It’s fair to say that too few of our church leaders take meaningful time for rest. There are stigmas in American society against rest and taking extended time away from our jobs. Our identities are also shaped heavily by our jobs which can instill in us a scratching anxiety that our very existence is justified through the work we do. For this reason, and many more, we wanted to take some time today to think deeply about sabbath rest and sabbaticals for ministry leaders.
There are numerous reasons why Pastors should consider a sabbatical after years of non-stop work, and we think not only are those reasons worth sharing, but that some pastors might need to hear from church leadership that they are allowed to take a break. We hope our pastors hear that genuine, no holds barred, kick-your-feet-back rest is permissible and encouraged. And that the beauty of the life God has given us is meant to be both worked for and enjoyed.
Below we have two special pieces about Sabbaticals. First, an announcement from Lance Finely, Executive Director of the CGGC announcing his Sabbatical.
Following this announcement, we’ve asked Rev. Dr. Andrew T. Draper, Executive Director of Winebrenner Theological Seminary, to not only describe the biblical rationale for sabbath and sabbaticals, but also for his own practical experience. Today we hope our church leaders deeply consider whether God is calling them into a time of rest so that their ministry in the future can flourish.
By: Lance Finely
If I’m honest, I’m not very good at resting well. Some of this is probably due to my family of origin (my father bought a 40-acre hobby farm when I was a wee lad, this was in addition to his demanding day job. While physical work was a good outlet for stress, his hobbies felt a lot like work to me). As I’ve grown older, I’ve gained an appreciation for sabbath and rest – not perfectly so, but I’ve come a long way.
About a year ago I began discussing my desire for a sabbatical with the CGGC Ad Council officers. It’s been nearly twelve years since I last took a sabbatical (the CGGC policy allows directors to take up to three months of sabbatical after seven years of service). While I enjoy my work, I want to finish well and understand that occasional times of extended rest are necessary to maintain health and vitality.
This spring the CGGC Ad Council approved a sabbatical for me to be taken in two parts (six weeks this summer and six weeks to be taken in the summer of 2027). I’m greatly appreciative of the time I have to step away, rest, pray and refocus for the years ahead. I will be on sabbatical from June 29 through August 9.
I’m doing this for several reasons. First, for my own ability to finish well. I’m in a season of life where I’m engaged in my work, curious and still hopeful for the future and want to pace myself to finish well. Second, while I have a few years left, I want to begin to give some thought and focus on what succession should look like when the time comes and to prepare for that transition now, before it happens. Lastly, I want to set an example or model for others to follow. Most of our conferences or local churches have some kind of sabbatical policy on the books, but they are rarely taken (for a variety of reasons). I hope in some small way, my willingness to take an extended break from ministry might encourage some of my peers to consider it as well.
As always, your prayers are welcome in the coming days and weeks.
Christ’s Peace,
Lance
By: Rev. Dr. Andrew T. Draper
The cycle of Sabbath is given to us in creation. God rested on the seventh day from the work he had done (Gen. 2:3). Having been created on the sixth day, the first full day of humanity’s existence was a day of rest. Humans are called first and foremost to rest in relationship with God. Only after being rooted in rest is humanity given the work of caring for the garden (Gen. 2:15). Our Lord Jesus tells us that the Sabbath is a gift to humanity (Mark 2:27).
The cycle of sabbatical is given to the people of God as they enter the Promised Land (Lev. 25:1-7). Every seven years, they are to refrain from planting and harvesting. They are to let the land lie fallow so that it can rest. The LORD promises that if God’s people refrain from labor in the seventh year, the harvest from the sixth year will be enough to take them through the eighth year until they can harvest again (Lev. 25:19-22). God calls his people to have a regular cycle of rest every seven days and every seven years.
Additionally, every seven groups of seven years, in the 50th year, God calls the people to celebrate the year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:8-18). Land is to be returned to its original owners according to the “family property” apportioned to the tribes of Israel (Josh. 13-21). Debts are to be cancelled; slaves are to be set free. Jubilee works against generational poverty, excessive accumulations of wealth, and repeating systems of bondage. Jesus announces his ministry as the year of God’s favor (Jubilee), in which the poor receive good news, the prisoners are released, the blind see, and the oppressed are liberated (Luke 4:16-21).
As Christians, many of us practice Sabbath once a week. We gather for worship and take a break from many of the daily routines of life. We spend time in community with friends, neighbors, and family. Yet perhaps many of us don’t have a language for, or a practice related to, taking sabbatical. We don’t know what to do with the Sabbath year. In some places and contexts throughout church history, pastors and teachers have been encouraged to take regular sabbaticals. However, many of us in our time and place may have lost an understanding of why sabbatical is important, even though it is an invitation and command given by God.
