Most pastors say they’re on call 24/7. In these circumstances, the need for Sabbath is great, but is it realistic for pastors?
By Mike Minter
Having pastored for 47 years at the same church, I know the ups and downs of ministry. I know the anxiety, fear, second-guessing, and rejection that comes with the job. I also know the great joy of seeing conversions, prodigals returning, and marriages healed. Oh, the joys and sorrows.
In these circumstances, the need for Sabbath is great, and more than 2 in 3 pastors (64%) say it’s important for them to practice consistency in taking a Sabbath. So, what does Sabbath mean? This is a day of rest by abstaining from work. The Jews acknowledged this from Friday evening to Saturday evening. Protestant denominations today generally observe the Sabbath on Sundays. But today’s pastor is often overwhelmed on Sunday. Preaching demands, hospital visits (particularly if you have little staff), along with other emergencies engage our time.
Let’s step into the life of a pastor. I don’t want this to be a pity party, but I want to pull back the curtain and consider why the pastor must have a day of rest. All vocations are hard—just in different ways. I spoke to my barber the other day and asked if the job was difficult. She said it affects every bone in your body. Your feet ache at the end of the day, and your wrists are vulnerable to carpal tunnel syndrome. Your back aches, and because your arms are lifted up, you often experience rotator cuff tears. Who would have thought?
The unique role of pastor
Most pastors (71%) say they are on call 24/7, and this is an especially common feeling for pastors of small churches. The emotional seesaw has ups and downs and takes a toll. You do a wedding one day and a funeral the next. You counsel and pray your advice solves the problem. The criticism, at times, can be overwhelming. A businessman deals with all the problems attendant with running a business but never has to deal with music, doctrinal, or moral issues. This can be taxing on the mind, soul, and body.
“Most pastors (71%) say they are on call 24/7, and this is an especially common feeling for pastors of small churches. The emotional seesaw has ups and downs and takes a toll.” — Mike Minter Share on XHere’s another peek behind the curtain. Your wife and children must be above reproach, or the judging crowd will come out in droves. The pastor’s wife hears lots of criticism about how the church is falling behind in this ministry or that. A businessman’s wife is of little concern to the business. But a pastor’s wife is everyone’s concern. I don’t want this to be us versus them, but the truth is, the vocation of a pastor is more than unique. Our job is to tell our people how bad they are and make them feel good about it. The balancing act is tough.
Enough griping, but I wanted to give you a picture of why a pastor needs Sabbath rest. And I don’t think it always has to be on Sunday. That might be impossible. The point is this: The pastor needs a day of real rest, and so does every person in the congregation.
Thoughts from a pastor on practicing Sabbath
Here are some things I’ve learned along the way about how to execute a Sabbath plan for pastors.
1. Your personality plays a big role in how you execute this. I’m an off-the-charts extrovert. I get great energy from being with people, but not everyone does. So, my rest may look different from yours.
2. Monday was always my major day of rest, which often included having people over for dinner or being with the family.
3. If you’re married, your spouse must be on board. Sometimes the pastor gets lots of attention and the wife is left to find her own friends and social life. There needs to be rest for both.
4. To have proper rest, the pastor must intentionally disengage from church duties. I love to meditate. I often do this on long walks. This gives me a chance to prioritize and catch my breath.
“To have proper rest, the pastor must intentionally disengage from church duties.” — Mike Minter Share on X5. The pastor must, from time to time, ask his wife how she’s doing. If she doesn’t want to put more pressure on him, she may hide her feelings. However, this will only add to the stress and will reveal itself at some point and often in anger. I’ve been blessed with a great wife, but there were times she would say to me, “We need to get away.”
6. All people have a body, soul, and spirit. We need to take care of all three. When the body is tired so becomes the soul and spirit. All three are connected. “For the training of the body has limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8, CSB).
7. Ministry is unique in its struggles, and we are in a great battle (Ephesians 6:12).
8. To be a good pastor, you’ll need the strength of an ox, the daring of a lion, the harmlessness of a dove, the gentleness of a sheep, the vision of an eagle, the perspective of a giraffe, the endurance of a camel, the stomach of a horse, the faithfulness of a prophet, the fervency of an evangelist, the tenacity of a bulldog, the wisdom of an owl, the industry of a beaver, the head of a scholar, the hide of a rhinoceros, the heart of a child, and the devotion of a mother. Is it any wonder why pastors need Sabbath rest?
For permission to republish this article, contact Marissa Postell Sullivan.
