Closing thoughts on sabbatical

Maybe you’ve had this thought…”What if I had an extra million dollars? What would I do with it?” Ok, honestly, I’ve had that thought more than once!! After I think about all the fun things I’d like to do, I remember that I also have to steward the resources well. It really doesn’t take the fun out of dreaming – it’s just a reminder that with an abundance of any precious resource, one must steward it with wisdom, partnering with God in how its “spent.”
So what would you do if you had eight weeks of negotiable time? Your “job” was to take the time and spend it wisely. Can I just be equally honest and say what a great church this is to work for? Recently, the leadership of the church allowed me an extended period of time (a precious resource) to “sabbatical” (which is related to the word “Sabbath”). The purpose of the sabbatical is to provide an intentional break from the demands of ministry not only for refreshment but to actually pay attention to God in His leading, affirmation, instruction, and the gracious revealing of what’s in my heart.
With children still in the house, I knew that this sabbatical was going to look different than if Kay and I were empty nesters. So I simply entered in with a flexible spirit that said, “Lord, lead me in this intentional time off. Let me remain open and attentive to your Spirit.” What I found was that God took me on an incredible journey that restored my soul.
Each day during the week, I spent the morning hours reading Galatians in reflection and contemplation, praying back to God what He had stirred in my heart. Like many of you who are participating each day in “The Word of the Lord”, it was such an honest time of renewing my desire to hear from God’s Word. The time was less of analyzing the text I was reading looking for principles, but reading and letting my mind “settle” on the reality of God and praying this back to Him in gratitude.
The balance then of the morning was spent in an activity that was incredibly refreshing! I used the time to study about a past saint, who, in my opinion, might be the finest Christian preacher/shepherd/philosopher in the history of our country. I had always had this initial impression of Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) as an uptight “hell, fire, and brimstone” preacher. In fact, when high school students are required to read the sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” I think that a certain injustice is done to Edwards and to God. Most students read it and walk away with a sense that both Edwards and God are angry, ticked off at people confirming all the biases people have against religion. Christianity in general appears stifling, heavy handed, focusing purely on obedience to a code and performance.
What I discovered was a whole different side to Edwards as a caring shepherd of his Northampton, MA flock. But there was another side to Edwards that emerged. I remember J.P Moreland in a seminary class describing how there was a day when the local pastor was the preacher and shepherd as well as the local philosopher and theologian. It was studying Edwards that I began to see his absolute theological and philosophical brilliance. Much of my sabbatical was spent reading and working to understand Edwards’ thoughts on the centrality of the heart and the will in life, human freedom, and “revival” or “awakening”. I was captured by the history of the First Great Awakening here in the U.S. and the role young adults played in its emergence!
How am I returning to ministry? As I reflect back on the past eight weeks, I feel reinvigorated with a new sense of energy for a group of people in our church that are absolutely critical to the well-being of our church but more important in God’s Kingdom. Edwards models this picture of the pastor/shepherd/teacher who was very comfortable not only with the subjects of theology and philosophy but also an awareness that everything flows out of the heart. A good picture of what pastors of college ministry should concern themselves with as it relates to their "flock."