If there’s one thing that has become clear to me over the years it’s that most leaders are traveling too fast and trying to do too much! One way to deal with this proclivity is to practice Sabbath both as a weekly day and as a daily principle. Another practice that is extremely helpful and life-giving is to take an extended period of time away from your work. It is often called taking a “Sabbatic” and more and more church leaders as well as Christian leaders in the market place are starting to do this. Brad Jenkins, at Anthem Church in Tulsa, shares some excellent ideas on taking an extended period of time away from your work.

Guest Post by Brad Jenkins

After 24 years of full-time ministry, I’m beginning my third sabbatical this week. Once again, I’m reminded of how powerful and necessary this rhythm of rest is—not just for the pastor but also for their family and the church they lead.

For almost a decade at Anthem Church, we’ve offered sabbaticals to all of our full-time ministry staff. It is a generous commitment from our board to offer this to our team, but one that has benefited our church in innumerable ways. We didn’t initially set out to create a policy. It started out of necessity.

Born of Necessity

After planting a church from scratch and preaching nearly every Sunday for nine consecutive years, I hit a wall. My tank was empty. I started to question if something was wrong with me. I knew God had called me to preach, but I wasn’t sure I could keep going for the decades I had imagined.

After conversations with other pastors and reading everything I could get my hands on, it finally clicked: my primary issue wasn’t calling — it was exhaustion. I hadn’t failed. I wasn’t weak. I was simply tired in ways that weekly rest couldn’t address. What I needed was an extended season to reset.

With the full support of our board, I stepped away from my preaching and leadership responsibilities for three months. The purpose of the sabbatical wasn’t to complete a project, get a degree, or prepare for the next season of ministry—it was simply to rest, invest in my family, and reconnect deeply with Jesus.

That season of renewal was transformative. It not only reaffirmed my calling but has been instrumental in enabling me to serve faithfully at one church for nearly two decades.

Since then, we’ve made sabbaticals part of our culture at Anthem Church. Each time a staff member takes this intentional pause, we witness the incredible fruit that comes when leaders are given permission – and blessing – to step away and rest.

Four Powerful Benefits of Sabbaticals

Here are four powerful benefits of a sabbatical:

1. A Sabbatical is a Blessing to the Pastor

Ministry is a marathon, not a sprint. It demands emotional, spiritual, and physical endurance. Over time, even the healthiest pastors can find themselves depleted. A sabbatical provides the space to recover, heal, and dream again.

It gives pastors time to rest without guilt, to listen for God’s voice without the immediate pressure of sermon preparation, and to be reminded that their identity is found in Christ — not in their performance.

I can personally testify that each sabbatical has replenished my soul with gratitude, hope, and renewed vision for the church God has called me to lead.

2. A Sabbatical is a Blessing to the Pastor’s Family

Ministry is a family calling. Consequently, ministry fatigue impacts not only the leader but also their spouse and children. Sabbaticals create space for pastors to be more present at home, to invest deeply in their marriage, and to participate in family moments that are often missed in the busyness of ministry life.

During my sabbaticals, Christina and I have had time for deeper conversations, extended quality time with our kids, and simple joys that are sometimes squeezed out of normal ministry rhythms. A healthy family strengthens a healthy ministry, and sabbaticals make space for that health to flourish.

3. A Sabbatical is a Blessing to the Pastor’s Church

Contrary to fears that a sabbatical might weaken a church, we’ve discovered it actually strengthens it in profound ways.

When a pastor steps away for a season, new leaders are developed. Others are given opportunities to preach, lead, and step into greater responsibility. Churches learn that their foundation is not any single individual, but Christ alone. When the pastor returns, the church is often stronger, more resilient, and more unified than before.

At Anthem, we’ve seen new voices emerge, gifts flourish, and the body of Christ rise up in powerful ways whenever a staff member takes a sabbatical. And new leaders have been developed and empowered for future ministry responsibilities. It’s a beautiful picture of the church being the church.

4. A Sabbatical is a Chance to Honor God with Rest Rather than Productivity

In a culture that prizes constant output and busyness, taking a sabbatical is a countercultural act of obedience.

It’s a way of declaring, “God, You are the One who builds Your church. You are the One who sustains us. Our worth is not in our work, but in being Your sons and daughters.”

Rest is worship. Trust is worship. When a church encourages its leaders to rest, it’s an act of faith that God is able to work even more powerfully while we step aside. It’s a testimony to the world that we believe in rhythms of grace, not just rhythms of relentless productivity.

Speaking to Different Groups:

If you are part of a church: Support your pastors and ministry staff by encouraging rhythms of rest. Celebrate their decision to take sabbaticals. Pray intentionally for them during their absence. Remember: a rested leader is a better leader, and their renewal will ultimately bless you and your church.

If you are on staff at a church: Don’t be afraid to talk about sabbaticals in a healthy, honoring way. View rest not as an indulgence, but as a form of stewardship. A sabbatical isn’t a reward for doing great ministry; it’s an investment in your long-term health and effectiveness.

If you are a board member: Lead the way in creating a culture where rest is not merely permitted but valued. Establish clear, generous sabbatical policies before crisis points arise. Don’t wait for emergencies or burnout to force the conversation.

At Anthem, our policy is simple and may be of specific help to you as you form your own:

“Anthem Church wants its staff members to be spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and relationally healthy, growing in their personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and pursuing God-honoring patterns of rest that will help them thrive in vocational ministry over the long haul and avoid burnout. Therefore, each full-time staff member with at least five (5) years of full-time employment (or as directed by the Board of Elders) at Anthem Church may apply for paid sabbatical leave. The primary purpose of the sabbatical is spiritual renewal and personal rest. Sabbaticals at Anthem are normally intended to be preventive (rather than emergency) care.”

In short, we believe:

• Staff health is essential to ministry health.

• Rest is preventive care, not a luxury.

• A thriving leader leads to a thriving church.

Establishing this rhythm has been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made — not just for the well-being of our staff, but for the future flourishing of our entire church.

Personal Encouragement:

The transformative power of a sabbatical isn’t found in simply taking a vacation or stepping away from responsibility. It’s found in creating sacred space — for renewal, rest, and hearing God’s voice afresh. A true sabbatical is a gift whose impact ripples out, blessing families, churches, and communities.

If you’re considering a sabbatical or supporting someone who is, know this:

Rest is not a detour from the mission. Rest is part of the mission.

For those of us called to ministry, choosing to embrace sabbatical may be one of the most faithful, life-giving steps we ever take.

TAKE ACTION

If you’re feeling weary or beginning to notice signs of exhaustion, don’t wait. Start a conversation. Talk openly with your spouse. Engage your board or leadership team. Pray and seek the Lord about what a healthy rhythm of rest might look like for you.

If you are part of a church, advocate for rhythms of rest that bless and sustain your leaders. Trust that honoring God with rest is one of the most strategic investments you can make.

After all, the God we serve worked for six days and rested on the seventh—not because He was tired, but because He was establishing a pattern for us to follow.

In our rest, we proclaim with our lives that the work of the kingdom ultimately belongs to Him.