Planning a pastoral sabbatical? Here’s your go-to guide, packed with wisdom gleaned from seasoned practitioners and personal insights from my recent transformative three-month renewal. Whether you’re seeking rest, clarity, or a deeper connection with your calling, these practical tips will help you make the most of this sacred time away.
Confession: I hesitated in writing this up because I wanted to make sure I didn’t prematurely pass on anything that wasn’t road tested. But now, after months of reflection, I feel confident there are some proven principles ready to relay.
In a previous article, I downloaded everything our leadership processed in setting up a pastoral sabbatical policy. That included questions like: What is it? Why are they so important? What are the key factors we should include in a formal plan?
If your church doesn’t have a formal, written, approved policy for sabbaticals, I challenge you to frame up a workable plan that not only protects a lead pastor or senior minister but feeds a culture of healthy leadership for all pastors in your church, both now and well into the future.
Part 1 of the sabbatical series provides philosophical underpinnings for win-win sabbaticals, giving guidance for leadership to create a helpful policy. Part 2 will, hopefully, set you up for a significantly more meaningful and impactful time off.
Five Tips for a Fruitful Experience
1. Pick the best time of year.
I’m assuming you love your church family deeply and have sacrificed in unquantifiable and often unknown ways for these problematic yet precious people. And I’m assuming your church has a full plate of constant activity and need.
What all that means is that it’s going to be hard to find any extended period that feels like it will work well for you to be gone. The temptation is to look at the church calendar and pick the stretch of time that will create the least disruption to the schedule and strategic objectives.
“I’ll just do it then.”
And by the way, that’s so admirable of you to think like that. It’s why you’re a good pastor and leader. And it’s a necessary part of weighing the timing of your sabbatical (likely a consideration that is part of your church’s policy).
But for heaven’s sake, don’t do that! Or better said, don’t just do that. That is not necessarily the “best” time. Remember the ultimate purpose of the sabbatical, which is your personal rejuvenation. So pick the time of year when that revival will be most conducive.
What’s your favorite season of the year? Is it summer? Then try to do a summer sabbatical. Or fall? Spring? Winter??? (Yes, there are people out there who prefer the cold snow to the hot sun.)
“Pick the time of year when that revival will be most conducive.”
If you anticipate travel, especially globally, investigate what seasonal conditions are going to be best for your visit. I have a friend who took a sabbatical in the spring, and it included hiking on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Ugh, it was cold and rainy on the trail many of the days. Not ideal, and good came out of it, for sure, but if you can shift your time to get better climate conditions, then by all means, do it!
If you have a family, then surely you will factor in family members’ schedules and availability, not only for vacation time together but also for day-to-day connections. For those with school-age kids, overlapping with ordinary life (NOT just the summer vacation window) can be helpful in redesigning your ongoing interactions and availability (something you can translate to post-sabbatical living).
If there are calendar events or activities that you know would make your heart sing, plan your sabbatical to encompass them. That may mean getting to Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, PA, on February 2. Or enjoying the Underwater Music Festival in the Florida Keys in mid-July. Or hitting that Wisconsin cow dung throwing competition in early September.
That could also include any relevant learning experiences such as conferences, retreats, training, etc. For example, I planned my sabbatical time window to include a once-a-year disciple-making movement catalyst camp happening overseas in June.
“If there are calendar events or activities that you know would make your heart sing, plan your sabbatical to encompass them.”
Of course, some sabbaticals are taken in a reactive manner as a necessary response to burnout. In these cases, the time of year plays second fiddle to the immediate need for recovery and healing. Unmanageable exhaustion, disengagement, health issues, or emotional/mental states can determine the timing of the sabbatical.
But in a healthy local church leadership culture (what you are co-creating by setting up a sabbatical policy and modelling how to do it), a proactive sabbatical is taken before problems develop. And that sabbatical is designed for maximum renewal and impact. And the time of year matters for that.
2. Have enough structure…but not too much.
This advice was given by multiple people, and it’s golden. Their point was to find your line between overscheduling and aimless ambiguity.
