The benefits of observing a weekly Sabbath cannot be overstated. This is an essential practice for any pastor who wants to wisely manage his time, ministry, and family life. If you aren’t currently taking a Sabbath, please trust us and give it a try. You’ll be amazed by how following God’s prescription for rest—even if he took a day off after working six—can revolutionize your life. Here are a few ideas about how to make the most of your Sabbath:

• Block it out on your calendar every week. This may be the most important single thing you do. If you don’t make your Sabbath a part of your schedule, it will get crowded out by other, more urgent things. Decide which day will be your Sabbath and stick to it, no matter what.
• Enlist your staff in helping you keep your Sabbath. Let everyone who works with you know that you will not be available on that day.
• Ensure that your staff members also keep a weekly Sabbath. Everyone needs it. We suggest making Sabbath observance mandatory.
• Inform your family of your plan to take a weekly Sabbath. They will appreciate what you’re doing. Let them hold you accountable for keeping your commitment.
• Guard your Sabbath as though your life depends on it—because it does. Don’t let anything usurp your day of rest.
• God gave us the gift of the Sabbath for our own good. We are called to follow his example, work hard at what he has called us to the other six days, and then take the time we need to rest and renew our reserves. We don’t have time not to.

God gave us the gift of the Sabbath for our own good. We are called to follow his example, work hard at what he has called us to the other six days, and then take the time we need to rest and renew our reserves. We don’t have time not to.

– Nelson Searcy and Richard Jarman

The above excerpt is from p. 44 of The Renegade Pastor’s Guide to Time Management. 

Time is your most important God-given resource no matter how hard you work, you can’t make a day last longer than twenty-four hours. By mastering a set of proven time-management principles, you can regain control of your life. It is possible to manage your time so that you can stay on top of the never-ending demands of being a pastor, nurture your congregation, spend quality time with your family, and take care of your physical and emotional needs. Become the pastor God has called you to be.

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Your partner in ministry,

Nelson

© Nelson Searcy. All Rights Reserved.

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.