I read this in a recent article from the Hardy Group about sabbaticals.
Here are some quick observations on the value of taking a sustained period of time off called a sabbatical.
1. Spiritual Renewal – This is the single component which differentiates a pastor’s sabbatical from virtually every other career field. Because pastors eat, sleep and breathe in the spiritual world, there comes a point where they need to come apart from the work of the ministry before they truly come apart. This time away is perfect for God to speak to the quieted spirit within us.
2. Physical wind-down – It will take at least seven days and maybe more to bring your body to a slowed pace to actually relax. Physical rest will truly begin to set in when this happen.
3. Emotional wind-down – It will take an equally long period of time for your emotions to begin to settle down. Those stresses and emotional drains will begin to ebb from your life and a true sense of relaxation will set in. You will be amazed at just how relaxed you can be when your emotions are not all over the map.
4. Relationships improve – Presuming you take your sabbatical with your spouse, you will find your time together to be enriched. The pace of running your life by the clock will defer to the ease of spending time, extended time together. The stronger the pastor’s marital relationship, the more secure the Body feels as it moves forward.
5. Vision clears – Your ability to separate wild and crazy ideas from true vision for the future will become clear. There may be times on your sabbatical that you set aside to think about your own personal future. Depending on the designs of your sabbatical, it may be that vision for your ministry can become part of the mix. The ability to focus is increased.
6. Planning increases – If planning for the future is part of your sabbatical, the ability to do so without the clutter of phone, email, correspondence and emergencies is increased dramatically. Consequently, the resulting plan is of greater value to the church and its leadership.
7. Church benefits – The church learns that the staff and volunteers who serve so capably when you are physically at the helm are more than capable in carrying the day in your absence. Further, a renewed pastor results in a renewed congregation. The Body responds positively to the refreshing in their pastor. It can be said that sabbaticals, when implemented properly, can contribute to the numerical, financial and spiritual growth of the church because the leader comes back firing on all cylinders as opposed to when they left firing on only half of them.
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