My family and I first took a sabbatical from the regular cycles of ministry and work in 2012 (five months) and then again in 2018 / 19 (for about nine weeks split into three segments). In 2026, we are conversing about changed rhythms of life for the next season so that we can remain faithful for the long haul. Here is what we have experienced in and learned from sabbatical:
- Sabbatical gives us rest from the heavy realities of ministry.
I’ve often said that I don’t believe that decades of pastoral ministry without regularly scheduled breaks is healthy for anybody: neither the leaders nor the congregations. If pastors / leaders are engaging in authentic ministerial relationships with real people, we experience cycles of pain and joy, coupled with deep grief. From funerals to bedside illnesses to broken relationships to rejection from parishioners or community members to loving people who are trapped in trauma, addiction, or poverty… ministry can take a toll. Many pastors and leaders experience secondary trauma. Not only do we deal with our own issues, but we encounter realities of ministry that can be soul-crushing. We need time away from the difficult cycles to learn to live healthy, whole, sustainable lives. We need time to reorient through rest, healing, accountability, counsel, and transformation.
- Sabbatical helps our families and relationships stay strong.
Some individuals and families find themselves caving under the pressures of ministry. We may not take time for healing, for communication, for mutual enjoyment, and for shared experiences. Broken relationships, divorces, and moral failures are often results of unhealthy patterns that have built up over time. These crises don’t usually come from temptations that just “sneak up” on us. When my family joined me in Scotland for my pastoral sabbatical in 2012, we had the opportunity to travel together, to learn together, to eat together, to worship together, and to enjoy creation together. During our sabbatical in 2018 / 19, we traveled through 26 US states in a skoolie: an old school bus converted into an RV. We hiked, laughed, visited friends, and enjoyed God’s good world. During our sabbatical seasons, we knew several other families in ministry that fell apart or leaders who didn’t finish well. My wife, Leslie, mentioned wishing that they had also had the opportunity for sabbatical.
- Sabbatical allows us to focus on special work outside our normal routine.
The daily routines of ministry – sermons, counseling, administration, policies, procedures, classes, groups, worship planning, building issues, and community outreach – often keep us from engaging in work that matters most to us or that we are best prepared to do. Sabbaticals can be a wonderful opportunity for continuing education, special study, research, guided travel, writing, or professional development. My sabbatical in 2012 was funded by the Lilly Endowment’s Clergy Renewal Grant. During that time, I began my doctoral research studies in theology at the University of Aberdeen. It gave me the time to read and write and grow in areas that would be helpful for the Church, the academy, our community, and me personally. The Lilly Endowment’s sabbatical grant is one example of a way to fund the pastor’s time, travel, and study while the local church can cover costs arising from the leader’s absence and continue the leader’s salary. During sabbatical, pastors / leaders can find their interests encouraged and their passion renewed.
- Sabbatical reconnects us with our identity in Christ.
Ministry can become a performance. We may get so used to projecting an image or living with our focus on the exterior that we forget who we are first and foremost: children of God created by the God who is Love. We may want to be seen as mature or successful while sometimes remaining broken and failing on the inside. We often get used to associating our self-worth with other’s perceptions of us, our own perceived effectiveness, or what we believe we can produce. Sabbaticals remind us that our primary calling isn’t getting things done but existing as creatures loved by God, for the sake of God’s glory. Busyness and performance keep us from discerning what is most important. When we become accustomed to running around putting out fires, we often miss resting in our Father. Sabbatical reminds us that we are not what we can do, but who God says we are.
God instituted cycles of Sabbath rest for his people: weekly, every seven years, and every 49 years. The New Testament reminds us that eternity with God involves entering his rest (Hebrews 4). We are created for rest and joy in God and we are headed toward the New Creation, where everything is set right and every tear is wiped away (Rev. 21:1-7). Sabbatical prepares us and our communities for the final work of God in redemption: the reconciliation of all things (Col. 1:19-20). When we take sabbatical, we are living in that future reality now, looking forward to the Sabbath consummation in God’s good time.
For some pastors in the CGGC, a sabbatical might not seem feasible for numerous reasons, but we hope finances aren’t one of those reasons. You might not know it, but many of our Regional Conferences across the CGGC help support pastors through sabbaticals.
If your church cannot financially support a sabbatical, or wouldn’t know where to begin planning one, reach out to your regional leadership to ask about ways to help support you and the church during a season of rest through. There are opportunities for grants, pulpit supply, and leadership support.
CGGC eNews—Vol. 20, No. 27
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