When leaders need a break - 4 articles for those exploring the possibility and practicalities of taking an extended sabbatical

Burnout is often understood to affect people who have spent too many hours in the office, but more often it occurs because of a frustration with the status quo and a growing conviction that in your current role, you are no longer able to make a significant contribution. Many large companies and increasingly churches and Christian organisations are coming to realise the benefits of encouraging their people in leadership positions to take a sabbatical. 
So how do I know if a sabbatical is right for me? How do I go about requesting it and how can I most effectively use the time? 

The four articles below are the the result of a sabbatical I took myself in the summer of 2013. As the posts are listed in chronological order with the latest at the top, I recommend you scroll down to part 1 and begin there. 
I trust this will be a help to those who strongly sense the need for some time out.

• A Sabbatical #1: How to request it (especially for those in full-time Christian ministry)
• A Sabbatical #2: What to do with the time
• A Sabbatical #3: Dos & Don'ts
• A Sabbatical #4: Books that I read and things I listened to

A Sabbatical #4: Books that I read and things I listened to

In preparation for the Sabbatical, I scanned my shelves and took down books that I really wanted to read during the summer. Others I ordered online from my Amazon wishlist. Slowly the little pile of books on my table grew and grew. I did read almost everything I wanted to, but strangly enough the pile is still as high :)

I also read or listened to:

• 2007 CEF European Leadership Conference, Member Care notes
• Culture Craft - leadership for organizational health, by Rick Sessoms, Colin Buckland
• "Aufwärts" (draft) Geoff Holder 
• 100's of blog posts via the excellent feedly app
• Many (Christian) magazine and newspaper articles, in publications such as Evangelicals Now
• MP3 all messages from the Evangelical Ministers Assembly  
• MP3 The Gospel Coalition 2013
• MP3 2013 CEF European Conference seminars
• John G. Paton by John Piper
• The Bible - together with Tabletalk magazine for iPad 

Many of the above books were read on my kindle, others I bought (on real paper). Some were leant to me, read in a library or listened too as audio-books.
When listening to audio-books / MP3 sermons/seminars I was driving, running, cycling, in public-transport, waiting... Anywhere and everywhere I was either deliberately using the time to learn, listen to others, or enjoy the silence.

If you are planning on taking a Sabbatical, see it as an opportunity to read and study subjects that really interest you and for which you have questions in your own mind and ministry. For one, it is highly motivational reading and secondly you will benefit greatly yourself from the insights gained.

I trust you have enjoyed this little series of posts. If you would like me to write about some other aspect, you can suggest that in the comment box below. 
If you have not already done so, you can read the other posts in the 4-part series here: 

1. A Sabbatical #1: How to request it (especially for those in full-time Christian ministry) 
2. A Sabbatical #2: What to do with the time 
3. A Sabbatical #3: Dos & Don'ts

A Sabbatical #3: Dos & Don'ts

In order for your sabbatical to truly be a time when you can rest from your regular ministry and go "offline", you will need to take action to avoid anything that will cause your mind to come back "online".

Here is a little list of practical Dos and Don'ts which I found helped me to guard the protective space that I was seeking to create for myself.

