Most pastors work long hours and regularly deal with difficult issues. The pandemic shutdown, racial strife, and political division of 2020 added more challenges. The statistics on pastor burnout reveal that “75% of pastors report feeling ‘extremely stressed’” (soulshepherding.org). This summer, two FEC churches, Pine Hills Kendallville and Evermore Community, invested in their pastors by providing a sabbatical.
Pastor Ross Miller has been leading Evermore Community Church in Hartville, Ohio, for 13 years, but he has served in full-time ministry for 35 years. Years ago, when leaders at a former church invited him to take a sabbatical, he said, “I realized how close to burn out I was.” During his sabbatical this summer, Ross organized his time into three parts: Study, service, and vacation. For study, he read 12 books and attended a conference at the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove. He also made time to serve various organizations in his community. He enjoyed a vacation with his wife, children, and grandchildren, and he hiked on the Appalachian Trail with some friends. With extended time to listen to God, he said, “I experienced God in a new and closer way. The quiet time was the most precious time.”
Pastor Marc Buwalda launched Pine Hills Kendallville Church, Indiana, in 2015. After working through the challenges of leading a new church, he recognized his need for rest. During his sabbatical, he focused on physical rest, family time, and time with God. Marc said, “We spent lots of time together, watching movies and playing with Legos.” By the end of his sabbatical, he said, “We came back energized with excitement for ministry.”
Marc pointed out that a Sabbath rest isn’t optional for believers. “It’s something we all should practice, weekly.” For church leaders, a sabbatical provides not only rest but also time to seek new vision and re-energize a passion for ministering to people.
