This summer will be the second time in my pastoral ministry that I have had the opportunity to take an extended sabbatical. I am indebted to our church's leadership for providing this for me every three years. They had the foresight and and generosity to set this up for the pastor even before they knew who it would be when I arrived here nearly seven years ago. So this July I will step away for a month and enjoy a much needed rest.
For some folks, there is confusion and skepticism about why a pastor would ever need extended time away. That usually comes from the same crowd that's convinced that he only works on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights! I've discovered this time is valuable for several reasons.
First, the preaching and teaching ministry is one of the most mentally and emotionally draining tasks that anyone can engage in. I tell folks often that Sunday just keeps coming at you. It's a continual challenge to remain fresh and energized when you are speaking to many of the same people for most of the year. My sabbatical gives me the chance to step away and be fed by other preachers and teachers. I can read and study more extensively for myself. I can engage the Word of God, not to preach it to others, but to preach it to myself.
Second, my sabbatical gives me time to reconnect with my family and more intensively pour myself into their lives. Some months in the ministry I can spend anywhere from 4-8 hours in family counseling. As pastors, we often feel guilty that we are giving our best energy to other marriages and other children, rather than investing in our own.
And finally, my sabbatical gives me a chance to step away and really look and my ministry with the long view. In the daily grind of congregational life, you so often get caught up in just trying to keep your head above water each week. There are mettings to prepare for and hospital visits to make. Effective ministry requires some intensive attention given to the big picture.
If your pastor does not get the opportunity to take a sabbatical every few years, I strongly encourage you to be his advocate and provide this for him and his family. The long-term benefit to your church will far outweigh the inconvenience of having him out of the pulpit. His family and the family of God will be blessed by an extended time of sabbath rest.