1. Don't fill up your empty calendar with other ministry opportunities: You are not taking a break from your current ministry so that you can fill your calendar with other ministry. Even when others think that you should say yes because you apparently now have more free time than they do, kindly refuse and do not feel the need to justify your stance.
2. Do take a sabbatical from all other regular activities and commitments: If you are involved with other organizations, churches, committees, local schools… let them know that you are on sabbatical and that they should not plan on your involvement during this time. This helps prevent the previous point and increases the likelihood of you achieving your sabbatical goals.
3. Don't feel guilty: You are entitled to this break. You have prayed and thought about it for a long time. It has been approved by your boss. Don't worry about what others are doing or about what might be going wrong without you. Right now, it's not your problem. In fact they may well be getting on very nicely without you.
4. Don't check your ministry email: Instead, set up an automatic out-of-office message indicating the date of your return and a contact email for the person who is covering for you. With one exception during the first week, I did not open my ministry email account the whole 12 weeks I was off. I knew I had to be radical in this because even catching a glimpse of the subject line of an email, would be enough to start the wheels of speculation turning in my mind. What do they want? Are they waiting on a reply? Is it urgent? It would plague my thinking so much that the only way to find relief would be to open the email, read it and perhaps reply. If you reply to some emails, you will be signalling to your colleagues that you are not really off-line and that you are willing to do work. You will later regret that you didn't take the opportunity to go "off-line" when you had it. Who knows how long it will be before you have it again?
5. Do keep ministry and private emails separate: For several years now, I have used two main email address – one for ministry and one for non-ministry. While the ministry one was disabled on all my digital devices, I could continue to receive email from family and friends as normal.
6. Do use an old phone (or change the SIM card):  If you find that you still get phone calls on your mobile phone, consider turning it off and leaving a sabbatical message on the answering machine. Alternatively, leave the phone with your wife or other family member and ask them to receive calls for you. They can explain that you are on sabbatical and give the caller options. The person screening the calls can then decide if it is urgent enough to share with you. If going away for the day, take a phone with you which contains an old pay-as-you-go SIM card and a number that only your wife knows (she can reach you if she needs to but no one else can). 
7. Do have regular and extended times of Bible reading and prayer but don't use your ministry prayer calendars: At first this may appear to be unspiritual and selfish but allow me to explain. In order to 'switch off" you need to stop thinking about the problems, people, places… that may have contributed to you needing a sabbatical in the first place. Spend lots of time in prayer but don't trigger your mind to entertain destructive thought patterns.
8. Do spend as much time outdoors as you can: I was glad to have my sabbatical during the summer months. The benefits of sunlight for the body and mind have been well documented. Fresh air, physical exercise, scenic views... all contribute to you relaxing and getting to the place where you can hear God's voice.
9. Do journal your thoughts: Going into a sabbatical, you will have many issues you are wrestling with in your mind. Your thoughts will be muddled. One of the big frustrations is not being able to accurately and sufficiently articulate what the problems are, let alone suggest solutions. Always keep a pen and moleskin nearby. At different times I felt an excitement rush over me as I formulated a sentence in my mind and rushed to grab a pen and moleskin to record it before it was forgotten. Then in the preceding days I could modify the thought, reword it and express it in a more satisfying way.
10. Don't be upset when you learn of decisions that were made during your absence: You have temporarily delegated responsibilities and you have made it clear that you do not wish to be disturbed. For your colleagues, the busyness of ministry goes on and some things can't wait until you come back. Don't get upset, learn to let go, relax and make the most of your sabbatical. 

In Sabbatical #4 I will share about the books I read and the podcasts I listened to.

A Sabbatical #2: What to do with the time

Whether you have requested a sabbatical or your organisation has insisted that you take one, you will need to decide what you are going to do with your time. A sabbatical is a gift, which gives you a unique opportunity to 'go off-line' and to pursue other goals for an agreed period of time.
Perhaps you will concentrate on studying to gain new qualifications and skills. Maybe you will write a book or travel across the world. Perhaps you just need to step back from the busyness of the day-to-day routine to rest and to find fresh enthusiasm for the task on hand. Whatever your goal, good planning will be key to having a successful sabbatical.

I formulated the purpose of my sabbatical as follows:

1. To be released for a period of three months from ministry responsibilities, in order to hear God’s voice and to re-evaluate my personal calling and how it corresponds to my current ministry* 
2. To halt a cycle which was leading to ‘burnout’ 
3. To rest and to enjoy God and His creation

* (but being careful not to create an expectation that I would make an announcement at the end of the sabbatical) 

It was decided that I should take a period of 3-months as soon as practically possible. As I had the main responsibility to organize a major conference which was happening at the beginning of May, for which I worked considerable hours of overtime, it made sense to commence the sabbatical a few weeks after the conference ended.  

