Leadership

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Exodus 20:12 states, "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." One of many scriptures in the Bible, it is very clear what this means. Honoring a parent means to show them respect.It is a pastor's duty to teach this Word to a flock, in deed also. After many years in churches, one would think that the fruit would be on the tree. Instead of eating the good fruit,bitterness and reproach is what I have received from the long arm reach of my daughter's pastors. In Globe, Arizona, in the year 2001, my daughter and son-in-law moved from New Mexico to Globe.
I moved from a one bedroom apartment to accommodate them and my grandson so we would all have more room. I had no intention of them living with me forever; I had hoped and planned on them getting out on their own as soon as possible. My son-in-law had also brought with him one of his sisters and my daughter her sister. Okay. I asked them to do minor chores each, you know clean the bathroom, do dishes, vaccume. Apparently, all these young people didn't like it, so they went a crying to the pastor how mean I was. The pastor advised and took all of them out of my house without speaking to me, in any way beforehand. Nor did he mention anything afterwards.
In 2007, I was riding with my son-in-law (who was driving) and his pastor (sitting in the right front seat headed to Ruidoso, NM. The Alamogordo pastor was telling my son-in-law about another pastor who would stack up books to get a look see at the women in church. Both the pastor and my son-in-law had a good laugh, with me sitting in the back seat. These are only two incidences of pastors teaching my family to disrespect me. And believe me, they do!
I recently went to see my grandchildren. My daughter let me know that all she wants me to do is visit my grandchildren; I am not to tell them when they need to brush their teeth or what clothes to put on when getting dressed for school. And don't dare tell them to do a chore. They are 8 and 5 years old. I told my daughter that I was the children's grandmother, and what did she want me to do, sit in a corner?
Mind you, if their pastor tells them to jump into the lake, hey, he's next to God, do it.
Pastors steel away relationships that belong to family members and not them. They have their place and me as a mother and grandmother has mine. This is pure thievery. What belongs to me, belongs to me. How can any pastor with a conscience teach my child to disrespect what I say, so that they will follow him in his image? I don't expect my daughter to do everything I say, but we should be able to have civil converstations and listening ability with each other in God. God is supposed to be a restorer of paths to dwell in. It's a little impossible if the guy who says he speaks for God is misusing his authority for his gain and agenda.
I feel that it is a misuse of authority when a pastor in action, teaches folks to only listen and do in his footsteps.
In the old days, parents guidance continued until their death. People from countries such as China have more respect towards their parents and they have pagan gods. What would make them want to come to Christianity when church leaders do families evil, turning their people against their own people?
Kimberly

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