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From
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Pastoral
Sabbatical
The primary intent of a sabbatical (Sabbath
rest)
is to abstain completely from everyday work. It is a time to relax mind,
body, and soul in order to be renewed, nourished, and free from worry
about how things are going and what needs to be done next. It is not a
time for running away from the problems and perplexities of life, but an
opportunity to receive grace to face them, refresh fellowship with God,
review past spiritual commitments, reshape commitments for the future,
and restore the joy of salvation and the blessing of service to a holy,
loving and righteous God.
Pastoral ministry is a 24/7 commitment to the
care and nurturing of a congregation. The demands upon a pastor in
today’s world are becoming more and more urgent. In the midst of such
demands, it is very easy for the Lord’s servant to lose focus, purpose
and even a sense of God’s leading in the affairs of the church. Joy
can be replaced by despondency and discouragement. Without a period to
renew and recharge, a weary pastor may think that a change in ministry
might be the answer. This is seldom true, for he will simply carry his
“needy” soul to a different location. The pastor is a giver
every day, and there comes a time when he must receive.
What will the pastor do with
all that time off?
Well, he certainly should have a plan which will enrich not only himself
but also his family and the church. Ecclesiastes
3:1
states that “To
everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven,”
and a sabbatical is a “time”
for the pastor to think uninterruptedly upon such things. First and
foremost, he should make it a time of rest and relaxation. He may choose
to stay home or spend some time in travel. He may wish to visit other
churches for spiritual refreshment and ideas for ministry. He may wish
to catch up on his reading and writing. It ought not to be a time for
sermon preparation, though thinking about future series might be
permitted! It should be a time to enjoy his family and do things that he
has had to put off. Possibly he might consider taking a missions trip he
has wanted to do for a long time. There must be time for “silence
and solitude”
in the presence of the Lord; a time for seeking spiritual direction; a
time to enjoy the beauty of life; a time for personal Bible study and
prayer; a time to renew vision; a time to restore the joy and enthusiasm
in his life for continued service for the Lord.
Taken
from: “A Treatise for Local Churches on Pastoral Sabbaticals”
by Maynard Belt
http://barnabasfile.com/category/pastoral-sabbaticals/
A letter
from Pastor Tim is under "From the
Pastor's Heart"
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