Preacher's Kid
By Torence White

Senior Mike Scorzone's father has been a pastor for 15 years at Bethel Gospel Tabernacle in Philadelphia, Pa. Junior Matthew Swaggart's father, Donnie Swaggart, is the co-pastor, evangelist of Family Worship Center, a non-denominational church in Baton Rouge, La. Matthew's grandfather, Jimmy Swaggart, is the head of the church. Senior Lloyd Caldwell's father has been a pastor for 14 years at Family Christian Church in Houston, Texas.

All three students have been questioned about their beliefs on Christianity and asked why they sometimes compromise their beliefs when they have a parent who is a pastor. Mike Scorzone has received these types of questions, and his response is, "I'm human. I respect my parents and I love God, but I'm not always going to be perfect."

His whole life, Donnie Swaggart attended a Christian school where a lot of pressure was put on him. "Being in a school that's [associated] with my church, people expected me to be perfect," Swaggart said. "I was forced to be a leader and act in certain ways because I was expected to set the example. My peers expected me to be at a higher level. I couldn't be a kid so to speak; I was given much more responsibility than most kids."

One of the benefits Swaggart has experienced as a PK is that he has been held to different godly standards that set him apart, helping him excel in a way that has benefited him in the long run. Others have blessed him because of what his parents did for them, and he is not ashamed of his family's name despite the negative criticism he has at times received. While some PKs stay on the right track, others have compromised their Christian beliefs. Lloyd Caldwell is a PK who wandered away from but stepped back onto the right path. "I rebelled because of what I saw behind-the-scenes," Caldwell said. "Sometimes Christians can be opportunists. They don't really care about others, but they show they care just because it can be an opportunity for them to benefit themselves. Sometimes people will step on you or take advantage of the love you give." These were some reasons why Caldwell was aggravated and did not want to be a pastor.

I asked Lloyd, "What made you want to come back to God?" "With all the things I got involved with, I still felt empty," he replied. "Only God can fill your heart. With all I was going through God was tugging at my heart. I know that without God I'm empty. It's knowing that God loved me that made me want to come back to him."

Caldwell's parents knew what he was going through and knew what he was doing while he was living in sin, but they still accepted him and loved him. Their love was like Jesus, having no boundaries. Their love was unconditional.

All three students see themselves as being called to touch lives, but don't know if they will be doing that as preachers in the pulpit. Scorzone, a psychology major, plans on touching lives through counseling. Swaggart is a major in computer graphics and wants to touch lives by illuminating people's minds and hearts with his art. Caldwell is a public relations/advertising major, but he wants to touch lives by inspiring people with his vocal music talents.

Swaggart's advice for PKs who feel cumbersome or flustered is to "recognize the call God has on your parent's lives. Your father as the pastor is not only the head of your household; he has to be the head of many households. Different people come to him with their problems, putting a lot of responsibility on him."

What about the wrong done in the church? What about the rebellion of preacher kids? Swaggart went on to add, "Remember we're all human and we all fall short and we're all striving for excellence, but we're not God. You can't put your trust in people; you can only put your trust in God, and that's when things come together."

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