Christian Leadership Alliance

Motivating Volunteers

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The Role of Rest and Renewal in Leadership Success

The Northwest Ministry Network of the Assemblies of God recently enacted a policy providing sabbatical leaves for senior executives during their seventh year of continued service. This policy does not negate weekly days of rest or nullify vacations during the year of the sabbatical. According to Network executives who have had opportunity to take advantage of this policy, they lauded its benefit to them personally and its benefit to the organization as they returned "refreshed, renewed, and ready to re-engage" (D. Cole, personal communication, September 25, 2008). Subsequently, the Network executive team encouraged churches to consider adopting a similar sabbatical policy for their pastoral staff members.

As such, a study was conducted to investigate rest and renewal as applied in Assembly of God churches located in the Northwest region (Washington and panhandle of Idaho). First, the study's intent was to determine whether adequate weekly Sabbath rest is provided and, if not, help church leadership implement actions that ensure pastoral staff receive sufficient rest. The study also included research as to whether churches implemented a sabbatical policy for their pastoral staff and, if not, collaborate with them to enact a change in what is together regarded as a desirable direction.

During the initial phase of the study, more than 10% of the 320 churches in the Northwest region were contacted. While all church representatives understand the problematic situation associated with burnout among pastors, upon initial call, enacting change to ensure adequate Sabbath rest is amenable to them but not a sabbatical leave policy.

Since the surveyed churches are located in a large geographic region, representatives chose to receive a short essay offering support that contributes to both the practical concerns of Sabbath rest and of sabbatical leaves of absence, included below titled, Addressing the Issues: Rest and Renewal. This document was sent to each church with the understanding that a follow-up call would be received to ascertain if the essay's content resulted in a change regarding Sabbath rest and sabbatical leaves.

After three weeks, a follow-up survey was conducted to determine if the information provided had an impact that changed their decisions regarding Sabbath rest and sabbatical leave policies. In all situations, churches reported no change in guidelines or policies. All church representatives stated they clearly understood the essay received and found the information beneficial. They all concurred there was adequate time given to for all leadership members to read, absorb, and discuss the content of the essay, however concluded no actions would be implemented at this time with regards to either days off or sabbaticals for pastoral staff members. Furthermore, the four churches that have granted sabbaticals determined they would not write a sabbatical policy; they did not want to be bound by a written document.

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Posted: March 04, 2010 12:08 PM Sandy

You are so correct in much of what you have said, I wonder though since you seem to have a full understanding of Sabbath rest why you have link it to the first day of the week Sunday. Even our calendars represent Sunday and the first day of the week, Saturday is and always will be the seventh day and the Sabbath, if you are of a religion that belives the day of worship was changed by man (and that it was ok for that to be done) you should at least acknowledge that that day of worship is not the bibical Sabbath.

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