Taking time to unplug during vacations is vital for the success of yourself and your team. Much has been written about the personal benefits during vacation weeks. But there isn’t the same level of attention paid to the benefits others receive while we are away. When you unplug it refills your tank. It also gives your team a chance to dip into their reserves, which showcases abilities and capacities you are unaware of.
We usually view unplugging as restorative for ourselves, which is true. But if you lead people in your church—and if you are reading this it is probably true with staff or volunteers—then you need to unplug for their sake as well.
For the past 10 years when I’ve gone on vacation I tell my team that I won’t be checking my email. And I mean it. They can always reach out via text or phone call if they are facing a problem that needs immediate support. And over all my vacation weeks during the past 10 years I have only been reached out to a couple of times because of a family crisis. But that wasn’t always the case.
Gut Check
For the first decade working in ministry I never disconnected 100% from work. I would always engage to some degree. It could be responding to emails, developing future plans or even watching the streamed services just to make sure everything was going smoothly. My heart posture was one of generosity. I wanted to give to the church and God even while away on vacation.
That all changed about 10 years ago. My wife and I went on an incredible cruise around Italy. We paid for the basic package but saved money by passing on upgrades. One of those upgrades was the internet. It was an easy decline with the heavy price tag of $50 a day to work while on vacation. I opted not to waste the money. It was a life-giving, needed time to unplug. It was also life-giving because I had a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit revealed to me that I wasn’t giving to God while checking in on past vacations. The opposite was true. I was taking from him. I was taking away the opportunity for my team to step up while I stepped out. I was taking away the chance for them to grow in their leadership. This revelation was like a punch to the gut from the Holy Spirit. So even though this desire to check in came from a good place it had bad outcomes. Since that gut punch years ago, I have increased trust in my teams by allowing them to grow and develop without me hovering over their shoulders during vacations.
Why the Lack of Trust?
There are a range of reasons why we don’t trust our teams. In the rare case the issue is with a team member. But usually the issue is with us. And the lack of trust often comes down to one of two reasons.
1. Some of us struggle with viewing the work as too important.
We are in ministry. Eternity is on the line. If we aren’t continually fighting the good fight for Jesus then we are losing ground to the Enemy. We have a consuming view of ministry which we shouldn’t because Jesus didn’t. We repeatedly see him resting and recharging during his three years of ministry. If this is you then work towards adopting a holistic view of your work which includes hard-charging and recharging.
2. Some of us struggle with viewing ourselves as too important.
We might struggle with a messiah complex. The mindset that we are the only one that can successfully execute. And that the team in charge while you are away lacks some of your commitment or competency. If this is you then realize that the team will lack some of what you have, but you also lack some of what they have. And that an area of ministry might actually blossom while you are away.
If you struggle with fully trusting your team during your vacations then ask the Holy Spirit to gently reveal why that is. It could be that you view the work or yourself as too important. Or it could be a completely different reason. And after the Spirit has revealed it then work on it so future vacations restore you and empower your team.