The word “sabbatical” has different meanings depending on the context in which it is used. It has one meaning in the academic community, another meaning in its biblical usage, and still another in many secular settings.
For the purpose of this article, I define sabbatical in simple terms. It simply means time off for rest and/or study. The time can be a few days, a few weeks or, on rare occasions, a few months. The pastor is given paid leave for rest, rejuvenation and, perhaps, deeper study. I would love to see churches of all sizes provide this requirement of their pastor, even if it’s only for a few days.
I have the opportunity to work with lay leaders and pastors. I have a pretty good view of both perspectives. And I am convinced that more lay leaders need to insist their pastors take regular breaks even beyond vacations. Allow me to provide five reasons for my rationale.
- A pastor has emotional highs and lows unlike most other vocations. In the course of a day, a pastor can deal with death, deep spiritual issues, great encouragement, petty criticisms, tragedies, illnesses, and celebrations of birth. The emotional roller coaster is draining. Your pastor needs a break—many times a break with no distractions.
- A pastor is on 24-hour call. Most pastors don’t have an “off” switch. They go to sleep with the knowledge they could be awakened by a phone call at anytime of the day. Vacations are rarely uninterrupted. It can be an exhausting vocation, and a sabbatical can be a welcome time to slow down.
- Pastors need time of uninterrupted study. It doesn’t usually happen in the study at church or home. There is always the crisis or need of the moment. Church members expect sermons that reflect much prayer and study. The pastor’s schedule often works against that ideal. The sabbatical can offer much needed, and uninterrupted, study time.
- Pastors who have sabbaticals have longer tenure at churches. Though my information is anecdotal, I do see the trend. And while I cannot prove a cause-and-effect relationship, I feel confident that pastors who have sabbaticals are much more likely to stay at a church because they are less likely to experience burnout.
- Pastors who have sabbaticals view the time off as an affirmation from their churches. I have heard from many pastors who share with me a sentence similar to this one: “I know my church loves me because they give me a sabbatical.” Pastors need affirmation. Sabbaticals can accomplish that goal.
I estimate that only about five percent of churches offer sabbaticals. In almost every case where I am familiar, the relationship between pastor and congregation is very healthy. I do think at least one of the reasons is the sabbatical.
What is your view of sabbaticals for pastors? What would you add to my five reasons?
Posted on February 1, 2014
With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America.
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162 Comments
I have been in the ministry for 43 years. I have Pastored the same small church for 26 of those years and served in every other capacity in variations of that church for a total of 34 years. I recently have asked the church for a sabbatical rest to refocus and get direction for the future of our church. Most of the congregants are already acting as if I have resigned as pastor, which is not my goal at all. Looking at all of these posts makes me realize how important it is for my Assistant Pastor and Deacons, as well as the membership, to understand why I need to have this time away. It is not a vacation, and to answer a previous comment about whether or not I would take a sabbatical if there were no paycheck associated with it, the answer is a resounding yes!
Wondering if you know of any statistics that talk about how many pastors leave the ministry after their sabbaticals and how many stay on?
I am doing an article on the subject of pastoral sabbaticals and the great need we have for them to keep pastors “in the game for the long haul.”
I’ve read a few of the comments and a couple of people made mention about the secular and the church and the real world. As a pastor who once was a Juvenile Probation Officer, served 2 tours in Iraq, and taught High School, understand in the secular when your secular job becomes emotional draining your supervisor or boss would make you take time off, the military will send you on R&R because they know the duties can be overwhelming and stressfully. We as pastors have to deal with individuals who were making six figure salaries and all of a sudden is fired or laid off and now contemplating suicide. We have to deal with them during there critical need no matter what time it is.
I am a lead pastor of my church and happy with my church, but feeling exhusted. I think sabbatical is needed for me.
