Surviving the Fishbowl: Letters to Pastors' Kids

Pastors’ kids have it hard, feeling the weight of undue expectations and the observing world around them.

In Surviving the Fishbowl, Catherine J. Stewart assembles an experienced group of authors to give advice for those feeling the pressure of life lived in the scrutinized house of a minister. With contributions from pastors and their wives, as well as from former pastors’ kids, this book gives sage advice for those navigating difficult waters. Whether you are pastor’s kid struggling to understanding your identity, dealing with troubling social pressures, or just wishing you could escape it all, read this book and see that these trying days are survivable and even attended with blessings you may not have considered before.

168 pages

Table of Contents:

Foreword by David Strain

Part 1: Laying the Foundation

1. Identity Crisis: PK or Child of the King?—Jasmine Holmes

2. Expectations: Who Sets the Standard?—Megan Hill

3. Count Your Blessings: Enjoying the Benefits of Being a PK—Joel and Mary Beeke

4. Friendships: The Glorious Gift of Extended Family—Terry and Emily Johnson

5. Loving the Church: Pressing on Through Family Highs and Lows—Tom and Donna Ascol

Part 2: Sharks in the Bowl

6. Criticism: The Godly Response—Mike and Mae Milton

7. Loneliness: Choice or Inevitability?—Amanda Martin

8. Cultural Change: Adapting to New Surroundings—Carl and Catriona Trueman

9. Depression: The Dark Night of the Soul—Neil and Catherine Stewart

10. Rebel PK: The One that Got Away (Almost)—Ike Reeder

11. Financial Crisis: High Calling with a High Price—Daniel Wakefield

Contributors

Jasmine Holmes is a wife, mom, and speaker, and the author of Mother to Son: Letters to a Black Boy on Identity and Hope. She and her husband, Phillip, have two sons, and are members of Redeemer Church in Jackson, Mississippi.

Megan Hill is a pastor’s wife and a pastor's daughter. An author of three books, she also serves as an editor for The Gospel Coalition and lives in Massachusetts with her husband and four pastor’s kids, where they belong to West Springfield Covenant Community Church (PCA).

Joel R. Beeke is President and Professor of Systematic Theology and Homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. Married to Mary, they serve the Heritage Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids and are blessed with three pastor’s kids and five grandchildren.

Terry and Emily Johnson live in Savannah, Georgia where Terry is the senior minister at the Independent Presbyterian church and they have five pastor’s kids. Terry is the compiler of the Trinity Psalter and the author of many books.

Tom and Donna Ascol live in Cape Coral, Florida where Tom serves as senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church. They have ten pastor’s kids. He is also the President of Founders Ministries and the editor of the Founders Journal.

Michael A. Milton, Ph.D. (Wales) is a Presbyterian minister (PCA, ARP), author, and composer who has also been and educator and Army Chaplain (Colonel) retired. He is the provost of Erskine Seminary and president of the D. James Kennedy Institute and resides in North Carolina.

Amanda Martin is editorial director at P&R Publishing. She is a pastor’s kid and member of Trinity Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Easton, Pennsylvania, and enjoys reading, baking, and learning new things.

Carl and Catriona have been married for almost 30 years, and currently live in Slippery Rock in Western Pennsylvania with two wonderful pastor’s kids, John (26) and Peter (24). Catriona is originally from the Isle of Lewis and Carl from the English Midlands.

Neil, Catherine, their six pastor’s kids, and Mr. Baxter (their intrepid Rat Terrier) live in Greensboro, North Carolina, where Neil pastors Christ Covenant Church (ARP). Before being called to the pastorate, Neil worked as a pediatrician at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.

Ike Reeder is a pastor’s kid and currently President of Birmingham Theological Seminary. Ike is married to Angie and has two stepchildren, Win and Virginia, a dog (Vesper) and a cat (Smokey). He and his family reside in Birmingham, AL and attend Briarwood Presbyterian Church.

Daniel Wakefield was born in 1985 into a pastor's family in Ontario, Canada. His father pastored churches in Ontario, Ohio, and Mississippi. He is currently a co-pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Coconut Creek, Florida, is married to Bethany, and has three pastor’s kids.