When our church schedule began to slow down at the beginning of this past summer, my initial thought was, No, we could have gotten a couple more weeks of full programming in. We are missing some quality ministry opportunities.
But then I finally had a chance to get away on vacation, and I realized my earlier reaction was a resistance to rest. I had become addicted to going and doing. I needed to be reminded of the wisdom in Ecclesiastes: There is a season for every activity. This includes a need for times of rest and moving at a slower pace. I am grateful our church’s leadership built that into the schedule.
This need for rest is something the whole church shares, but it is worth examining from the perspective of pastors and ministry leaders in particular.
Rest Takes Trust.
Rest is so integral to God’s plan that he gave us darkness to rest each night. God also did not wait to introduce a weekly pattern of rest to mankind. He revealed it in the creation narrative. Rest is intentional. He changed the calendar forever by setting apart a day to recognize that God rested. Jesus clarified that this weekly day of rest was a gift made for us (Mark 2:27).
Pastors and ministry leaders have work to do on Sunday. These responsibilities are often the most taxing responsibilities they have all week. So, they should be provided with another day each week to rest—this allows them to follow the pattern of working six days and resting one.
One Lifeway Research survey found only 6 in 10 pastors strongly agree they “unplug” from ministerial work and have a day of rest at least one day a week. In another survey, 64% of pastors told us consistency in taking a Sabbath is a spiritual need that they consider important to invest in as a pastor.
This leaves a lot of pastors who have not established this weekly rhythm. Almost half (45%) say consistently resting is challenging. There are two parts to this challenge. First, the congregation must understand this expectation and let you have a day free from interruptions. Second, you must be willing to let go of all the urgent matters for a day.
There are days we all feel uptight because we have so much to do. This physical reaction from our bodies to this stress is the opposite of rest. Our bodies need a day without stressors to recharge. When you feel like you can’t take a day to rest, share that with God. Those things you feel desperately need your attention can be handed to him. God didn’t create you to serve those things. He created you to serve him. Humility admits these urgencies can live without me for a day, and forces us to trust God to work them out.
Ministry Is Shared.
Thankfully, most pastors get away for an annual vacation. However, 1 in 6 say they don’t take a weeklong vacation with their family in a typical year. Yet, being willing to take multiple days in a row away from church responsibilities illustrates another important part of God’s design. No one person in a local church is supposed to do it all. While each person in the body of Christ is indispensable, the Holy Spirit gives the same gifts to multiple people. When we step away on vacation, we are agreeing with his activity in our congregation.
One reason the role of pastor can seem overwhelming is that too many tasks are put on the pastor. Ephesians 4 describes numerous people within a local church being gifted to equip the saints for the work of ministry. Seven in 10 pastors say their church has a document that clearly communicates the church’s expectations of the pastor. For churches without a clear delineation of roles, it is easy to expect too much of your pastor and other ministers and volunteers.
Similarly, congregations should not expect pastors to meet every need. Six in 10 churches have a list of counselors to refer people to and 28% of churches have a lay counseling ministry. Meeting with a church member to understand their need and then directing them to someone equipped to help is often the most loving thing a pastor can do. When both a pastor and a congregation understand that ministry is shared, it allows a pastor to retreat and other believers to minister as God designed.
Renewal Takes Time.
Less than a third of churches (32%) have a plan for their pastor to receive a sabbatical. A longer time away after several years of work with the same church allows a minister to invest in a skill, expand awareness of ministry possibilities, and refresh spiritual life and calling.
Pastors of churches with attendance of 250-plus are more likely (49%) than pastors of smaller churches to have a sabbatical plan in place. While larger churches may have a staff member who can step in for a couple months to allow for a sabbatical, smaller churches can meet the same need with some creativity. Forge a relationship with another local church in which each pastor commits to fill in for the other when it is time for a sabbatical. You could ask several laypeople to take pieces of the work while the pastor is away. You could ask a local denominational leader or a retired pastor to preach during this short interim.
Too often pastors and ministry leaders limp into their vacations and crash into their sabbaticals. These are indications that the shorter-term rhythms of rest and recharging are not cutting it. Two-thirds of pastors (66%) say they plan a date night alone with their spouse at least once a month. Allowing pastors and ministers to prioritize time with their family not only keeps their family engaged, but these times also help them recharge.
Permission to Step Back
In addition to times of rest, church leaders also must set aside time for prioritizing. The majority of pastors (51%) say that time management is an area of their personal life that needs attention or investment today.
Taking an hour every week or two to plan your time keeps you focused on your priorities. It forces you to move some things to next week, and prepares you to say no to things that come up that are not as important. A majority of pastors (55%) find avoiding overcommitment and overwork a challenging aspect of self-care. It is hard to say no to things when you haven’t articulated what is important.
Additionally, nothing is more valuable to a pastor than having people in their church encouraging them and their family. This includes encouraging them to maintain healthy boundaries. Only 36% of pastors say there is an encouragement group at their church that invests in the well-being of their family.
Whether it is a group effort or something that individuals embrace, encouraging one another to rest, retreat, renew and regulate is part of our ministry.