In the academic world, we offer regular sabbaticals for professors. In the local church world, we debate whether pastors and staff should receive one. Here are some reasons I’ve heard for both sides of the debate – let us know your thoughts.
Position #1 – “Yes, pastors should get sabbaticals.”
- A sabbatical is an opportunity for rest. A vacation provides an opportunity for rest, but most of us are just getting relaxed by the time a vacation is over. A longer time (at least a month) provides more opportunity for a pastor to genuinely rest.
- It provides needed time to be with the Lord. Increased time with God can only strengthen a pastor’s ministry.
- It allows time to listen. The busyness of ministry sometimes gets in the way of our ability to hear the Lord through His Word. Most of us need more time to listen better.
- A sabbatical gives opportunities to learn what other churches are doing. Hearing stories and ideas at meetings is not the same as being at a church during a time of worship. We can learn from others.
- It places pastors under somebody else’s preaching. A sabbatical allows a pastor to be a gospel recipient – to hear the Word of God preached to him without being responsible for the rest of the service.
- It allows for family renewal time. Even the strongest ministry families I know need intentional time alone to reinvest in each other. A pastor’s family will be grateful for this time.
- It offers a chance for further study and preparation. The purpose of a sabbatical is not to reward somebody for years gone by; it’s to allow time for years of service yet to come. A sabbatical ought to lead to renewed vision.
Position #2 – “No, pastors should not get sabbaticals.”
- Most members of the church don’t get sabbaticals. For the pastor to receive one is to set him up above the people he shepherds.
- Sabbaticals can be costly. Potential costs could include a sabbatical stipend for the pastor and increased costs for pulpit supply. Some churches can’t afford those costs.
- The church might lose momentum when the pastor is away. That’s particularly the case if the pastor is a strong, charismatic speaker and the preacher who replaces him isn’t as strong. A church might hit the “pause” button during a sabbatical.
- Somebody else could make a power play in the interim. It does happen – and the person making the play is often a surprise.
- Few times are just “good times” for a sabbatical. Should it take place when the church is in downward spiral? when they’re on an upswing in the right direction? when they’re in a building program? as soon as they’ve finished that program? The debate continues. . .
- Sometimes a pastor resigns soon after taking a sabbatical. In fact, some have used that time to seek a new position. Once a church experiences that repercussion, they’ll be skeptical of sabbaticals in general.
- It’s often hard for the pastor to step back in immediately as leader after a sabbatical. Someone else has been the leader in the interim period, and it’s sometimes hard for that person and the returning pastor to negotiate their roles post-sabbatical.
In my opinion, the positives of sabbaticals for pastors outweigh the negatives. What are your thoughts?
I had two sabbaticals in two different churches. Both churches had a sabbatical policy in place before I came granting a pastor 3 months full-salary leave after serving 7 years. I had to request the sabbatical and demonstrate my plan. Both churches were close to colleges and seminaries so sabbatical leave was not foreign. I left the country for France and asked a question about what made sacred space and wrote a major paper. It was life-changing!
Only academia ever had one (govt. and private sector do not) and we know how well academics are respected these days. Why not just .take off a few weeks every summer?
The best reason for a paster taking a sabbatical is to take a specific amount time to change context, renew their hearts, study pastoral ministry and leadership and prepare for the future. Church members will have more respect for a pastor who presents a plan of study and action for the time they will be away on sabbatical.
I assume sabbatical leave refers to a year of absence after 6 years of service or some form of proportional alternative. Almost all the advantages of a sabbatical are realizable and necessary without having to take a sabbatical leave. They are in fact daily requirement. The health of the church ought to be the primary concern of pastoral leadership. Many churches suffer irreparable damage without a pastor. A pastor who needs rest and refreshment and has to wait for a few years for a long sabbatical break may suffer early fatigue or burnout that affect his current responsibilities. I recognize that a healthy pastor is pivotal to nurture and grow a healthy church. An alternative to long sabbatical leave is to provide the pastor with an annual two-week (or a month) personal leave, in addition to regular employment leave, away from church affairs for rest and refreshment. This plan does away with long absence and yet recognize that pastors need time for personal re-charge to shepherd his flock efficiently and effectively.
After 10 years in my current ministry (now 16 years) our church graciously gave me the full month of July as a sabbatical leave. They also provided me with a stipend to help with expenses. Though they did not ask for it, I gave them my “plan” for the month which included about 10 days of semi formal study and research which I did at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and then some days of personal study followed by about 10 days of rest in Florida with my wife. It was life-changing for me and transformative to my ministry. Preaching was handled mostly in-house by staff ministers, and the church truly left me alone for 30 days. It was just an amazing time. One note on your second lists of “cons” against sabbaticals. It is true most church members do not get sabbaticals. But most of them do not live 24/7 immersed in the needs of a church.
So I should go to my employer and tell them I am burned out and should grant me a sabbatical? Everyone earns vacations and now FLMA etc. I honestly don’t know the pressures of ministry however the congregation doesn’t get a normal sabbatical from their employer. Basically, its nice extended vacation. The former church I came from the Pastor announced he is taking a sabbatical and he and wife are leaving town and going to relax on a beach. Not a big fan of that statement.
People who labor in the secular world or are caregivers or single parents never get sabbaticals. The burnout is much greater in the real world and the demands far greater. Furthermore, we are all ministers in a church. The pastor should never be required to do everything anyway.
Entitlement has crept into the church. Lay leaders and congregation don’t get a sabbatical and yet are expected to work their jobs and serve the church with only a few weeks off each year for vacation. This trend among pastors sets a disturbing precedent and further separates clergy from the congregation. It should be granted only in very specific situations with the agreement of the congregation.