The Pastor's Kid by Barnabas Piper: A Book Review

I’m a first generation pastor. By that, I mean that neither my dad nor my grandfathers were pastors. Pastoring is new territory for me and I definitely still have a lot to learn. One thing I do know though is that my kids will experience something completely different as children of a pastor than I did growing up. I want navigate that as best I can, which is why I’m grateful for Barnabas Piper’s book, The Pastor’s Kid.

If the last name doesn’t tip you off, Barnabas Piper is the son of John Piper. John Piper is one of the best known pastors of our day so Barnabas certainly has some valuable experiences to share with us. Not only does he have a lot of wisdom, but for this book he interviewed a bunch of other pastors’ kids (PKs) so he could best represent the demographic.

In the book, Piper takes you through the experiences of a PK. He talks about what makes them different from other kids in the church.  He shares the identity crisis many of them go through. He is raw and honest about the hurts and confusion that many of them feel. He also gives advice about how both pastors and churches can love PKs well. He wraps it up showing the positive side of being a PK and giving them great hope.

This is a book that I will read again and again. I will need Piper’s reminders of how I can best love and relate to my kids. I will need the reminders of how to fight for my family and my church. Not only that, it is a book I will recommend to key people in my church. Elders, deacons, hiring committees, and family pastors all need to read this book. 

I’m so grateful Barnabas Piper wrote this book. It’s hard to put yourself in someone’s shoes if you know nothing about their experience. Piper allows us to learn from him and other PKs and lovingly gives us practical wisdom to better love our own families, churches, and pastors’ kids.

You can pick up your copy of The Pastor’s Kid on Amazon.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Good Book Company in exchange for a fair and honest review.