If you want your pastor, whether serving in a lead role or another pastoral role, to be successful, stay healthy, last longer, and grow in ministry maturity, make sure he takes a sabbatical. But what does a sabbatical look like for the pastor and the church? But what is a sabbatical? Read on to find out more.
A sabbatical is an intentional season of rest, refreshment, and renewal for a pastor who has been serving faithfully in a church ministry for several years. All pastors need to take such a sabbatical for spiritual growth, planning, rest, renewal, and training for ministry. To be successful, both the pastor and the church leadership need to be involved in planning for the sabbatical. So let's start with the church leadership.
The Role of Church Leadership in a Pastor's Sabbatical
When a new pastor begins his ministry at a church, the church leadership needs to put regular sabbatical leaves in the contract, letter of call, or statement of expectations for their new pastor. I recommend a three-month sabbatical, but some may be shorter or longer. Some denominations have a list of policies and procedures for sabbaticals so check with your denominational leadership for sabbatical resources.
Plan on a sabbatical for your pastor every five, six, or seven years with a stated length. Hold your pastor accountable for taking a sabbatical. Many pastors may think a sabbatical is not needed or deserved, so assure him he needs one and it is deserved.
The church leadership is the body that needs to plan on who will do the preaching and carry on the pastoral responsibilities while the pastor is away on sabbatical. Planning for pulpit supply during a sabbatical is not your pastor's job.
The church leadership body also needs to ask the pastor to give them a sabbatical proposal with specific goals in mind. This proposal should also state how the sabbatical will help the church when he returns from it. The sabbatical ministry might include such things as reading, study opportunities, writing, work on an advanced degree such as a Doctor of Ministry, visiting other churches, travel, and select-preaching opportunities in other churches (but not every Sunday). The church leaders may suggest sabbatical activities, but should not dictate what the pastor does.
The church leadership should also help with or pay for the sabbatical, so budget in advance and plan accordingly.
[Photo by Sid Leigh on Unsplash]