There is a good deal of buzz going around on the subject of Pastors expecting and being given sabbaticals.
I think I notice a class division on this subject. Generally speaking, those who are blue collar middle class are rather adamant in their opposition to Pastor’s getting sabbaticals. They seem to think, “Hey, I work just as hard as those pansies do. Why should they get a sabbatical when I work my tail off?” Meanwhile white-collar upper class seem to have less problem with the idea.
I think it might help if the blue-collar chaps realized that the purpose of a sabbatical is not “take a long vacation.” The purpose of a sabbatical is to do in depth research and study to better equip oneself to feed and bless the flock.
Since I’m a Pastor I thought I would weigh in even more.
1.) In 31 years of being in the ministry I’ve never had a sabbatical.
2.) My Father-in-law was in the ministry 40 years and never had a sabbatical.
3.) I seriously doubt the Apostles had sabbaticals.
4.) I don’t begrudge worthy clergy of having sabbaticals since the purpose of sabbaticals is for more learning/research and/or writing a book. The more research is profitable for any congregation the clergy is or will be serving. People may not like to hear this, but it is hard work for a minister to keep on knowing everything he needs to know in order to bless His flock in preaching and teaching.
5.) However, having said #4 my experience has been that the overwhelming majority of clergy don’t do any study/reading/learning of any significance. Frankly, most clergy are dumb people.
6.) I do agree that part of the problem with modern clergy is that they have never worked a non-clergy job. Such clergy thus have little ability, to sympathize with the rigors required of all men in their particular callings. I do understand other working men saying, “What is so special about the clergy that they should get sabbaticals?”
7.) However, it would be to the health of the Church to give a good man who would use the time wisely, periodic sabbaticals.
8.) I see a good deal of penis envy coming from guys not in the ministry complaining about ministers getting sabbaticals. There is a good deal to complain about ministers, but a good minister is doing every bit of work that the non-minister is doing and should not be grumbled over if he gets a sabbatical.
9.) I saw someone throw up the average pay scale for average clergy positions. I can assure you that multitudes of pastors don’t make that kind of money. Not even close.
10.) I would applaud a good minister getting sabbaticals. I would sneer at most ministers getting sabbaticals because most ministers are lousy and dumb and even if they did research and study during a sabbatical the odds are overwhelming that they would be researching and studying what they are researching and studying through the grid of a non-Christian world and life view.
I’m blue collar and the idea of time of is anathema to me. As you said the apostles didn’t take any sabbaticals. I can see a sabbatical for a writing project, but then that is not a sabbatical, it’s just shifting duties.
As far as pastors staying current, that is part of their responsibilities. Conferences and networking events help serve this end. Living soft lives is a sure fire way of losing touch with the flock, the times and your community.
And… Most pastors are lazy… or just make poor use of their time.
Regarding books, if they are written on “company time”, the church should receive the lion’s share of the royalties.
This is all an application of the Golden Rule in action. Whatever happened to sacrificial living.?
I deleted the part about Michael Foster as Michael Foster is on record as hating Kinism and Kinists.
He is a rotter IMO.
“Frankly, most clergy are dumb people.”
If so, that actually sounds better than the alternative of them being picked because they are soft and inoffensive.
Dumb pastors could still pray and warn about isms and be close with the sheep. But soft ones have a right tone, study too much instead of being with the sheep in their homes tearing down ism strongholds.
I like the flexible answer of a sabbatical being okay. However, in practice, I see little benefit from seeing two successive pastors at my church taking sabbatical for PhD work. This past 10 years, we needed a fighter, not a nice learner following the positive-world pattern of getting a degree.
Pastors get to be gifted uniquely like other parts of the body, so I could see wanting to learn Greek or going to a closed country, or something similar. They probably wouldn’t want to spend a summer building a hot rod, but I actually am not astute enough to see the difference between building a boat, car, or house, and something bookish as far as relates to being a pastor when I look at the requirements of being a pastor. I have never been in sync with the commonly held belief being a pastor is about books and study. It’s always seemed to me that character and teaching is what is supposed to be important. Ie., better at dying to self than anyone else and practiced at fighting isms and forces of darkness.
Hello Kurt
1.) You don’t want a man teaching as Pastor who hasn’t been in his study learning. Scripture explicitly teaches that we are to study to show ourselves approved, workmen who needeth not be ashamed.” This should be most true of the clergy. The problem is that what they are reading and studying is garbage. They are not worldview wise and so it is garbage in … garbage out.
2.) A Pastor cannot fight isms and forces of darkness unless he can identify the ism and that ability comes from studying. Do you think most Pastors could identify Transcendentalism/Romanticism? Rationalism? Nihilism? Post-Modernism? Social Darwinism? Of course, they can’t and the reason they can’t is because they are not learned and have not studied.
You want your Pastor in his study so that he can fight.
I would also argue strongly that character is built by studying and reading the right materil.
Dying to self … well, that’s something that all men must pursue and that the Spirit of Christ can only do in any man’s life.
Thanks for commenting here but I think you missed on this one.