I have a generous church that allows me time each year for writing, study, and reflection. My elders have always been supportive–with oversight and limits–of me writing books and pursuing further education. To that end, my typical pattern for the last number of years has been to take about a month off each summer (sometimes it’s been a little less, sometimes I’ve been given more than that).
I understand that my situation is not everyone’s situation. Our church, with University literally in its name, values serious study and understands the time it takes. Likewise, since our church is tied to the university calendar, taking time away during the summer feels natural. Our church is also blessed with extremely capable men who can easily fill in when I’m gone. All that to say, I’m not claiming my experience should be the norm.
But here’s what I am suggesting: churches should be proactive in helping the preaching pastor get adequate time away each year for study. I’m not talking about the weekly schedule for sermon preparation. A pastor needs that time too. I’m talking about an annual break for reading, writing, and pursuing further education (through classes or seminars or conferences or group settings or independent research or whatever). This is not more vacation. This is something in addition to his allotted vacation.
Even Oxen Need a Break
I’m always amazed when I meet pastors who get two weeks of vacation a year and that’s it. I understand some of our parishoners barely get that much. I think they need more breaks too. But a church can’t change what the policy is for GM. They can change their own policy. There is no way for a pastor to stay fresh and energized for long term ministry if he is preaching 50 weeks a year. And even if he has several weeks for vacation, it will be hard for him to read that long theology book he’s been meaning to read, or bone up on divorce and remarriage like he needs to, or simply get lost in church history, if he never has concentrated time to study for something besides his sermon.
To be fair, sometimes the fault is with the pastor. He never takes his vacation. He never really leaves town. He doesn’t trust anyone else to fill the pulpit. If that’s you, Senior Pastor, you need to get over yourself before you are at the end of yourself. When I’m away, I always hear how much the congregation appreciated hearing from the other men on staff, or how grateful they were for the guest preacher. Of course, you can find incompetent men to fill your pulpit. But don’t find them! Surely, there are other men on staff, or godly elders, or another pastor friend in town who could do an adequate job. I wouldn’t be in my thirteenth year at the church if I tried to preach 50 times a year. I’d been burnt out and gone, or worse, I’d still be here but preaching on fumes.
Taking a break–and giving breaks to your pastor–is good all the way around. It refreshes your pastor. It allows other men to develop teaching gifts. It allows the congregation to hear from different voices. It establishes that the senior pastor is not indispensable, while at the same time reminding the congregation how much they love the pastor when he comes back.
And it doesn’t cost anything! I suppose if you don’t have anyone in house to use, it may cost a little something to pay for pulpit supply, but it would be money well spent.
Planning for Renewal
So how much time off should the senior pastor get? There is more than one right answer. But if someone asked my opinion (which I just did, since it’s my blog!), I’d say a pastor should get a minimum of three weeks vacation and one week of study leave each year. Hopefully, most churches could give four weeks vacation and two weeks of study leave. And some congregations may want to give more study time than that, depending on their pastor’s gifts, interest, and calling.
I don’t think pastoral ministry is harder than any other job. On most days, I feel like I have a better job than almost anyone else in my congregation. I love being a pastor. But it is hard work. And a unique work that doesn’t allow for weekends off or even two consecutive days off. Pastoral ministry requires a lot of head work and a lot of heart work. Both need times of renewal and rejuvenation.
So here’s my advice for churches as they enter the budgeting and planning season for next year: ask your pastor if he feels like he has enough vacation and enough study time? The question doesn’t mean the pastor should get whatever he wants. But the question would communicate care for your pastor, and it may provide benefits for the whole church way out of proportion to the week or two or three that you gladly give away.