Just so you know, it’s going to be hard to know exactly what that looks like, and each person is different, so don’t compare what you think you need to someone else.
In my case, I prayerfully identified the following objectives:
- Sufficient “down” time to reboot with an operating system update.
- Meaningful experiences of renewal and refreshing for my body, mind, and soul.
- Quality and quantity family/friend time.
- Opportunity to practice neighborhood mission.
- Exposure to disciple making movements globally and in the U. S.
Knowing my tendency to overschedule and overstructure things, though, I purposefully held these things loosely. In fact, I wrote the following in my formal proposal to the elders:
“One of my goals for the sabbatical is to break free from constantly thinking about what’s next by living in the now. Therefore, I want to exercise restraint from too much planning and scheduling in advance.”
“Find your line between overscheduling and aimless ambiguity.”
I went on to list the types of things I anticipated doing for the “down” time, renewal experiences, and relational connections to family and friends. I didn’t use a single date for these things, though. This felt necessary for me because of my yearning to break free from the tyranny of the clock and calendar.
Additionally, because my soul was crying for more spontaneity, I asked for church resources to purchase a Frontier “Go Wild” all-you-can-fly pass. If you’re familiar with how it works, it only allows scheduling domestic flights 24 to 48 hours in advance, which pre-empts long-term planning—exactly the forced freedom and flexibility I needed.
As I mentioned above, there was only one calendar event that was pre-scheduled for my sabbatical, but everything else was open. Everything!
In addition, I resisted the urge to schedule any meetings until I was back, even in the final week when I was beginning to mentally re-enter. It seemed that this non-programmatic approach was what Doc Jesus prescribed for the state of my soul.
Please, please, please recognize you are not me. You may need more of a schedule, especially if there are significant travel plans or multiple trips. Foundations that assist with sabbatical funding typically require a greater level of planning.
By the way, that was one of the reasons I did not pursue the Lilly grant. If you’re not aware of this unique asset, The Lilly Clergy Renewal Program provides grants of up to $50,000 for pastors to take extended sabbaticals, offering them time for rest, renewal, and personal growth.
“You may need more of a schedule, especially if there are significant travel plans or multiple trips.”
That sounds amazing, but I found the level of write-up that was required was not a good fit for my renewal. In addition, the timing of the application and approval process (without significant reason to believe I would even be accepted) was concerning. I have pastor friends, though, who benefited greatly from the intentionality those programs require.
Oh, one more practical tip related to the structure of what you do: beware the tendency to frontload personal projects and then get antsy at the end. That happened to my buddy. He banged out the hit list of projects around the house so he could rest for the remainder of the time, but then he got stir crazy at the end with nothing to do.
In my case, I created a prioritized list of “to do’s,” with the most important ones to be accomplished earlier on. This allowed me the freedom to do some hands-on home improvement stuff at the end, if and when I felt like it. And if you’re curious, I didn’t feel like doing everything, so I didn’t, which was a major win for the new me.
3. Pre-plan what level of organized church connection you intend to have while away.
Where will you worship God with others? How will you engage in spiritual community? When and how will you have check-ins with leaders? Will you—cringe—check your work email?
The tendency for most pastors is to think through the lens of what is preferable for the congregation or church leaders. I should probably do such-and-such, you might think. Underneath are all the subconscious thoughts like, “What will they think of me if…” or—perhaps even more sadly—“How will they make it without me?”
Try setting all that aside for a moment to consider what is going to help you come back at your best for the next season of service. This isn’t about what the church or church leaders want. It’s what they need, and what they need is the best version of you, a you that is freed from all the crud.
I get it, you don’t want to hurt them by being gone too long. And you have legitimate concerns about what will happen in your absence. Fill in the blank with all your fears. The problem with letting that guide your engagement level is that you are subtly reinforcing the same old broken stuff in you and your church that necessitates the sabbatical in the first place.
“Will you—cringe—check your work email?”
