In a sermon titled "Gateways To Supernatural Blessings In Hard Times 4" given during the Covenant Day of Open Doors Service, Bishop David Oyedepo, the General Overseer of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, spoke on the importance of pastors' integrity and how it affects their children's church attendance.
Bishop Oyedepo, speaking to the audience, stressed the need of pastors living exemplary lives in and out of the family. In a fiery tirade, he denounced spousal violence, arguing that it goes against Christian principles and discourages children from pastors to be involved in church.
It is disrespectful to be in this church while physically abusing your wife. According to Bishop Oyedepo, it undermines the credibility of the Word that is taught here.
He made it clear that children of pastors are particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of domestic violence on their faith and spiritual development.
As an example of how parental behaviour greatly influences children's views towards church, Bishop Oyedepo bemoaned situations where children of pastors choose not to attend church because they see a contradiction between their parents' public displays of religion and their activities at home.
Many pastor’s children do not go to Church because the life they live at home does not attract the children to go to church," Oyedepo pointed out. He stressed the significance of being honest and trustworthy in encouraging children of pastors to have a sincere desire to grow spiritually.
Pastors and other parents have a significant impact on their children's views of religion and church, as Bishop David Oyedepo pointed out in his sermon.
In order to instill a genuine devotion to spiritual principles in the next generation, he emphasised the need of members of the congregation making integrity a top priority in their families.