Pastors aren’t the only tired ones out there. Churches teem with people who are working demanding jobs that offer no extended periods of paid leave. Are pastoral sabbaticals necessary, then? Are they even fair?
According to Bob Doll, chief equity strategist and senior portfolio manager at Nuveen Asset Management, the answer is yes. “The stresses and strains of dealing with people—with souls—wears you down in a unique way,” he observes. Besides, he notes, even some companies in the secular world are starting to use sabbaticals. “They realize that refreshment makes a better employee.”
“Pastors need rest of all kinds, not just waiting for ‘the big one,’” adds Kelly, pastor of Desert Springs Church in Albuquerque. A strategic rhythm of work and rest, then, is vitally important.
“In the ministry, the unusual is routine,” says Phillips, pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina. “Experienced ministers know you’ve got to plan for rest.”
Watch the full nine-minute roundtable video to see these leaders—two pastors and a businessman—discuss sabbatical frequency, when work and family lines blur, and more. Later this month, March 14 to 16, Phillips will be speaking at TGC’s Southwest regional conference, Clarus, hosted at Kelly’s church in Albuquerque.