Interview

Minister Kristina Butler

What are you doing now? I currently attend Oakland University and will graduate in December.  I’m also involved with several student organizations, like Student Congress.  I’m President of Pi Sigma Alpha which is a political science fraternity.  I’m also going to start working full-time on my dad’s campaign in December. So, I drop by periodically to get acclimated to the environment, because that is what I will be doing full-time, at least for a six month period. That’s pretty much where most of my time goes, not to mention what I do at the church.

I am the young singles minister for Word of Faith, which is a department called Entheos.  We have bi-monthly meetings and we have different activities.

So when do you have time to breathe (laughing)?

(laughing) It’s actually not as bad as it sounds.  I have time to breathe just because I did 20 credits over the Spring and Summer semester so that I would only have to take three classes to graduate.  Since I’m not taking my normal load of four or five classes, there is some lag time.

You sound like a very organized individual, are you very organized?

Yes.  People make fun of me all the time. 

I was the kid in high school with the folder that matched the pen for each class.  For example, I had the blue folder and the blue pen for Social Studies. 

I think my favorite thing in the world right now has been my little MAC computer, because it has the iCalendar on it.   I pull up my iCalendar during class sometimes and people are wondering what I’m doing.  I try to schedule all of my time, not just my Monday through Friday time, but also my weekend time.  I get a lot more done that way.

Does being organized help you to be a good student?

Absolutely. I graduated without really trying as hard as I should.  I graduated with a 3.5.  I received a four year Academic Scholarship to the University of Michigan.  It just so happened that I felt directed by God to go elsewhere at that time.

You stated that you are actively involved in a political fraternity, and you will start getting involved in your father’s campaign, obviously you are actively interested in politics.  Talk about that.

This has been a journey for me. What originally happen is, I was a sophomore in college and I had to basically decide what I would major in.  I’m this very laid back person in terms of being passionate about things.  I’m passionate about very few things. 

So, I was really going back and forth thinking about majoring in Spanish or Political Science.  I finally decided and said to myself, "I really am suppose to major in Political Science, I think this is the direction I am suppose to go in."

I cringed and sat down and talked to my dad about it and he turned his nose up a little bit and said, “Are you sure this is what you want to do?”  I said, “That’s what I want to do."  I believe a day later he talked to someone, some colleague of his that had majored in Political Science.  He found out it was a little different than what he thought.  Then he was all for it.

It’s kind of been interesting now, since that is my major in college and the Lord would end up pushing my dad back into politics. 

It’s really a good thing for me, because the best way to get where you are going is to help some body else get where they are going. 

Even if that’s a relative, a friend or someone that you’ve never met, but someone that you know you can be committed to their vision. This is a great opportunity for me, to be able to help out my dad.  I can be two things to him at once.  I can be someone who knows him well enough to anticipate his next move as well as help him out politically and take care of anything he needs taken care of. I’ve spoken to quite a few PK’s and quite often a lot of them work for their parents. What is that like for you, you live with your parents, your dad is your pastor and your boss and eventually he will be your Senator.

How do you balance that relationship and make sure that you come out as a professional when you are out and about with your father, but you are still Daddy’s little girl? Not just with dealing with your dad, but with others that are involved in the campaign or work at the church.

It’s a balancing act.  Something that I learned quite early with growing up in the church with my dad as the Pastor was how to separate the two.  Just so that, if my dad made me mad at home, I could still go to church and receive from the Pastor.

I think, I learned that probably at around 11 or 12 years old, it just hit me in the head one day and I realized this. As far as with him or my mom, working for them; isn’t really difficult for me.  

It sometimes can be difficult for other people, because they can demean you or disrespect you. They don’t feel you are qualified because they don’t really know you or what you are qualified to do.

It can be interesting in that right.  Just as you have people who will not like you because you’re working here and you are the child of their boss, you have people who will look out for you and help you out because you are the child of their boss.

Speaking of people in general, have you gotten any negative flack from your inner circle when your dad announced he was running for Senate? Or were you surprised by people's reaction when your dad announced his plans to run?

No, I’m not getting a whole lot of negative feedback from my inner circle because before they knew what party my dad was affiliated with, they knew what party I was affiliated with. I am not shy at all to talk about politics or to talk about why I believe what I believe and I often challenge people on why they believe what they believe.

One of the things that college has taught me—which is why I believe people should go to college if they can—you can enjoy the company of other people that do not agree with you at all on anything.  But there is always some kind of common ground that you can learn something from them, whether they are Hindu or Muslim or where ever they are from.  You just have to know where you have to draw the line.

