How much time should a bivocational pastor be away from the church?

When I began my pastoral ministry in 1981 the church gave me two weeks of vacation a year.  That seems to be a fairly common practice for many churches whether they are served by a bivocational pastor or one who is fully-funded.  After several years I requested a third week which was granted, and a few years later a fourth week was added.  A survey I conducted of bivocational pastors in 2004 found that very few received more than two weeks of vacation regardless of how long they have been serving their church.  This needs to change.

Several years ago I interviewed with a church that was seeking a pastor.  I had been getting four weeks vacation for a couple of years from my current church so I asked the search committee how many weeks of vacation the church would give me.  They responded I would get two weeks.  I said that was not acceptable, that I was getting four weeks now and I expected four weeks of vacation.  Their response was that they always started their pastors out with two weeks, and if I stayed there long enough I would be given more.  I answered that although I might be starting out in that church I was not starting out in the ministry; they said the church needed an experienced pastor, and if they wanted me the church would have to agree to four weeks of vacation.  They took my request back to a congregational meeting, and it was approved.  I believe one of the reasons churches automatically want to give their pastors two weeks of vacation is because that's what they've always done.  Nobody has challenged them about the practice, so they've never considered doing more.  That is why I always advocate for four weeks vacation for a pastor any time I'm working with a pastor search committee.

Time is the least expensive thing a church can give their pastor.  The cost to the church for a pastor to have four weeks vacation is nearly the same as if he or she received two weeks.  The pastor's salary is already figured into the budget for the year and will not change if he or she is present at the church 48 weeks or 50 weeks (at least it shouldn't in a healthy church).  Most smaller churches pay a very small stipend to a guest speaker, and in many churches there are lay leaders who could fill the pulpit when the pastor is away if the church wants to avoid paying any stipend.  The cost to the church for its pastor to receive four weeks vacation is minimal, but the benefits are great.

Families of bivocational ministers often pay a big price for the amount of time the pastor is away from family activities.  That extra two weeks can give a family some extra time together which most families appreciate.  Four weeks vacation can help reduce the minister's stress level just knowing he or she can get away a little more often.  The church often benefits from having a fresher minister who appreciates the church's willingness to provide some additional time away.  This makes it more likely he or she will remain longer at the church which is a key component of growing churches.  If lay leaders fill the pulpit while the pastor is away on vacation those extra two weeks provides them with more preaching opportunities which helps their growth as leaders.  The list goes on.

The challenge for some churches is to get their pastor to take the vacation he or she does have coming.  I've talked with more than a few who seldom took all the vacation they were entitled to take, and in some cases they refused to take any.  By the way, early in my ministry I only took one of the two weeks I was entitled to, and I can tell you that is nothing but pure arrogance.  It demonstrates that we believe if we are not at the church, God can't do anything.  Let me remind you that the cemetery is full of indispensable people.  Here is what I tell churches to do if their pastor is like that.  Give him or her four weeks of vacation and then pass a motion in your business meeting that any week of the pastor's vacation that is not taken during the year will result in his or her pay being docked for that week.  I bet your pastor's spouse will make sure every week of vacation is taken!

Healthy churches are led by healthy pastors, and pastors need time away to remain healthy.  Giving your pastor four weeks of vacation is one very simple thing your church can do to help your pastor stay refreshed and energized.  For more suggestions of how to help a pastor enjoy a healthy life and ministry be sure to read my book The Healthy Pastor: Easing the Pressures of Ministry.