I discovered a friend who was planning to be on sabbatical at the same time, so we agreed to hold each other accountable, to meet up when possible and otherwise to connect regularly by Skype or by phone.

Using the Navigators - '5 Phases of a Sabbatical', I want to show you how I structured my 12 weeks:

Phase 1: Release and Relinquish – Exiting from leadership roles and ministry responsibilities

• During this first phase you disengage from the ministry and leadership responsibilities, and you create an environment were your sabbatical plan can flourish. What 'Phase 1' looked like for me can be read here in my first posting in this series.
• The two weeks after the conference were spent completing the financials, preparing teaching notes and visuals to give to those who would teach in my place, clearing my desk and email-inbox, so that I could turn-off the computer with a good conscience.
• The transition to the next phase was made very smoothly through a special gift from a supporter which allowed us as a family to go on a weeks' holiday. This proved to be a very valuable way to shift into a different gear.

Phase 2: Rest and Recovery – Establishing margin & managing pace of life

• Wk. 1 – Wind-down, reading, tidying, DIY, preached in our church

Phase 3: Reflect and Refocus – Experiencing God and self in new or deeper ways

• Wk. 2 – Visited oneanother.com in England, where with the help of a Christian counsellor, I was able to debrief, face the reality that I was in burnout and look at various options and strategies for the future. This really helped to structure my thinking.
• Wk. 3 – Reading, journalling, listening to MP3 sermons/seminars, running, swimming, 40th birthday celebration 
• Wk. 4 – Meeting with friends in London to attend the EMA conference where we had lots of discussions on theological, church and mission related issues.
• Wk. 5 - Was a guest student at the AWM (Akademie für Welt Mission) in Korntal, Stuttgart.
• Wk. 6 - Studying, prepared and gave a presentation in class, translating, talking with other students, running... completed the AWM course.

Phase 4: Realignment and/or Restoration - Empowering for maximum contribution

• Wk. 7 – Reading, journalling, listening to MP3 sermons/seminars, physical activities, visiting friends
• Wk. 8 – Reading, journalling, listening to MP3 sermons/seminars, physical activities, visiting friends

Here I balanced the time of being alone and thinking a lot with spending time with friends. On reflection, during this phase I was giving particular attention to the areas of mind, body and fellowship.

School holidays commenced

• Wk. 9 – Stayed for a week with our boys at a children's camp in the Black Forest (my wife had this week for herself at home - a kind of "mini-sabbatical")
• Wk. 10 – Day trips with the family in the Black Forest region (including doing activities with each of the children individually) This was a good time of bonding.
• Wk. 11 – Visited my parents in N. Ireland (my father is seriously ill), met up with friends, and gave a brief (almost post-sabbatical) report in my sending church

Phase 5: Re-Entry and Re-Engagement - Engaging at right pace

• Wk. 12 – Reading, journalling, physical activities, visiting family in Germany, first look at my email-inbox since wk. 1, thinking about tasks for the coming weeks and projecting in my mind what needs to be done first.
• Wk. 13 – 8am Monday morning - went to our main office (although I often work from home) and was deliberate in interacting with colleagues and allocating time to catch up with them in their personal lives and ministry. The rest of the week has been spent re-engaging with other colleagues with whom I have a working relationship as well as prioritizing and responding to unanswered emails.

A Sabbatical #3: In the next blog, I will share some practical tips with a list of Sabbatical "Do's and Don'ts".

A Sabbatical #1: How to request it (especially for those in full-time Christian ministry)

Photo: Gavin Fordham

You probably came across this blog post because you are considering requesting a sabbatical, or you are already in the early stages of planning one. You will have many questions: Am I entitled to it? Will I be allowed it? What will people think? Who will do my work? Will I continue to receive my allowance? What will I do with the time? 