So, I haven’t gotten a lot of bad feedback from my inner circle, per se.  I have gotten a tad bit of persecution in Student Congress because the President of Student Congress at my school is homosexual and he’s extremely liberal.   There have been some people related to that whole arena who have given me a little bit of flack here and there, but it comes with the territory.

(Picture above: Minister Kristina Butler with UGN youth reporter Dexter Sullivan)

But it’s actually turned out to be pretty cool because a lot of girls who see me on campus can message me and say, “hey can you help me with this” or “something is different about you.” So it’s been kind of cool. 

But on my page, I have written onto my page in bold letters, where it says “About Me” I say a couple of things about myself, then I say “I am intentionally single so please don’t contact me otherwise.”

It’s just not time, quite yet.  I was one of those kids who had dreams of being married at 19, that’s how I was growing up.  But when I hit 19, I said oh my God (laughing) I am so not ready for anything. 

Time and experience have taught me a few things and now I’m really just trying to get a grasp of my purpose first.  So that I can be sure our purposes compliment each other so we are not in each others way.

Obviously you have dated before, so can you tell us what are some of the red flags in dating that you can talk about? Some signs that will tell a person if they are not ready to date or this is not the right person to date or marry.

Oh, I can help you a lot with that one (laughing). 

I am the relationship conversationalist guru among my friends, they all call me about this. 

Where do you start with the red flags?  For one, I think the first and best red flag you have is your first impression of someone.  What your instincts tell you.  The Holy Spirit will speak to you, but most of the time it’s because you have already bypassed your instinct that He will have to step in and say, “Woo.”

Your instincts will tell you when you meet someone “something about you makes me uncomfortable.” 

Being such a logical and almost leaning towards humanistic society we like to rationalize every thing away.  You absolutely can not do this when it comes to dating.  You have to be sensitive to your own instinct and the Holy Spirit.

Another really good red flag is the response of your family members, your close family members.  I know a particular person that I dated, my sister had a fit.  I thought she was completely off, I thought it was for completely different reasons and she turned out to be so right.  I think that if some guy came along now, and everything seemed perfect, I would parade him in front of my 27 year old sister and say, “What do you think?” Although if she didn’t agree and I felt the Lord was telling me this was it for me, we would have to work that out.

I think there is a certain line when you know everyone in your house or one particular member in your family would not do anything to hurt you, you can go by that as a red flag.

As far as not being ready for dating, most people are not ready to date.  One thing I am extremely glad about is that my parents did not allow any of us—well, my sister and I—to date until we graduated from high school.  Now, that I am 23 years old, that means so much more to me than being upset at the time or other people are dating and they are going to events that I can’t go to.

I was just talking to a friend of mine who is at bible school, he was telling me how much of an effect he has realized a high school relationship has had on his view of women.  I’ve seen this so many times.  I had a friend that committed suicide because his girlfriend cheated on him.  We are not quite ready at 16, 17 or 18.  There are other ways to do it.  You can group date.  You can go out with a big group of people.  You can form your own group.  If you are really desperate to be one-on-one with someone, you need to examine your motives.

What about those that think they are ready.  They already have their “Boo”, they are kicking with their “Boo” going to the movies.  So, what do you say to parents that allow their children—and they are children, to date and have an exclusive relationship with one individual? And to think because they have an exclusive relationship they are not going to be intimate?

I say, “wake up”, because of the day and time we live in. I know of a young lady who grew up in a pretty decent home—this is common so this is the only reason I’m using this example because I know this is true about a lot of girls these days—basically, lost her virginity in her parents home at around 14 or 15 years old.  As a matter of fact, I know several girls with the same exact circumstances because their parents trusted them because they knew at their age they wouldn't have done it so “my child” wouldn't do this.  That’s really not true.

I had peers of mine that I can remember when I was 15 or 16, I was thinking about things on a lower scale, they had already lost their virginity.  I was completely clueless because I was somewhat naive to that.  Because I knew there was no way I was going in that direction so I figured, “she goes to my church too, there’s no way she would.” 

I say make the tough decision.  Don’t be selfish, don’t be worried about what your kids are going to say about you or even your parents.  Think about your kids.

What about those parents that say they love God, go to church on Wednesday and Sunday, but will pop in the latest worldly CD in the car - exposing their children to music that does not glorify God. And then, what do you say to the children who are trying to live a godly life, but find it difficult because of what their parents expose them to?

Unfortunately that's the story of a lot of people.

This sounds arrogant, but I am quoting other people. But they want children like my sister, my brother and I, but they won't do what my parents did.

I never heard my parents—ever—listen to worldly music. Not anything, not old school, not jazz. Not that I think there is anything wrong with jazz and there are some old school music that I have no beef with. But they never left the door open for that.

