BURNOUT AND PRACTICAL SABBATICAL LEAVE POLICIES

Statistics about Burnout – Barna Research

• 1,500 pastors and ministry leaders leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their churches.

• 50% of pastors’ marriages will end in divorce.

• 80% of pastors and eighty-four percent of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors.

• 50% of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but most have no other way of making a living.

• 80% of seminary and Bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave the ministry within the first five years.

• 70% of pastors constantly fight depression.

• 70% said the only time they spend studying the Word is when they are preparing their sermons.
  
  

Signs of Burnout

The following are indicators that ministry leaders are heading toward burnout, if not already there. Sadly, we too often become so focused on our tasks and responsibilities that we fail to see these warning signs until it is too late.

• Unusual mood swings that may include weeping without just cause, anger, or depression

• Exhaustion

• Paranoia and suspicion

• Weight change, including gain or loss

• Moments of panic and feeling totally overwhelmed

• Fantasizing about dying or running away to get away from the pressure

• Fight-or-flight cycles where you rise up to intimidate and conquer others or run away from difficulties just to avoid them

• Insomnia, including difficulty falling asleep or remaining asleep, which can lead to a reliance on sleeping pills

• Too frequent use of alcohol or tobacco

• High blood pressure

• Comforting yourself with unhealthy foods packed with fat, sugar, and simple carbohydrates

• General irritability

• Reckless driving

• Change in sexual desire of either noticeable increase or decrease

• Notable ongoing sexual temptation

• Health-related issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, heart trouble, chronic sickness, and stomach problems including ulcers

• A victim mentality that sees the world as against you and everyone as an enemy to varying degrees

• Shopping sprees and unnecessary financial spending

• Reliance on caffeine to self-medicate

• Children, friends, and loved ones begin to feel like another burden

If this is a true reflection of the state of our pastors and leaders, it should not be a question as to whether or not sabbaticals are taken – but how often.

Sabbatical Leave Policy Ideas

A sabbatical leave policy can include:

1. A purpose statement – Explain why the organization chooses to encourage and allow sabbaticals.

2. Criteria for approval – Create specific criteria to take the leave – for example, tenure, church position, educational needs.

3. Length of leave – Clearly specifies the expected length of the leave. For instance, set a length of weeks, months or even a year.

4. Goals of sabbatical – Articulate what goals the organization has for the person taking the leave from ministry and the church’s expectations of the employee leave experience.

5. Frequency of eligibility – Seven years is common for sabbatical leaves – but due to the nature of the ministry, more or less frequent eligibility may be appropriate.

6. Application approval process – Outline what the application/proposal should include, the timing and notice of request – as well as the approval process, should be clearly defined in the policy. For instance, determine how much notice (number of months) the church needs to prepare for a leave.

7. Timing considerations – Clearly articulate those church events that would conflict with sabbatical approval. For instance, if Christmas is a busy time of year, clearly state that sabbaticals are not allowed during the Christmas season.

8. Responsibility coverage – Should include identification of who will take the temporary responsibilities and designated preparation time to ensure a smooth transition.

9. Funding – The policy should provide information for how much of the sabbatical will be funded above and beyond the continuation of wage and benefit compensation.  

This would describe the kinds of expenses that would and would not be covered. For instance, clarify if sabbatical funding will include compensation for travel or continuing education expenses.

10. Vacation time considerations – Articulate if vacation time is considered or not considered part of the leave hours.

11. Sabbatical summary – Explain the kinds of information the governing body requires from the employee upon returning from a sabbatical.