Copyright Dave Wiedis, 2022
Reflections From My Sabbatical: Six Months Post-Reentry
This past summer I had the opportunity to take a sabbatical from May-August. It was a long time coming. In the 15 years that I have been leading ServingLeaders, I have never taken a formal, planned sabbatical. In fact, I had never taken a sabbatical in my life. I knew that it was overdue, and even as I began to make plans, it became clear that I had waited too long. In the year before my sabbatical, as I began planning for it, I hit a wall and took an unplanned break for five weeks to rest and recover through the month of September. I was exhausted and I couldn’t ignore it. The month off was very restful and restorative and mainly served as a patch and primer for the planned sabbatical that was to come eight months later in May.
Now that I’ve finished my sabbatical and have been through a fruitful and fast-paced fall ministry season, I want to share several things I’ve learned as I have continued to reflect on the priority and preciousness of sabbatical. I believe, more than ever, that a “sabbath rhythm” should be prioritized and planned so that we can steward our ministries well and can keep that precious gift of our ministry calling from being squandered.
The Purpose of Sabbatical
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.” Psalm 23:1-3
Before addressing formal sabbaticals, I think we need to start with the idea of sabbath. It's a command…one of the big ten! It's not an optional suggestion for those who are weak and overworked. It is a part of how God designed us to live and reflect His image. God rested and “took stock” of the goodness of His creational labor. Sabbath is rest, not because God was tired or exhausted, but rather, He was stewarding His creation by stopping to celebrate and enjoy. To reflect and declare that it is very good.
What does this mean for us? Being made in God's image, we are to do no less. We are called to reflect our God in every way. Part of the creation mandate–in addition to cultivating and working–is to steward and rest. To take time to reflect on our labor and the fruit that only God can bring to bear out of our labor within His creation. This should be all the more important for pastors and ministry leaders who shepherd God’s flock. Sabbath is a heart posture that rests in the Lord in how we labor, and honors the Lord in how we rest as stewards of the unique calling to ministry leadership. It is submission; it is dependence; it is leadership (not only of self but of all those who look to us to model a life in Christ).
So, taking a weekly sabbath (as commanded by our God who created the Earth in six days and rested on the seventh) allows us to rest in the truth of God’s promises in Psalm 23; that He will restore our soul. In our fast-paced culture, it’s often hard to truly rest–and yet, that is a command from God. Finding truly restorative and extended rest was difficult for me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity I had to test the truths of Psalm 23, as well as for our competent team that expertly continued the work of ServingLeaders in my absence.
According to an article from Soul Shepherding, ministry leaders are desperately in need of an extended time of rest–yet they are not taking it! Here are some eye-opening statistics regarding ministry leaders:
90% work 55 to 75 hours per week
90% feel fatigued and worn out every week
91% have experienced some form of burnout
70% have a lower self-esteem then when they entered the ministry
70% fight depression
Sabbath is a weekly pattern of rest and refreshment. It is resistance to the self-salvation project that we, and everyone else in our fast paced society, slips into as we try to make a “name” for ourselves or our ministries. A dangerous and unbiblical attitude of some ministry leaders is that we can ignore sabbath because we feel essential to God’s work. Being in ministry, we are striving, we would say, not to make a “name” for ourselves but a “name” for God. Of course, this attitude rejects God’s loving fourth commandment (not suggestion). Further, God can do this without you, and will end up having to do it in spite of you, if you strive beyond the stewardship to which he has called you. When we neglect sabbath, we neglect joy–the joy of seeing the fruit of our labor as not from us but from God who is delighted to use us even though he doesn’t need us.
With that in mind, a formal sabbatical is a unique and rich opportunity to take a bigger step back every seven (or so) years (see Leviticus 25:1-7). It allows us to rest from the day-to-day, week-to-week pressures of ministry and to experience an extended time of both focusing on one’s own heart issues and taking times of solitude, rest, and refreshment. It is an extended time of rest; however, it is not merely an extended vacation. If done properly, it should be a planned time to be away from ministry in order to cultivate time and intimacy with God, and experience recalibration.