But on the other hand, I remember a relative of my hanging out with the pastor of their church. We ended up talking later on the phone and the pastor was playing Tupac at the house—blasting Tupac—with kids from your church—in your house. And the kids won't be confused, of course they will. How come you can listen to it, and you tell them not to?

I really say to kids in that situation, pray for your parents. God can reach in and do anything for anyone, if you ask Him. You can get before God and pray for your parents. I know a lot of kids did that in my generation who attended our youth ministry GPhiG (Glorify God) at Word of Faith. There were kids who came in, got born-again and prayed for their parents. There parents came into our church. I still see these parents now and they are some of the most faithful workers in the church because they say, "If my kids can be turned around by this Jesus, then certainly there is some help for me."

So, I say pray for them and if you can respectively talk to them and challenge them a little bit ask them, "Why do you listen to that?" "How does it make you feel?" "Do you think this music has any affect on you." If you can have that type of open conversation with your parents, this is another way that can change things in your home.

Now I want to talk to you about role-models and leaders. If you ask secular athletes, entertainers, artists, etc., about being a role-model, they say, "I'm not a role model, I'm a basketball player, I'm an actor." So you expect this from the secular environment. But then you also have those who are in leadership in the church, that are looked upon as role-0models but quite often you find them compromising.

That's why I am doing the PK series because a lot of people look up to Pastor's Kids, but sometimes they are the main ones acting up and acting out. Unfortunately, more attention is given to their mess-ups because they are the pastors kids. What do you think this is the case?

Well there are two aspects to this. One, you have to have your own personal convictions but then there is an aspect of respect for your parents. There were times when I was growing up that my personal convictions would have allowed me to go to an En-Sync concert. There were times I considered going. All of my friends were going and they were Christians. I consider going and could get over my personal conviction. I would think, I'm still a teen, yada, yada, yada... But I could not get over going somewhere and as a result of me being there—having someone question what my parents might be doing at home because they see me out. That was too much for me to swallow.

Because of the mixture of the personal conviction (At some point of my life, sometimes it was absent; like in the llth grade this is pretty much the point I'm referring to. The llth grade was the point in my life I had a few months when I was like "whatever".) and the respect of my parents kept me. The marriage of those two things is a beautiful thing, that's what kept me.

I have never been to a party, never been to a club, never been to secular concert. Oh, I've been to a country concert, where the singer is a Christian, but sings whatever she wants. That's the only concert that I have ever been to in my life. I was out of town when I did that, but I would have done it if it was in Michigan.

That's what has kept me. In some respect, that has been God's mercy and grace in action in my life; it has been the marriage of those two. I know it is the same for both of my siblings, my brother and sister have never done anything left field, probably for the same reasons.

That says a lot about your parents.

I think that's the key.

That's the key.

I think unfortunately, when you see preachers kids acting out, a good portion of the reason why they act out is, they see their Dad get up in the pulpit preaching and come home and live something contrary to what he's preaching. They grow up believing that hypocrisy is okay.

Let's talk about the entertainment world. What do you think about artist that tip-toe or play around with Christianity. One minute they are singing gospel music, the next time you see them, they are in a very popular female group. What do you say to youth who want to support that individual and don't see anything wrong with this type of double-minded behavior.

Well, I don't want to attack this person, because I don't know this person, and I don't know what this person has been taught. But in general, to people who are in the entertainment industry and have to compromise what they believe in order to be successful, they have to know there is a better way.

And to say, "I'm a Christian" now-a-days is deceptive. In order to identify what that really means is very difficult. Let's say I'm at school, I won't just say I'm a Christian because that means so many things. I could be Unitarian, there are so many different sects. There are even those who don't believe in Jesus—well don't call yourself a Christian.

It comes down to what someone has been taught and what they know.

I have really learned a lot about judging. There is a fine line in the bible about judging, we are to judge the world but I can't stand up and judge those who call themselves Christians. I can say, I disagree with what they are doing. I certainly don't have to agree with having to sell out in order to be popular.

As for kids, it's confusing for them. I really can't advise them. It's not a position I'm comfortable being in.

People are talking about Mase has signed with G-Unit. I don't have much to say about it. In one breath people are saying a lot of different things about it and then there is a prophet that is going around the country prophesying that 50 Cents and Eminem are about to get born-again. Then there is going to be a third person with them, less popular and less known that will also get born-again. You never know, maybe Mase is in this position now and God sent him back in.

We put God in a box all the time. I can't say if God sent him in, or maybe he just needs more money. I can't say one way or another. I can't judge that. I certainly will not judge that.

GUESS WHAT, MORE OF THE KRISTINA BUTLER INTERVIEW NEXT WEEK