How will they make it without you? Jesus said “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18, KJV). We now have two millennia of proof that Jesus is the head of His Church—not you or any other blip on the radar screen of our Father’s sovereign redemption plan.
What will they think of you? That, my friends, is exactly what you need to purge from your life. The sabbatical is not just about physical and emotional renewal; it’s about spiritual awakening and transformation. And a big piece of that is drawing near to God by being extracted from all the familiar trappings of ordinary life and service. Picture Jesus in his 40-day wilderness wanderings.
When it comes to planning your level of church engagement during the sabbatical, I advise a greater level of disengagement from your given congregation than you will likely want or feel comfortable with. The point of the sabbatical is to let the work soil lie fallow, so make sure there are significant stretches of time that you avoid anything and everything that triggers the internal work mode.
“Make sure there are significant stretches of time that you avoid anything and everything that triggers the internal work mode.”
For me, I chose almost 100% extraction from all involvement in my local church but not from the universal Body of Christ. I cherished the unique opportunity the sabbatical provided for me to assemble with other believers to do what a church does. Church is not a building or even a service; it’s the universal and local expression of God’s people, a worshiping community of Jesus’ disciples living on mission together. We never sabbatical from Jesus and his priorities, just our particular way of doing it as a leader in a particular local church.
I did not attend a single LifeSpring program (service or event at the church I lead) while on my 3-month sabbatical, nor did I come to the campus. I limited time with leaders to
- occasional check-ins with my closest friend on staff (no church talk allowed),
- a mid-sabbatical personal connect with other key staff members (no church talk allowed), and
- one-way communication from me to leaders and the congregation midway in the sabbatical so they knew I was still alive, loved them, and how God was working in me.
The video I made for them helped me process what I was learning mid-stream, lifted the burden of trying to debrief everything at the end, and provided a moment for me to share my heart like Paul often did at the end of his letters.
I stepped away from other ministry responsibilities outside of my church as well. With proactive communication prior to leaving, clear responsibilities assigned, and a helpful vacation reminder on my email, it was like I stepped into a witness protection program. I was gone, and I needed it!
“I stepped away from other ministry responsibilities outside of my church as well.”
All that said, I continued meeting regularly with guys I am discipling, with a few gaps for my travel plans, because disciple making is not a church program, it’s a lifestyle. I was friendly in public if I interacted with anyone from our church family. And I took advantage of the free time to fellowship with other churches near and far. This included visiting some of my friends who pastor other churches. That might be a big no-no for you, depending on whether it triggers the compare-and-critique thing in you.
Though it goes without saying, personality plays a role in all this (e.g., introvert vs. extrovert), as does the leader’s level of health when starting the sabbatical. Some will need more connection, and others less.
But when it comes to planning your level of engagement with your local church, consider that you don’t just need a break from it; it likely needs a break from you.
4. Be strategic about the personal learning experiences.
If you’re including a growth and development component, not just renewal (something required in our church’s policy), then seek God for His wisdom and guidance in the what, when, and how.
First, with respect to timing and flow, prayerfully reflect on if it will be best to rest first before you engage with discovery and learning so you’re fresh and more apt to assimilate it. That was helpful advice given to me by a mentor.
Or should you segue from your current flow right into the growth track so you have the remainder of the sabbatical to process and reflect on it?
I can’t answer that for you because your situation will be unique. But God can help you work it out, so be proactive to ask for His leading. And by golly, don’t you dare try to simultaneously rest and learn the whole time!
In my case, I was not feeling burnt out, and the global learning trip was happening one week after the ideal start date for my three-month sabbatical. So it was natural to transition out of my regular responsibilities right into the discovery process. And then I was able to let down. To REALLY let down.
“It was natural to transition out of my regular responsibilities right into the discovery process. And then I was able to let down.”
I can’t say for sure, but I wonder what might have happened if the order was reversed. I think my mind might have been subconsciously geared up for the big trip overseas and unable to “release.” But since I checked that box early on, I felt more able to rest internally. That’s just a hunch, though. It might have played out in an altogether different but helpful manner if the two were reversed.
