WHAT IS A SABBATICAL?

The concept of the sabbatical comes from the biblical tradition of Sabbath, which refers to a period of rest and renewal that is observed every seventh day. In the Old Testament, God commanded the Israelites to observe a Sabbath day of rest and worship every week (Exodus 20:8-11). The idea of Sabbath rest is also seen in other parts of the Bible, including the book of Leviticus, where God commands the Israelites to observe a Sabbath year every seven years, during which they are to let their land rest and forgive debts (Leviticus 25:1-7).

In the New Testament, Jesus emphasized the importance of rest and renewal by often withdrawing from the crowds in order to nurture his soul through time with our Father. Sabbatical then, is a time when typical work activity is suspended for the purpose of attending to one’s soul. Jesus understood the time alone facilitated a work of the Spirit that can only be done in solitude.

A ministry sabbatical is an extended period of rest from the pressures of ministry for the purpose of physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual well-being.

Why is Jared taking one now?

There are several reasons we feel now is a good time for Jared to take a sabbatical:

1. All of Life Church is stable and growing. We have a plurality of elders who are actively shepherding and leading the Church. We have a team of newly installed deacons who are serving the Church. We have staff and volunteers who can help spread out Jared’s responsibilities while he is gone. This is an opportunity for us and for Jared to understand in fresh ways that God is our Provider and Jesus is our Chief-Shepherd.

2. This is an opportunity for All of Life to not only bless Jared, but also to bless his family. A sabbatical is a way of showing gratitude not just for our pastors, but also for the sacrifices of their families. We want the fact that Jared is our lead pastor to be good news to his family, and this gift is one way we can show our gratitude to his family.

3. Our bylaws provide sabbaticals for full time, paid elders: “All of Life Church will provide 90-day sabbaticals every 7 years for all Vocational Elders/Pastors who have served consistently.” Jared will begin his sabbatical after completing his 8th year pastoring All of Life Church.

4. We, the elders, support it and Jared and his family can benefit from it. We have been considering and planning Jared’s sabbatical since January 2, 2023 and have all our bases covered for the summer of 2023, including all weekend teaching and preaching.

When is THE sabbatical?

Monday, June 19th through Sunday, September 17th.

Is this a response to something that has happened?

No.

This is a proactive sabbatical we are offering to the Lydas as a way of saying thank you for their service to us and as a way to make space for Jared, Meredith, Gideon, Elyse, Chandler, and Jenny to pursue connection with God and one another, rest, and relational health as a family.

What will Jared be doing?

Jared and Meredith have an experienced sabbatical coach (Jim Cofield) who is helping direct their use of time and energy in three categories or phases:

1. REST. The first component of sabbatical often comes through retreat. Retreat means pulling back from the fray and demands of ministry and from the usual responsibilities associated with a person's job description. Retreat means the normal contact with ministry colleagues discussing ministry matters is deferred. Usually, relational connection is limited to immediate family, a few close friends, and a spiritual coach for helping guide during the sabbatical time. This means emailing, texting, social media, and regular phone contact is suspended. Retreat is most often best accomplished if part of the time is in a different geographic region from where one is engaged in ministry. Geographic separation facilitates the experience of retreating and being apart. The counsel we’ve sought out shows it is often difficult for pastors to enter into rest especially at the onset of a sabbatical. Because the pace of ministry is so demanding, our minds become addicted to being "busy-brained." Vocational church leaders are used to constantly thinking, planning, connecting, strategizing, and anticipating what should be done. In light of this, Jared and family will not be worshipping with All of Life, but will be engaged with other churches throughout the summer to worship as a family.

2. When one is more rested the RECALIBRATION of the soul begins to take shape (this is the second component of sabbatical). With a rested mind, heart, and body one is able to reflect on one's life and ministry in a deeper, more life-giving manner under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Time in Scripture is more extended and entered into without the pressure of preparing for a ministry obligation. In an attentive and rested soul the Scripture penetrates to the deepest aspects of what is happening. Prayer takes on a different texture as one spends more time listening to God rather than talking to God. One stops the incessant talking and begins to hear the Spirit in a new way.

3. As the sabbatical comes to an end one must give attention to how to RE-ENTER ministry (the third component of sabbatical). Some forget to remember they have been away and others have most likely had additional responsibilities while they were away. So Jared and family will be encouraged to re-enter with an attentive attitude and to listen before making any changes to what has been decided in their absence. The discussions of re-entry also involve noting, in a specific way, how one's recalibrated soul will do the work of the ministry in the future. This often includes dealing with issues of control, trust, self-worth, and delegation.

What will change?

At every level, we’re praying our church will continue to strengthen and grow more and more stable. We will not make any major decisions but will focus on stability and doing what we already do, well. We will be preaching through Matthew’s Gospel through the summer and we have a variety of skilled teachers and preachers already scheduled for each Sunday. Our prayer is that All of Life will continue to growth in both depth (discipleship) and in width (people who are welcomed into our community). We pray All of Life grows in our recognition that our members have gifts—some of which are known, some of which are currently unknown, and that our church will experience the benefit of more people taking responsibility for the well-being of All of Life Church.

I work hard too. why don’t I get a sabbatical?

We wish we could give you a sabbatical! Truly. In an ideal world we believe that everyone who works hard should get a sabbatical to get re-centered in the things that matter most. While it’s not in our power to grant you a sabbatical, it is in our power to give our pastors a sabbatical, and we want to be generous to them for the way they serve. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating this gift to them and to their families, while prioritizing the health of your own soul in ways that are available to you now.

What does the church need during this time?

You. We need you.

The Church is not an event we attend or a building we go to, but it’s a family to which we each belong. So, what we need most is for you to continue to be actively engaged in the life of our Church; Serving regularly and giving financially; Taking responsibility for your discipleship and for the wellbeing of others; Sharing the gospel with your loved ones (and complete strangers); Continuing to live as wholehearted disciples who are giving your very lives for sake of King Jesus.

Your elders are asking you to participate fully in the life of your church. There will be people visiting throughout the summer who need to be seen by you, welcomed by you, served by you, and loved by you.

I STILL have questions. Who can I contact?

Reach out to hello@alloflife.church and we’ll help connect you with someone who can answer your questions.