The last Sunday of June my church told me to go away and not come back until August.
Before you think this was just another congregation running their preacher off or one of those dysfunctional relationships where two conflicted parties needed a break from each other, let me assure you it was just the opposite.
My church–a gracious and generous congregation–gave me the month of July away from my pastoral duties as a sabbatical, a planned time away from my pastoral responsibilities. They do this every five years for our ministerial staff and speaking for all of us on the ministry team, it’s an incredible gift.
“Sabbatical” is taken from the word “Sabbath” and as you’d expect, expands the biblical sabbath as a day of rest into a longer period. That might mean a month (in my case), several months (a pastor friend in another state is currently on a four-month sabbatical) or even longer (the Lilly Foundation has an unusual program that pays all expenses for pastors and their churches that makes possible a year’s sabbatical, but I think this is too long a period–the guys I know who participated found that it created more problems for them and their churches than it helped).
Sabbaticals give us pastors time and space to renew our spirits
Whatever the duration, sabbaticals accomplish several things. First, they give us pastors time and space to renew our spirits. Church leadership today is so demanding and complex that all pastors feel the pressure, even those who pretend they don’t. Having a few weeks without the rigors of sermon preparation, meetings and ministry needs has allowed me to linger in personal Bible study and prayer. Maybe a better way to describe it is that I’ve been able to just hang out in my Father’s presence. As I often tell my people, authentic spiritual growth is the result of unhurried time with God.
Sabbaticals also are often when God pours fresh vision into a pastor’s heart
Sabbaticals also are often when God pours fresh vision into a pastor’s heart. I know that’s what happened five years ago during my last sabbatical. You can read about that previous sabbatical here. That’s what I’m waiting for this time, too. Of course, authentic vision can’t be ginned up. None of us, not even pastors, can demand that the Holy Spirit speak according to our schedule. What we can do, though, is put our hearts in position to receive God’s vision when he chooses to give it. We need times of sabbath rest when we’re quiet enough to recognize the Lord’s still, small voice.
Sabbaticals are a welcome break from keeping up the image
But I don’t want to lead you to believe sabbaticals are all about being super-spiritual. They’re also time for, well, being normal and taking a healthy break from the preacher persona.
That may sound odd so let me explain. We pastors live in a spiritual hothouse, where we try always to keep the conditions intense enough to encourage spiritual growth while at the same time discourage spiritual decline. The result is that we rarely take off the mask and allow our congregations to see us as human–like the pastor I knew several years ago who insisted his wife call him “Reverend” even at home (I always wondered how they managed to have children). Over time that perspective can make us arrogant, critical or just plain uncomfortable to be around.
Sabbaticals are a welcome break from the burden of keeping up the image. Last Sunday Pam and I attended worship downtown, in a church of a different denomination and with a congregation where no one knew our name. We went to brunch afterward at a funky restaurant near the university filled up with church-goers from other churches. As I ate my chorizo and poached eggs on black bean cakes while she enjoyed Charleston Eggs Benedict with crab, I couldn’t help but to say, “So this is how normal people live.”
Sabbaticals also give pastors time with their wives
Pastor’s wives bear more of the weight of ministry than congregations realize. An obvious reason is that they have to listen to their husbands unload about whatever’s going on at church, a circumstance that can lead to an unhealthy blurring of church life with home life. But there’s a deeper dynamic.
We pastors don’t just serve our people, we also love them and are willing to give up almost anything to care for them. That’s our calling and our joy. The problem that sets up, though, is how the love we give our people can take away from the love we give in our homes. Our wives must not only share our attention with our congregation but also our affection, and that situation too often becomes a competition that every pastor’s wife knows very well.
Sabbatical is a time when pastors can restore the balance. That’s a big part of what Pam and I are doing this month, not by doing anything special, but just by being together. That’s us at the top, enjoying peach ice cream on July 4th.
Not all churches are willing to invest in sabbaticals for their pastors. I think that’s a mistake. The truth is that a little time and money invested in your pastor’s spiritual well being leads to a healthier, happier and more effective ministry.