Pastors, the church is your child. You can nurture, support, mentor, encourage, teach, and instruct your child, but you cannot do for your child and expect it to grow. Your child must be given the flexibility to make mistakes when it tries something new without the fear of being scolded and punished. You must have faith in your child when you give them a job to do. A parent who hovers over the child does the child a disservice, just as a parent who puts him/herself first. When you empower your child and give them the tools it needs for life, then the child is empowered to interact with its community as a role model and a leader. When you show and teach your child compassion, then the child will show that compassion to others. And through that compassion, people will be drawn to Christ.
