I think this is a particularly American problem. When I first came to the US, I couldn’t believe that people usually only got one to 2 weeks vacation a year and that many prided themselves on the fact that they didn’t even take that. They also prided themselves on the fact that they often work home rather than confining it to both the work place and the hours of their job. This is particularly strong in the Christian church where leaders really seemed to value themselves by the work that they do rather than by their relationship with God which revolves around the taking of that Sabbath rest. I think the struggle is more than just helping leaders to take the time to rest. It is really about re-orienting the church culture so that everybody within the church values that need for Sabbath rest, for relaxation for renewal and just for fun. It’s a hard sell as it is so countercultural
What a crucial distinction - we can preach so many sermons on sabbath but if we don’t model it we do those we lead a disservice. I appreciate the way you drew attention to the severity of something as seemingly small as coming into the office on our day off. Thank you!
It was eight years ago that I was invited to a pastors retreat led by Dr. AJ Swoboda. At this retreat I learned the art of practicing sabbath. My wife and I had been in full time pastoral ministry at that point for 25 years and we were close to burnout! Why? Because sabbath was the one command of the Ten Commandments that we were consistently breaking. Thank you AJ for showing us the way to a much more balanced and sustainable approach to ministry…taking a day each week to sabbath rest. It is now a consistent practice of ours and we talk about it regularly with our pastoral team at our church. We are learning to balance hard work with consistent rest and it is greatly enhancing our ministry! Thank you brother AJ for such deep insight and wisdom, my life is forever changed for the better!
So timely a message. I must rest (after a week of youth camp) to make room for the regeneration needed. The older one gets, the more you realize that you cannot push yourself beyond a certain point. Regular rest IS required. That is why camp is only 5 days🤪. I may need all week to recover after this one🫠
As humans, it seems to me that our relentless striving to be productive (no matter our position) outwardly confirms our worth, our commitment, shows our purpose in action—yet it becomes counter-productive if we don’t rest. Mostly retired, I’m still not good at admitting I rested in daylight hours.
I guess God knows best! We can hold on to His truth.
But I can well imagine your pressure is great, because people can make assumptions about your work or think they know best about what you should or should not be doing.
As one in your congregation, I was so glad when you shared openly that you had some vacation. I felt glad for you, because we sure don’t want our pastor suffering from burnout. I bet the majority feel the same.
Keep sharing when you get refreshing rest. It is good—and it’s a reminder we all need to do the same.
That’s my two cents at five in the morning when I’d rather be resting! 😉
The shame you named at the front of that sermon is so recognisable.
I lead in a small church setting, and I've felt that same flush when admitting I'd taken real time off, as if rest might read as slacking. Somewhere I absorbed the idea that being needed was the same as being faithful, and that staying available proved I cared. God resting into his rule rather than out of exhaustion undoes that. It makes rest look less like a reward for finishing and more like trust made visible.
I'd rather my rest teach the people near me something true than my busyness teach them something false.
Compulsive work was never actually a virtue mistaken for a vice. It's usually fear wearing productivity as a disguise, and the fact that language itself only ever reaches for that comparison in one direction says something honest about which state people actually associate with health.
I think this is a particularly American problem. When I first came to the US, I couldn’t believe that people usually only got one to 2 weeks vacation a year and that many prided themselves on the fact that they didn’t even take that. They also prided themselves on the fact that they often work home rather than confining it to both the work place and the hours of their job. This is particularly strong in the Christian church where leaders really seemed to value themselves by the work that they do rather than by their relationship with God which revolves around the taking of that Sabbath rest. I think the struggle is more than just helping leaders to take the time to rest. It is really about re-orienting the church culture so that everybody within the church values that need for Sabbath rest, for relaxation for renewal and just for fun. It’s a hard sell as it is so countercultural
I think you are on to something, Christine. It is in the American system. And I don’t see the same neuroticism in other contexts the same way.
What a crucial distinction - we can preach so many sermons on sabbath but if we don’t model it we do those we lead a disservice. I appreciate the way you drew attention to the severity of something as seemingly small as coming into the office on our day off. Thank you!
It was eight years ago that I was invited to a pastors retreat led by Dr. AJ Swoboda. At this retreat I learned the art of practicing sabbath. My wife and I had been in full time pastoral ministry at that point for 25 years and we were close to burnout! Why? Because sabbath was the one command of the Ten Commandments that we were consistently breaking. Thank you AJ for showing us the way to a much more balanced and sustainable approach to ministry…taking a day each week to sabbath rest. It is now a consistent practice of ours and we talk about it regularly with our pastoral team at our church. We are learning to balance hard work with consistent rest and it is greatly enhancing our ministry! Thank you brother AJ for such deep insight and wisdom, my life is forever changed for the better!
My heart is warmed, friend.
So timely a message. I must rest (after a week of youth camp) to make room for the regeneration needed. The older one gets, the more you realize that you cannot push yourself beyond a certain point. Regular rest IS required. That is why camp is only 5 days🤪. I may need all week to recover after this one🫠
YES!!!
As humans, it seems to me that our relentless striving to be productive (no matter our position) outwardly confirms our worth, our commitment, shows our purpose in action—yet it becomes counter-productive if we don’t rest. Mostly retired, I’m still not good at admitting I rested in daylight hours.
I guess God knows best! We can hold on to His truth.
But I can well imagine your pressure is great, because people can make assumptions about your work or think they know best about what you should or should not be doing.
As one in your congregation, I was so glad when you shared openly that you had some vacation. I felt glad for you, because we sure don’t want our pastor suffering from burnout. I bet the majority feel the same.
Keep sharing when you get refreshing rest. It is good—and it’s a reminder we all need to do the same.
That’s my two cents at five in the morning when I’d rather be resting! 😉
What freeing words, Judy. Thank you.
You are so welcome.
The shame you named at the front of that sermon is so recognisable.
I lead in a small church setting, and I've felt that same flush when admitting I'd taken real time off, as if rest might read as slacking. Somewhere I absorbed the idea that being needed was the same as being faithful, and that staying available proved I cared. God resting into his rule rather than out of exhaustion undoes that. It makes rest look less like a reward for finishing and more like trust made visible.
I'd rather my rest teach the people near me something true than my busyness teach them something false.
Compulsive work was never actually a virtue mistaken for a vice. It's usually fear wearing productivity as a disguise, and the fact that language itself only ever reaches for that comparison in one direction says something honest about which state people actually associate with health.