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Christian Leaders and taking time off.-Musings for young leaders.


Christian Leaders and taking time off.

Just got back from having had a few week’s vacation and  I am now feeling refreshed and ready for the next season that God has in store for me. While sitting in my chair absorbing the rays of the sun and getting my daily dose of Vitamin D, I mused about why it is so important for us to have time off. There are obvious reasons; like good stewardship and the fact that it’s good for your congregation to have a break from their senior pastor as well. (That may hit home at some egos)

Some years ago a church leadership suggested to their senior pastor, that after 20 years of service to the church that he should take a fully paid sabbatical for six months. To go and refresh him and to relax and perhaps go hear other great Christian leaders and get ideas and new thoughts on taking the church forward into the next season. The pastor flatly refused, fired his leadership as he felt they were going to take over. For the next five years he never went on leave as he felt he would lose his church. A tragic tale made even more tragic as I heard last month that he had died of cancer.
It is imperative that young leaders have a regular regime of taking time off and having annual leave here are five reasons why:
1.       Physical and Mental strains are very real in Christian Leadership. By taking time off both the body and brain can unwind and reset. It helps you as you are more able to hear what God is saying to you, all the white background noise has gone.
2.       A good vacation will result in improved productivity once you get back to your church. You are able to see more clearly and begin to implement your strategies.
3.       Balance between your work life and your home life can be restored. You have to realise that your identity and reason for living is not found in your work, but in whom you are as a husband/wife, parent and active member of your community not just your church.
4.       A great vacation will result in improved focus. You will be able to differentiate between what is important and what is not.
5.       You will have better relationships with people.  By having regular time off and good, relaxing vacations will mean that your relationships with people will be kept on an even keel.
 To any Christian leader, my advice is always have regular time off, and always ensure that you take your vacation, don’t be afraid that you will come back to an empty church or by taking your vacation that somehow your congregation will call another leader to come and take over. Your faith is and should always be in God not others.

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