this day to honor moms did our pastor choose the opportunity to talk to tired, overworked moms about the topic of undisciplined children? Can't they have one day of guilt-free worship and actually be encouraged that something they're doing is actually right?
Not at our gathering this morning. No, instead they were treated to the idea that an unruly child is not at fault for their behavior - it's that parent's fault. We have to judge the parent for the child's behavior. That mom should be taking control of the situation spanking that kid - or putting him in time out first. And don't talk down the "church", the pastor, or anything such in front of the kids for they might get a wrong impression of the church, the pastor, or such things. Well, I think we are called to love (especially a woman 0r man in the stressful situation of an unruly child). I also think that kids know when things aren't right at "church", with the pastor, or in other situations. Hmmm...perhaps that's the cause of their acting out. Interesting thought to ponder.
Now I am not advocating Sunday afternoon disses on the pastor, fellow Christians, or other such things. Nor am I advocating discipline that doesn't involve corporal punishment. However, I do think that Pastors should make the effort to actually preach God's Word and not just to vent to the congregation about their pet peeves (that's what BLOGS are for!). Our family was left with a feeling of false guilt and hopelessness following the morning worship. During the "sermon" there were no solutions for tired, overworked moms, no hope for relief, just loads of guilt and accusations.
Needless to say, the altars were full - they had to do something with all that guilt, I suppose. Perhaps they were praying for the Pastor. I was.
Perhaps it would have been different if they had a few different perspectives on the subject. It may have been different if they're grown children were actually attending church. It may have even been different if they actually had young children living in their home with them. How soon we forget.
Next time we have an all church event, my children will run wild (they're children after all), my wife and I will no doubt be "judged" because our kids are acting like kids, and another sermon will be preached about this issue (he's gotta preach about something on Father's Day) rather than coming to the parents of "unruly" children and talking about it.
I love you Pastor, but you were wrong on this one, and I love you enough to tell you that.
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