Latest project: The Pastor’s Kid: Finding Your Own Faith and Identity (9780781410359, $12.99, David C Cook).

You are a pastor’s kid (PK) as the son of best-selling author John Piper, yet The Pastor’s Kid is not a memoir. How would you describe this book? It is a blend of observations, conversations and my story. Over my lifetime, and especially in writing this book, I have connected with dozens of PKs. I have had the chance to observe their lives and struggles and talk with them about it. I also have my own life and challenges.

What are some of the unique challenges PKs face? Expectations. We are expected to be better behaved, but on the other hand, we are also expected to be screw-ups. We are expected to lead and set an example for our peers because we share a home with the leader of the church. The list goes on, but faultily high expectations are a big challenge.

Another significant challenge is connecting with Jesus in a real, personal way. Jesus is so commonplace for many PKs that He is little more than part of dad’s job. To connect with Him as a transcendent, powerful, gracious Savior is difficult. For some, the doctrinal distinctives and traditional depictions of Jesus are a hindrance to faith. Moving to a place of seeing Jesus clearly and meeting Him personally is both vitally important and not at all easy.

The last significant challenge is that of identity. It is tied to knowing Jesus in a real way because it’s only through Him that anyone can really find his or her identity. PKs are labeled so often as something or someone and have so many expectations placed on them and grow up in such a defined and high-pressure environment that getting to the place of truly being at peace with who God made them to be is difficult. It is hard to rise above the expectations and pressures and find confidence in the gifts and personhood God gave us.

What are also some of the blessings of being a PK? One big one is simply the amount of Scripture PKs absorb throughout their early lives. Whether they believe it straight away or come to a saving faith later, the blessing of knowing the Bible is huge.

A second blessing is the inner understanding of the church. So many people come to the church and its leaders with pie-in-the-sky hopes and expectations only to be disillusioned by their sin. PKs know all about the sin and dysfunction from an early age, but they also see the unique blessings of lives changed, people coming to faith, challenges overcome and more. PKs get the full picture of the church, bad and good, so when they mature, they can love it and serve it even better.

How can retailers help to get The Pastor’s Kid into the hands of readers? Connect with local pastors. They will likely be the ones who gravitate toward buying the book. Maybe even offer a deal if they buy one for themselves and their kids or other staff members.

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