Seldom does a week go by that I do not receive a call from a pastor who's struggling and considering leaving the ministry. Many of these pastors are bivocational, but some are fully-funded. The two things they all share in common is a general frustration with ministry and weariness. Some are contemplating leaving the ministry entirely because of the frustrations. Others wonder if they just need to find a different church to serve. These are not easy, simple questions to answer, and they are not questions I can answer for them either. Such calls require me to put on my coaching cap and help them find the answers for themselves.
A lot of the frustration often centers around the limited time they have for themselves and their families. Others in the church can go to a ball game on Sunday or to the beach, but they are expected to be at church. They understand that expectation, but they also know their family needs some time to do things as well. Being a pastor really limits what one can do on the weekends, and if that pastor is bivocational there's not a lot of opportunities to do things during the week either. Here is where I usually ask how many weeks of vacation the church gives them, and how much of that vacation time they actually take. Most of the bivocational ministers tell me they get two weeks. I then ask if they've ever had a sabbatical. Some answer my question by asking what a sabbatical is while others just laugh at the suggestion. They assure me their church would never give them a paid sabbatical because it would cost too much.
As a resource minister in our region I speak often with the churches in my area, especially when they are seeking new pastor leadership. One of the things I am trying to get the churches to realize is that the least expensive thing they can give their pastors is time away. Every church, and I mean every church, should be giving their pastors four weeks vacation. Yes, I mean when that pastor first comes on the field, not after he's been there ten years or more. What will that actually cost the church? Very little. The church budget is already set, and the pastor's salary is determined. What difference does it make if he or she is there 50 weeks a year or 48? It will still be the same salary. Most of the small churches in my area pay $75.00 - $150.00 for someone to fill the pulpit when the pastor is away so the only real cost to the church for the pastor to get four weeks vacation instead of two weeks will be another $150.00 - $300.00 a year. If the church can't afford that it needs to shut its doors and stop playing church.
The same math applies for sabbaticals. I have yet to talk to a bivocational pastor, and few fully-funded ones, who have not told me their church couldn't afford to give them a three month paid sabbatical. Let's use the same figures, and for the sake of simplicity we'll just assume the church will pay $100.00 a week for someone to fill the pulpit while the pastor is on sabbatical. Three months is 13 weeks which is $1,300.00. Again, the pastor's salary is already in the budget so him being paid while on sabbatical doesn't change that at all. We're talking about $1,300.00 every seven years to give the pastor a breather and to allow him or her to relax and come back refreshed. Again, if that will break your church it's probably time to consider closing.
Sometimes when I urge churches to do these two things for their pastors I have people push back by saying something like, "We all work, and none of us gets three months off with pay every seven years. Why should our pastor get that?" My response is always, "Because none of you are on call 24/7/365. You go into work, and when your shift is over you go home and do whatever you want. You're not called out at 2:00 am to go to the hospital or to talk with someone who is suicidal. No matter what your pastor is doing, he or she is still the pastor of your church with all the responsibilities that entails. That is a lot of pressure, and that extra two weeks vacation and sabbatical is a way to help him or her unwind from that pressure."
I firmly believe that one reason pastors leave their churches to seek another place to serve is that it is the only way they can get away from their pastoral responsibilities for a brief time. It is the only way they can spend a fun weekend with their families without having to worry about what's happening at the church or feeling guilty about being away. Maybe, pastors would not be so tempted to leave if they knew they had some extra vacation time and an upcoming sabbatical to look forward to.
Most pastors struggle advocating these things for themselves, and as a former pastor I understant that. This is why, as a judicatory worker, I am willing to advocate for them. In my opinion, this needs to become a priority for other denominational workers. We need to speak up for our pastors, both bivocational and fully-funded, to help them get the time away from ministry that will help them enjoy a healthier ministry, better family relationships, and practice better self-care.
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