If you have questions like these, you will want to know what the first steps are to getting a sabbatical approved. More and more, organizations and businesses are realizing the value of such a time for their employees, that they actively encourage it. In my organization, the concept is not so widely practiced, so I had to do some research myself to decide on the best way to approach it. 

10 Steps to requesting and announcing a sabbatical 

1. You realize that you have come to a crossroads in you ministry and that you need to do something. Continuing with the status-quo is no longer an option. Most people request a sabbatical when they are: a) facing or considering a ministry transition; b) when they are struggling with burnout (not always 'over-work' related but often a 'frustration' because they feel they are not making a significant contribution); c) If you haven’t had a sabbatical in the last 7-10 years.
2. Talk with close family and friends about your feelings and frustrations and ask them if they recommend a "time-out". Usually it will be so bleatendly obvious to these people that you will not need to do much convincing. 
3. Talk with your church leadership (both in your sending church and the church you regularly attend). It's important that you bring them with you in your thought process, especially if a major change is being considered. 
4. Write down the reasons why you would like to request a sabbatical and also the goals you would like to achieve. When doing this, I found the Sabbatical Guidelines from the Navigators to be very helpful.
5. Request a meeting with your boss, were you gently request a sabbatical (remember you may have been thinking about it everyday over a long period of time but for him it may be a surprise and the concept may be something he has not explored).
6. Meet again to discuss the time frame and the practicalities involved. Hopefully by this stage you will have received permission.
7. Create a plan with suggestions of how to delegate your responsibilities during your abscence and get your bosses' approval. 
8. Meet individually with those who will be affected the most by your absence (e.g. co-workers). Explain your plan and seek their cooperation. Give them the tools they need (e.g. teaching notes, email access, contact information…). Cancel engagements or find replacements.
9. Make your plans known, starting with those closest to you and working out, to releasing a prayer letter. (From this point it will be common knowledge.)
10. When complete, circulate a plan to all affected, explaining who will be responsible for what during which time period. Also stress the importance that you be allowed to completely withdraw during this time (i.e. you do not wish to be contacted and you will not be checking email but setting up an automatic out-of-office reply. What others can't deal with, will have to wait.)

Successfully communicating the reason for your sabbatical to your co-workers will ensure their support and willingness to take on additional responsibilities during your absence. The peace of mind that comes with knowing you have this support will increase the effectiveness of your sabbatical.

In the next post I will talk about setting goals for your sabbatical and planning how you will spend your time. 

Mountain Biking to the highest point in the Black Forest

Today I put the new MTB through it's paces by (trying to) follow this route in the Black forest. With a total of 38 km and nearly 2000m uphill climbing, it was a challenging course with many very rewarding views. The weather was not as warm as it had been in recent weeks, so with the additional coolness that comes with the altitude, it was ideal. With 75% complete I treated myself to a bowl of spaghetti bolognese at one of the mountain restaurants.

Academy for World Mission (AWM Korntal)

As I have a lot more free time during my sabbatical I decided to take the opportunity to be a guest student at the AWM in Korntal, located on the outskirts of Stuttgart in Germany. In the photo is our class who took the 10-day MA course "Mission in Europa" with Dr. Klaus Wetzel. I thoroughly enjoyed the teaching, fellowship and the debates in class. Even though I was only auditing the course, I tried to get involved where I could. I even ended up translating German to English during the chapel services and I gave a 30 minute presentation in class on the historical and present day situation among the churches in Northern Ireland. As a result of this positive experience, my appetite for further study has definitely been whet.

10 things 'that jogger' might have wanted to say to you

Joggers see a lot of things that others remain oblivious to. From the wild animals on the trial that disappear into the undergrowth as we turn the corner, to the beautiful views that open out before us as we climb to the summit. We observe the change in colours, the sounds, the smells and feel the pockets of warm and cold air pressing on our bodies. 