What is your sense of the right order for you? Put some thought and prayer into this: Lord, what elements and order do you want for me? Chat it up with your mentors and friends. Ask around to hear what other pastors have done, and see what causes your heart to stir (and where there is dissonance).
Another thought related to the personal development aspect of a sabbatical involves how you will manage the exposure to and study of new ideas. What does that mean? It means you need to be careful about how much you tackle because it could easily overtake too much of the sabbatical and defeat the purpose. At least that was a known danger for me.
At that same time, I am indelibly wired by God as a strategic learner and achiever, so one of the greatest ways to torture me is to prevent me from reading, listening to, and reflecting on new ideas.
“Be careful about how much you tackle because it could easily overtake too much of the sabbatical and defeat the purpose.”
I love studying the Bible, reading or listening to books, and listening to podcasts. I love meeting new people to pick their brains about a topic of interest. So, if my sabbatical was going to be a fruitful renewal for me, I knew I needed some freedom to do these things, at least a little.
I made a list of the types of things I wanted to learn about that I didn’t seem to have the time or mental energy to tackle in my day-to-day rhythms. But I wasn’t sure if I should reflect on one of them at a time in isolation, sequenced one after the other, or simultaneously and in tension with one another. What do you think is best for you?
For me, I chose simultaneous exposure to several things concurrently, which did create some ambiguity and disorientation. For example, I was studying the commands of Christ to better understand what Jesus meant by “teach them to obey everything I commanded you.” At the same time, I was listening to books about the desert fathers and mothers, Ignatian spirituality, and Eastern Orthodoxy (something I’ve long wanted to know more about but never felt I had the time). And along with that, I found myself listening to podcasts and books about contemporary church scandals involving well-known Christian leaders to try to figure out what the heck was going on.
“I made a list of the types of things I wanted to learn about that I didn’t seem to have the time or mental energy to tackle in my day-to-day rhythms.”
So yeah, there was a liminal period of “what do I make of all this” caused by parallel learning journeys. But knowing my tendency to swing to extremes in a given area, the tension actually kept me from accidentally being sucked into one niche perspective to the neglect of others. And that was a far more healthy, well-rounded approach for me.
What is best for you, based on your personality and past, and the Spirit’s leading? Is it to completely shut off new content for a while in a total withdrawal from study to just be still and know God, to rest in the security of your identity in Christ? I know many, myself included, who have needed a spiritual discipline disruption and a good ol’ podcast purge.
That brings me to my next point…
5. You don’t know what you don’t know, so hold things loosely and be ready for curveballs.
My first experience with “wow, I didn’t expect that” came as I was self-filming a video for the congregation. It was a week or two before the sabbatical started, and I was explaining the what and why.
When I started talking about the unique nature of a pastor’s workload with six-day workweeks, few free weekends, frequent weeknights away from family, and few free holidays, I choked up, unable to speak.
It was overwhelming to consider the depth of sacrifice not just to me but to my family. That was unexpected. I didn’t know I needed to grieve the losses that came with answering God’s call to be a pastor.
I wonder what it will be for you. What mourning needs to be given a voice? You may not know now, but you can choose now to be open to it.
What is buried down deep in your heart that God will unexpectedly dig up? You aren’t planning to go there, but when else will you have the time? Seriously, don’t shut it down.
What captive parts of your soul might be released when given the chance? And what neglected parts of your personality will be revived? You don’t yet know, but you can poise yourself with readiness to discover.
“What neglected parts of your personality will be revived?”
What circumstances will alter your plans? There is absolutely no way to predict the unpredictable, but you can prepare to receive it in a healthy way.
What relationships need mending?…Yikes, this one caught me by surprise.
I was so excited about starting my sabbatical with that overseas trip to Kenya. I envisioned coming back home to dive into more intentional neighborhood mission. I was all set up with my Frontier unlimited flights plan, so I could travel the country on a whim to meet up with old friends, explore new places, and meet new people.
And then I got my wife’s text and knew there was a problem.
