INTERPRETING TO THE CONGREGATION
Let me begin by providing you some resources to use in interpreting the need for sabbaticals to your church and session. Then in a future blog, I will offer some practical steps to take in designing your personal sabbatical.
PART OF OUR CULTURE
Over the past twenty years, local churches have increasingly offered some form of sabbatical leave for their pastors, and, in many cases, the rest of their program staff. It is ironic that this central biblical act was so long in coming. While there have been other experiments in the rhythm of work and rest, the idea of at least a day away from productivity every seven days has been part of the Western mindset for centuries. Even our secular society acknowledges this need for rhythm and work.
BUILT INTO THE CREATION
When you look at the Sabbath commandment and the commentary around it in the Scriptures, you know that the Sabbath is a creation wide commandment. It is to be applied to the land, the servants, the animals, the stranger in the gate, and the believer. The spiritual leader is encouraged to both practice and proclaim its importance. It even references its connection with the Creator, who paused after the work of creation to both catch the divine breath and to evaluate the work. (Genesis 1:31)
IT IS BLESSED
Important for our reflection is the statement in Genesis 2:3 “So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.” First of all, this is the only non-animate part of creation that is blessed. That is significant because at the root of the word “to bless” is the power to impregnate or generate new life. Both the humans and the animals were also blessed because they can impregnate each other and create new life. The implication is that honoring the Sabbath is also life producing. We are urged to protect the Sabbath for all creation because that rhythm protects life from both exhaustion and creativity. Without an opportunity to step back, like God did, and both catch your breath and reflect on both the meaning and possibility of our lives, we reduce life to the mere mechanics of living. A spiritual leader needs to both interpret and practice the meaning of the Sabbath both in its weekly and multiple year context.
DEMANDS OF MINISTRY
Now think of ministry. You are called to give witness to and proclaim the fullness of life for God’s people. Your profession asks of you an enormous physical, emotional, and spiritual task. You are asked to manage a small business and organize the activity of a large group of volunteers You are asked to be present to and offer nurture and comfort to multiple individuals in a variety of highly emotional circumstances. Each week you seek to inspire people in a creative and challenging way through worship. Your constituency ranges in age from birth to death, male and female, and from a variety of stations in life. Your normal work-week can easily exceed 70 hours. I doubt if there is any other profession so designed to drain a person both physically and emotionally as well as spiritually.
As Scripture proceeds to develop commentary on the Sabbath, it is clear that in addition to one day in seven, there are also longer sabbatical periods recommended. For clergy, regular sabbaticals, at least every seven years, are both important for their refreshment and a witness to the faith they proclaim.
LET’S GET PRACTICAL
In the next blog, I want to share some practical suggestions in preparing for your sabbatical.
