Another great guest post in the Rookie Pastor Paternity Leave series.
3 Things Your Sabbath Shouldn’t be Without
I know the temptation. Every young or rookie pastor goes through it. It’s the “If I do more and take on more and do it well, I’ll get to where I want to go quicker.” It’s easy to do… and it’s good thinking… to an extent.
Sure, as young and green pastors and leaders, we have to work hard. We have to be dedicated to our church, our people, and our God. God doesn’t excuse lazy and we’ll never get ahead with a “Just get by” attitude.
That being said, though, God did give us a command to keep the ‘Sabbath’ holy. Now, don’t get me wrong, I won’t be legalistic and say that it has to be a certain day of the week. For Pastors, it’s not Sunday because we work on Sundays… we work hard. However, God put this Sabbath command in the midst of all the other ones that we Christians consider essential. In the middle of forbidding us to kill and steal and sleep around is the command to keep the Sabbath holy.
That goes for you too… young or rookie pastor!
You and I must find a day to rest… to be… to have a Sabbath. That may look different for each of us. Each of us have a different way of being, of refreshing ourselves, and of resting up. Whatever it looks like, a good Sabbath has these 3 elements (this is my opinion, don’t go looking for these verbatim in scripture, seminary grad 
…
1. A good Sabbath lets us unplug
Simply put, we unplug from that stuff that tends to drain us. That may be your email, your twitter, your phone, your computer, your Facebook, or whatever else you that tends to drain and distract. Instead of being ‘plugged in,’ consider taking a walk outside, go on a photo walk (I love these with my iPhone!), or whatever else can take the place of this time. Fill up by unplugging.
2. A good Sabbath lets us refresh
Spiritually, physically, emotionally, whatever. Just refresh your mind and body. This doesn’t necessarily mean we do nothing, but something that relaxes us.
3. A good Sabbath lets us grow
Now, it’s important that this means we grow with Christ and hear from God, but I also believe it’s important that it allows us to grow our relationships with the people close to us. We’re meant for relationship. Nothing helps me grow and relax more so than spending time with other people… it can also help me talk through a multitude of problems that I can’t think through without thinking out loud.
Never underestimate the importance of this time in your week.
It’s so important.
Guard this time, schedule this time, and value this time.
Any other suggestion for good Sabbath stuff?
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Jonathan Pearson is a millennial determined to leave the world in better shape than he found it. He is the Communications and Online Campus Pastor at Cornerstone Community Church and Assistant Director of The Sticks. Jonathan is also the co-creator of MillennialLeader.com. He is married to Melissa and the two live in Orangeburg, S.C.
Find Jonathan online at JonathanP.us and JonathanPearson.net
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Thanks so much for your thoughts. To add to the discussion….I just wrote an article on the same topic!: #Stumin: 3 common reasons why we break the sabbath over here –
http://www.jeremypostal.com/index.php/2012/07/19/stumin-3-common-reasons-we-break-the-sabbath/
Good stuff. Thanks Joe!
Good post, Jonathan. I think Mark 2:27 is the critical verse when it comes to this sort of thing. Jesus reduced the Sabbath to its essential principle, by reminding the Pharisees that the Sabbath was made to serve Man. Especially when it comes to ministry, we may not have the option of strict adherence to a particular day, but we can always practice the Sabbath. The priests in the Temple didn’t stop burning incense or the other priestly work on the Sabbath — and the Hebrew word for their work, avodah simultaneously meant worship.
Great point here, Chad