Before I get personal, you need to know my wife is a dynamic, ministry-minded person who has been supportive of me and what I do, and she has served the Lord with me for all of our marriage.
Communication during the trip had been difficult with the time zone thing and lack of consistent wifi, and I was absorbed in the busy schedule. When Julie and I finally spoke the previous evening, I relayed with enthusiasm how disciple making movement leaders are so compelled by God’s compassionate heart for the lost that they intentionally go to unreached people groups, knowing there will be persecution, and use a different type of strategy than we are used to, but the result is jaw-dropping transformation and multiplication.
“What relationships need mending?”
Her text to me the next day was, “As you talk with people, will you ask them, ‘How has doing DMM been good for your marriage?’” [Insert ominous underscore here.]
“I wrote back with, “Good question. I hear your concern,” and then gave some answers I received from four or five different people. I added, “Another guy said the discipleship / transformation process always leads to better relationships including marriage though the timing is not the same for everyone.”
She responded, “Thanks for asking people. My thought is that when a wife feels loved and knows she is prioritized, she will be willing and eager to serve the Lord with her husband. But if she feels like DMM or any other thing/ministry/work holds her husband’s heart and passion (above and beyond his passion and heart for her), it won’t work because he would basically be asking her to love his mistress with him.”
Gulp. I heard the heartache in her words for the first time.
While I was away, Julie was seeing with fresh eyes a glaring contrast between the beauty of our daughter’s budding relationship with her now-husband and the way Julie was not being prioritized by me.
This launched us into a lengthy, challenging, even painful at times, and yet ultimately transformative experience. Together we processed through some key scriptures about the importance of marriage, how God holds it in high esteem, and how He wants it to represent to the world how Christ loves the church.
“This launched us into a lengthy, challenging, even painful at times, and yet ultimately transformative experience.”
I didn’t know this beforehand, but God’s plan for my sabbatical wasn’t just for personal renewal; it was to restore our relationship for the next season of life and ministry.
I won’t go into all the details of how much I had hurt my wife through years of neglect and how deeply I needed to repent. I can’t share play-by-play of the hours and hours of conversations, some quite heated. There is not enough time here to describe all the shifts I needed to make with the sabbatical I had dreamed up and planned, not to mention moving forward in life.
Bottom line: I just didn’t do much of what I thought I would do.
However, because I was willing to flex to go a different direction, a more important direction, God used the freedom the sabbatical provided to revolutionize our marriage. And I have to say, the challenge of working through it was so worth it. I cherish my wife and thank her for having the guts to address the hard issues and the humility and commitment to keep at it until the breakthrough. God is restoring the years the locusts have devoured, and we are now more in love than ever!
Oh, and by the way, I didn’t plan on marrying off our daughter at the end of the sabbatical, but God blessed our precious 20 year old with a three-month engagement to a godly young man I’m proud to now call a son. The engagement came right after starting my time off when I was in Kenya, and the wedding came right after finishing it.
“God used the freedom the sabbatical provided to revolutionize our marriage.”
I didn’t have that on the sabbatical plan, but I am so glad I was able to invest much more time than normal in loving my wife. It felt redemptive for all the losses I was grieving. God knows what He’s doing, and it’s worth it to trust Him.
Back to your sabbatical: be open to anything God has in store and what he wants to speak to you. You just don’t know what you don’t know, but you can hold things loosely and be ready for curveballs. The extent to which you can pivot from what you expect to what God directs will determine the scope and depth of the impact in your life, relationships, and future ministry.
Conclusion
So to wrap up, a successful sabbatical is directly connected to strategic timing, balanced structure, intentional disengagement, thoughtful learning, and openness to unexpected growth. If you are planning a sabbatical, remember to select a season conducive to personal renewal, find that healthy balance between planning and spontaneity, minimize your church involvement during the break, and seek God’s guidance in any personal development goals. Above all, hold all these plans loosely, remaining open to the unanticipated lessons God may reveal during this transformative time. It’s so worth it!