We also observe your behaviour and how you react (or more often 'don't react') when you see us coming. Sometimes when I pass people I have conversations with them in my mind. So whether you are the dog walker I pass in Lurgan Park, Northern Ireland or the nordic walker I pass on one of the Black Forest trials in southern Germany, here are 10 things that I might have wanted to say to you (but didn't have the time, the energy or the will power to stop and say):

1. I have no pleasure in making you jump. I don't sneak up on you deliberately. My shoes are quiet (that's why they cost so much). I have tried every trick I can think of. I have shuffled my feet on the gravel, cleared my throat, whistled, exaggerated the noise of my breathing, even given you a wider than necessary berth... but if you are day-dreaming or have headphones in – (unless you wear one of those little rear-view mirrors on your cap peak) there's not much else I can do to stop you jumping. Sorry!
2. Please keep your dog on a lead. Your dog turned around to look at me long before you knew I was coming. He had lots of time to lock his sights on my legs and to plan his attack. I've lost track of how many times a dog has ran after me preparing to stick his teeth into my ever quicker moving Achilles tendons. I did hear you shouting "don't worry he won't bite!" But I'm sorry, I don't believe you?
3. There should be a world-wide ban on retractable dog leads. They may be practical for you, but for runners, they are a bit like a moving tripwire. It's really hard to time a jump successfully to clear it, especially when the light is fading and the legs are tired. 
4. Yes I did see you hesitate and yes I do know that you would have left it lying if you hadn't seen me coming. Dog owners with your poop-a-scoop bags – beware!
5. When five of you are walking side-by-side talking, it would be nice if you could make a little space so that I could get past without stopping or having to step into the 'dog fouling zone'.
6. When we are heading for each other on the same side of the path, I would really appreciate it if you would make the first move and give-way. I'm not saying that it is my right, but I am probably more tired than you are and I have a really good rhythm going that I don't want to break. That's all.
7. I did see you relieving yourself but I looked away and pretended not to. Next time you pick a spot thinking you have enough time before the next walker comes, go a bit further into the forest and remember, runners are faster.
8. How can you be so egoistic as to smoke a cigarette while watching a race? Can you not see that the wind is blowing your smoke across the course where people are running past and breathing in the air you have exhaled? In my book, this ranks away up among "the runners unforgivable sins". Put it out and have a bit of wit!
9. You put on far too much perfume before going out for your walk. I could smell you before I saw you. Why do you put so much on? BTW Sorry about the smell of my clothes. I do wash them but some of the odours are quite stubborn. 
10. Dear car driver, thank you so much for stopping to let me over at the pedestrian crossings. Did you know that if I have to wait, even for a relatively short time, my muscles start ceasing up. I don't know who you are but on behalf of all runners - thank you, you are amazing!

We don't know each other but the next time we make eye contact, I will try to greet you with a smile, (that is, unless I have just completed 20 km on a hot day, in which case, you will forgive me if I do not acknowledge you but simply stare at that moving spot which is fixed to the ground two meters ahead of me.) 
Who knows, maybe someday we will be able to chat for real. I'm sure you too have a list of things you always wanted to tell me.

Meeting up with Michael Kotsch

In autumn 1999, Claudia and I graduated from Brake Bible College and 5 weeks later, we were married by our year teacher, Michael Kotsch. Last week he was in the area for some teaching and it was great to have a chance to catch up with him. Thanks to Anja and Martin (left in photo) for inviting us all over for coffee. They also got married around the same time as us and there were many more couples from our class who weren't too far behind us.

EMA 2013 Pastors Conference

The Scottish-Northern Irish contingent outside Buckingham Palace.

"Faithful - living and preaching in an alien world" was the theme of this years' Evangelical Ministers Assembly which was held for the first time in the Barbican in the centre of London. The teaching was refreshing and bold and as you can see, so was the 'craic'. On the final evening, in a moment of madness, 9 baptist preachers decided to hire some bicycles and to pedal around and see some of the sights of London.
Audio from the main sessions can be downloaded here for free.