How I Spent My Sabbatical
In counseling many ministry leaders through planning their sabbatical, I have unfortunately seen many squander this precious gift by not planning well, by not stepping back enough from the day-to-day tasks and relationships, and by continuing to prioritize doing for God over being with God. For that reason, I started planning my sabbatical one year in advance with the help of trusted friends and spiritual mentors. I wanted to maximize this opportunity as much as possible.
It was critical for me to step away from ministry itself–from situations and relationships that may have presented an opportunity for ministry. I was very selective about whom I spent time with during my sabbatical. Being a counselor, I wanted to prioritize relationships that were mutually life-giving for me. Therefore, it was important for me to avoid putting myself back in situations where I became “counselor” or minister again. As you plan your sabbatical, it’s essential that you establish clear healthy boundaries about how and with whom you spend your time.So here is a snapshot of how I spent my sabbatical:
I engaged with my therapist to work on my own heart issues. Some of these issues were problems that I have dealt with for most of my life; some were issues that I didn't even know needed to be addressed. With both the emotional margin and professional help to do so, I was able to make some very helpful discoveries about how some of my childhood wounds and family trauma still deeply impact me today.
After a short time of unwinding and resting but still early in my sabbatical, I attended a week-long intensive retreat in Texas held by the Soul Shepherding Institute. This time was especially helpful because I was able to focus on issues in my relationship with God that needed to be addressed; this deepened my intimacy with Him. The retreat was restful because I did not take on any leadership or teaching role while there. In fact, knowing my propensity to “always be on” and my disposition to “network” on behalf of ServingLeaders, I purposely did not attempt to connect or network with others. Instead, I simply became the “patient” or recipient of ministry that I desperately needed.
I also traveled with my wife Miho to Croatia and Barcelona. This was intended as a pure and intentional time of pursuing our own interests in learning, history, hiking, and exploring new and beautiful places. I had three simple goals: pursuing unhindered recreation (literally re-creation) that reinvigorated me, re-sensitizing my heart to God’s presence, and rekindling my relationship with Miho.
Miho and I also traveled to Glacier National Park to attend the wedding of a close friend and did more amazing hiking.
I traveled to Florida to spend time with dear friends and do some more rest and relaxation.
I have found that along with beauty in nature and history, relational time with close friends recharges and reengages my heart.
Interspersed between these trips, I spent many days alone at Longwood Gardens and Winterthur, two beautiful outdoor venues where I spent hours walking and sitting in silence, reflection, reading, and solitude. It was challenging to settle into a rhythm of not being with other people and spending so much time alone but I did acclimate over time.
The Challenges of Sabbatical
As mentioned above, one of the biggest challenges of taking a sabbatical happens before it even begins: the planning process. Prior to starting, I sought out a sabbatical coach to walk me through how to wisely use this time. Even still, there were challenges that arose in those three months.
Being an extrovert, I struggled to spend so much time alone. Having a different schedule than my wife Miho (who was not on sabbatical) also created some tensions. However, she was very gracious about not asking me to spend too much time on her projects or help around the house as I normally would. It was difficult to be selective about the friends I was willing to see–I did not want a conversation with a friend to turn into ministry time.
I know from speaking to many ministry leaders who have seen their churches function well while they were away on their sabbatical, many experience a deep insecurity and fear that arises. Many wonder, “Am I really needed?” and “Am I important?” I’m grateful our ServingLeaders team so expertly continued their work in my absence and that I did not experience such insecurity and fears. I think this comes from the knowledge that ServingLeaders is not “my ministry.” I have a deep conviction and knowledge that this is God’s ministry and He is the owner. I’m just a steward–for a while.
Two Take-Aways from My Sabbatical
There were two big take-aways for me as I approached the end of my sabbatical. First, I came to understand that my identity is not tied to my ministry. I did not experience any anxiety or insecurity about my identity being in my “doing.” Taking extended time away from the day-to-day duties of ministry helped me immerse myself in the truth that my identity and worth comes from my relationship with God (rather than the tasks I can accomplish for God).
Second, I learned the importance of creating margin and cultivating intimacy with Jesus as the norm. God wants to give us the restoration He talks about in Psalm 23–we need only to come to Him with open hands. I hope that in the months and years to come I am still able to reap the benefits of this sabbatical–depth in my relationship with Christ and patterns of life that allow me to grow deeper still.
If you want to hear more details about my sabbatical, check out our podcast episode here.