My Second Sabbatical
Chris and I arrived back home yesterday afternoon after spending a month in Japan with Lori and Jeff's family. Some of you may be amazed that our church family would allow us to be away for so long. However, it was their idea. When I came to pastor North Henry Baptist Church 10 years ago, the personnel team had already drawn up the policy to provide a four week sabbatical for the pastor after every five years of service. What a blessing! This speaks volumes for the vision and care of the leaders of our church. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of them. They are so loving and supportive.
We spent the first sabbatical in Japan five years ago. It is an excellent place for prayer and reflection, because the cell phone never rings, and the spiritual darkness of Japan inspires me to an even greater urgency to reach people for Christ. At that time God showed me a definite vision for growing believers and the church. I have been encouraging all of us to Stay Focused, Stay Connected, and to Stay On Mission ever since then. I still believe it is a formula for growth. We are on the right track.
This time the sabbatical was about me more than the church. Before we left, God showed me that He wanted to speak to my heart about what I needed to be doing to lead the church family to do these three things. Therefore, I spent my unhurried times each morning listening to Him, and I read 5 books that were relevant to my ministry. I will be sharing with our church family the details of what God said to me, but I want to summarize it for you here.
God reaffirmed my call as a pastor. I love my church family, and I desire to be a better shepherd of the flock. One thing I must do is to spend less time doing and more time listening to the Lord for His promptings on how to be a better pastor. I saw that my hectic lifestyle robbed me of perspective. Then, God wants me to be a better leader of leaders. Our church has many excellent ministry team leaders and directors. I need to be more engaged in leading them and encouraging them. Finally, I must be a trainer of trainers. You may not be aware of this terminology, but it is simple. Christians need to be witnesses, but we need to be more than witnesses. We all are called to be trainers. We are to train others to be witnesses, so that multiplication of disciples becomes a reality.
Finally, the main thing that God laid on my heart was the same old thing, relationships. As believers, we need relationships with other people to grow in the Lord as we should. We need relationships with non-believers, so we can be a witness to them. If we are compelled by a godly love for people, we will develop relationships at the Lord's leading. It is a part of being a disciple. I said that 10years ago when I came to NHBC, and I am more convinced of it now than ever before.
What is God telling you to do? Have you stopped to ask Him? Maybe you need a sabbatical, too. Even if it is a mini-sabbatical, we can all stop and ask God to direct our paths. I would encourage each of us to do that often.
Today, I read Jeremiah 15-18. Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 19-21.
We spent the first sabbatical in Japan five years ago. It is an excellent place for prayer and reflection, because the cell phone never rings, and the spiritual darkness of Japan inspires me to an even greater urgency to reach people for Christ. At that time God showed me a definite vision for growing believers and the church. I have been encouraging all of us to Stay Focused, Stay Connected, and to Stay On Mission ever since then. I still believe it is a formula for growth. We are on the right track.
This time the sabbatical was about me more than the church. Before we left, God showed me that He wanted to speak to my heart about what I needed to be doing to lead the church family to do these three things. Therefore, I spent my unhurried times each morning listening to Him, and I read 5 books that were relevant to my ministry. I will be sharing with our church family the details of what God said to me, but I want to summarize it for you here.
God reaffirmed my call as a pastor. I love my church family, and I desire to be a better shepherd of the flock. One thing I must do is to spend less time doing and more time listening to the Lord for His promptings on how to be a better pastor. I saw that my hectic lifestyle robbed me of perspective. Then, God wants me to be a better leader of leaders. Our church has many excellent ministry team leaders and directors. I need to be more engaged in leading them and encouraging them. Finally, I must be a trainer of trainers. You may not be aware of this terminology, but it is simple. Christians need to be witnesses, but we need to be more than witnesses. We all are called to be trainers. We are to train others to be witnesses, so that multiplication of disciples becomes a reality.
Finally, the main thing that God laid on my heart was the same old thing, relationships. As believers, we need relationships with other people to grow in the Lord as we should. We need relationships with non-believers, so we can be a witness to them. If we are compelled by a godly love for people, we will develop relationships at the Lord's leading. It is a part of being a disciple. I said that 10years ago when I came to NHBC, and I am more convinced of it now than ever before.
What is God telling you to do? Have you stopped to ask Him? Maybe you need a sabbatical, too. Even if it is a mini-sabbatical, we can all stop and ask God to direct our paths. I would encourage each of us to do that often.
Today, I read Jeremiah 15-18. Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 19-21.