Taking time to rebuild our physical, emotional and spiritual vitality after lengthy and strenuous periods of ministry is good stewardship of resources God has supplied for the building of his Kingdom. Long-term assignments that remain dynamic and effective are more likely to serve the goals of the Conference and local congregations than short term assignments. Sabbaticals replenish reserves. On-going emotional and spiritual pressures that deplete reserves of energy and ambition are a normal component of senior ministry assignments. While days off and regular vacations help to replenish these reserves in the short term, such breaks are usually not enough to maintain vitality in ministry for the long term.
Prevention is better than cure.
Ministering persons should not be expected to have to either negotiate a sabbatical or resign at a point in their ministries where they are approaching burnout. Entering a sabbatical on the verge of burnout limits the effectiveness of such time away since the focus will then be on recovery instead of replenishing reserves - on cure instead of prevention. The experience of resigning because of burnout is demoralizing to the ministering person and often a deterrent to re-entering ministry in the future. Vision can sometimes best be renewed from a distance. Working year after year in the same context can sometimes serve to dim the vision of where the ministry could be going.