I have served in my present post (two churches – 60 hour work weeks – part-time salary) for the last 18 years. When I have broached the idea of a short sabbatical for just two to four weeks, the response is always one of jealousy: “We don’t get one in our job! Why should you?”
The movement amongst parishioners that the church is a business and the pastor nothing more than a replaceable employee is pandemic in U.S. church culture.
Our society has slowly lost the value of rest and it has effected people’s personal lives, marriages, relationships, and happiness and it often causes people to feel like, “If I have to do without it, then preacher can go without it too.”
It’s kind of like the old saying, misery loves company. Instead of trying to bless their pastor, they try to drag the pastor down to their level of unhealthy scheduling.
We should be trying to bless others, even if that means giving them something we ourselves don’t get because there are plenty of things he faces that we don’t. I mean, if we are doing like Christ said by treating others the way we want to be treated and it is within our power to give him rest, shouldn’t we give the pastor rest? As a staff member, I would rather follow, work with, and meet with a well-rested pastor than a soon-to-burnout pastor.
His good, healthy attitude permeates the church’s mentality and attitude. So, his rest is really our benefit.
It is something we should consider.
Thanks Thom! I am sharing this in my church’s newsletter this month. We are looking for a new pastor and I am trying to prepare the church for our next pastor.
Do not understand the concept of a Sabbatical . When did this idea come into being ? Is it biblical ? Did the Apostles have Sabbaticals ? I have read of ministers such as Luther, a John Owen, Jonathan Edwards, and more, teaching , preaching , studying , writing books, without so called Sabbaticals. Just having the Lords day off to renew there strength . Is this a modern concept that has come out of the 19th century ??
My pastor has gone on a three month Sabbatical, I wish I could have a 3 months rest to study the bible or write a book !
I am in my first Pastorate however I also who had a Grandfather and Father who where pastors who never had time off or sabattical as u call it . I seen the effect on my family as a child .I have been married for 15 yrs. before I started pastoring so with a wife and three girls I already knew I wanted to ensure that not only me but my family had this recoperative time off also. So when I took on my first Pastorate I ask for certain weekends that where special to my family and I . I think this sabattical goes beyond just the pastor it also involves the children and your wife. I believe this has helped show my children that not only is the church family important but they are important also. After theses times away from the work at hand I am afforded a refreshment and a family strengthening.
I am in my first Pastorate however I also who had a Grandfather and Father who where pastors who never had time off or sabattical as u call it . I seen the effect on my family as a child and I has been married for 15 yrs. Before I started parroting so with a wife and three girls I already knew I wanted to ensure that not only me but my family had this recoperative time off also. So when I took on my first Pastorate I ask for certain weekends that where special to my family and I . I think this sabattical goes beyond just the pastor it also involves the children and your wife. I believe this has helped show my children that not only is the church family important but they are important also. After theses times away from the work at hand I am afforded a refreshment and a family strengthening.
I am finishing up tomorrow the 3rd week of a 4 week sabbatical that the church I pastor extended to me. They also gave me money to do things to refresh me. This is the first sabbatical like this I have had in 22 years of being a pastor (9+ here at this church). I have been to a missions conference and a conference Chick-fil-A puts on. Next week I will be at a Johnny Hunt Timothy-Barnabas event. But this past week I spent 4 days by myself at Ridgecrest in the mountains of North Carolina. I was able to plan out an entrie years worth of messages and had several days when outside of ordering a cup of coffee or lunch, the only One I talked to all day was The Lord. I cannot begin to tell you what these 4 weeks will have accomplished in my life. I would encourage every church after a certain tenure (our church has made it every 5 years) to give you pastor a minimum of 4 weeks and some resources to do some things that will refresh him. I am proof of the incredible blessing this practice is.
This is wonderful, I hope to get this article before my staff. As pastors we really do need a break from preaching and the hustles of life to redirect our focus and especially for prayer. As a Baptist pastor, I normally go up to a monastery for a few days and have many times come back refreshed. thanks for sharing this also.