|
Unfortunately, television greatly impacts the
way people view family. As Hollywood and prime
time TV merge new wave ideals with the do what
you feel mentality, God’s perfect design
for marriage and family is not as celebrated as
it once was. As a result the public perception
of family has radically worsened. But thank God
there are still dedicated and faithful soldiers
who are holding fast to biblical values and God’s
design for family.
Pastor Rick and Barbara Layton are two of those
faithful soldiers. Regardless of what Hollywood
portrays, the Layton’s star in their own
true-to-life movie where families operate as God
designed. With more than 30 years of marriage
behind them and seven children, this all-star
cast, whose script derives from God’s Word,
have their debut roles down to a science. Theirs
is a must-see, or in this case, must-read episode
you won’t want to miss!
Pastor Layton, who jokingly calls himself the
‘Godfather’ because he requires his
children’s potential spouses to seek his
blessing before marriage, admits raising a family
is anything but easy. Rewarding, yes; easy, no!
“Having a family is hard work; really hard
work,” says Pastor Layton. “You have
to learn each child’s needs, as well as
their personalities and preferences. What works
for one may not necessarily work for the others.
Because each child is different and has different
experiences, there’s no cookie-cutter technique,
and that’s the difficult part. You really
have to rely on the Holy Spirit to lead and guide
you into providing what each child needs in each
season in their lives.”
As the Laytons’ story unfolds, Pastor Layton
proudly proclaims the salvation of his children
who are all born-again, spirit-filled, and have
been since a young age. While this accomplishment
most assuredly is something to be very proud of,
one can’t help but wonder how the Layton
children averted the stereotypical stigma attached
to PKs (preachers kid).
When asked to expound on the PK stigma where his
children were concerned, Pastor Layton says: “The
first thing pastors must always keep in mind is
that before they are pastors, they are parents.
One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen pastors
make is allowing their congregations to determine
how their children should behave. That is something
Barbara and I have purposed to avoid. Too often
preachers are so preoccupied with their church’s
impression of their children, that they don’t
allow their children the liberty to make mistakes.”
Pastor Layton says one of the best things you
can do when raising children in ministry is allow
your children to be children. “It is absolutely
important to keep your children in church and
under the Word, but you’ve also got to allow
children to be children. When they make mistakes,
it’s important that they are able to come
to us as parents so we can train and advise them
in the Word. However, most of the time, preacher’s
children don’t even feel comfortable going
to their parents, so they end up going to some
ungodly person for advice. That shouldn’t
be. As parents, it’s our job to continually
train them in the Word. However, that requires
cultivating and developing an open and honest
relationship based on mutual respect.”
R-E-S-P-E-C-T! Aretha Franklin sang about it,
and most parents demand it from their children
without question. However, Pastor Layton lives
by seedtime and harvest where respect is concerned.
“I often hear parents talk about their children
respecting them, and children absolutely must
respect their parents. But what about us as parents
respecting our children? It’s a two-way
street. I respect my children. How can I demand
something I’m not willing to give? In addition,
when I respect my children enough to listen to
them and their ideas, I’ve found that they
are more open to receiving my impartation.”
With everything happening in today’s society,
it’s nice to know family is still the sustaining
force God intends for it to be. As Hollywood continues
to direct shows plagued with divorce, broken homes,
and hopelessness, Holywood, directed by Jesus,
continues to release masterpieces of love, courage,
strength, joy, and unity.
“It’s all about unity because as the
pastor’s family goes, so goes the church,”
says Pastor Layton. “As we walk together
in harmony, we can be an example to people. Of
course, it’s not going to always be perfect,
but it’s real.
“We’ve always been a very close-knit
family. Since our children were young, we’ve
always instilled the value of unity. We go to
church together, we eat together on all the major
holidays, we vacation together, we have regular
family meetings; we have fun together, and I think
the closeness that we share as a family is our
strength.”
When asked about some of the natural things parents,
especially those in ministry, can utilize for
success in parenting, Pastor Layton simply says,
“Be who you say you are. Over everything
Barbara and I do as parents, we’ve always
strived to be an example before our children.
Of course it’s important that we confess
the Word over our children. However, the most
effective thing we will ever do is be a demonstration
of that Word before them. What they see at church
must be what they see at home. They cannot see
two different people.” Great words to live
by!
While the Laytons’ most certainly are not
the Cleavers, they are the ideal Christian family.
A family that has been through ups and downs,
highs and lows, yet still remains strong, vibrant,
and connected to God and each other. With four
children in ministry, two in college, and one
on the way to college, the Layton family truly
deserves the Emmy, Oscar, and every other award
bestowed for priceless pictures. Nevertheless,
I believe the love and honor they receive from
God and one another are all they will ever need.
Congratulations, Layton family, stand up and take
your bow!
|
