One of the blogs that I regularly read is Perry Noble from Newspring Church in Anderson, SC. One because it has some great information about how they do things in a church that is reaching thousands for Jesus and second because he is just plain funny. Last week he posted that he was going to have his wife, Lucretia, answer some questions and do a guest post on his blog. Here are a couple that she answered that had to do with being a pastor’s wife. Some good insight. I especially like the one about the expectations on a pastor’s wife. I think for me some of those are self inflicted expectations and some are from others but either way it is always refreshing to here that my number one ministry is to my husband and our children. As pastor’s wives we have a unique responsibility to our families – lets be faithful to them and to God.
How do you balance your role as Perry’s wife with the expectations the church has of you as a pastor’s wife? Just as Perry doesn’t fit the mold for the typical preacher, the same seems to be true of you and your involvement in NewSpring and it’s ministries?
Before we began dating I dealt with the fact that I didn’t fit the role of the typical pastors wife that I had always known; however, in seeking Jesus He clearly showed me that my call was not to fit a particular mold…but to just be me and Perry’s wife.
When it comes down to it…I am the ONLY person who can support Perry in the way that I do…and he has made it very clear to the church from the beginning that I am his wife–not the churches wife, and he has always refused to allow unrealistic expectations to be placed upon me by those who could never understand what it is like to be in my shoes.
Bottom line–Perry IS my ministry…and as his wife I am called to encourage and support him first…NOT be involved in tons of activities to merely keep church people happy.
I fear that too many pastors wives focus on the churches calling on their lives rather than what God has called them to do. I know that He has called me to be unique…and while I won’t be singing or playing piano any time soon because those are not my talents and abilities…I will be faithful to Him and His calling and giftedness on my life.
How do you deal with the criticism that comes Perry’s way?
My initial reaction is to debate “them” and logically explain to them why they are wrong; however, I know that will not work–it is equal to casting pearls before the pigs. It does hurt me when this happens, but ultimately I leave it in God’s hands because I know that the critics do not know Perry, nor do they understand what is going on at NewSpring. AND I try to see it in a positive light because usually the time of most criticism is usually preceding something incredible.