One third of the way through a 3 month sabbatical and I feel as though I am still relearning how to relax and what is really important in life. I can hardly remember how many years it has been since I took a two week full blown vacation. This is really embarrassing!!! How overly important do we view ourselves. It is more than the world can bear to live without us for two consecutive weeks. I am assuming that this must have been my thinking since I cannot remember taking a full two week vacation in over 30 years. For the last 8 years I couldn't take two consecutive Sunday's off because of the church's need to hear me teach, or maybe it was my need to feel needed? Do we have an overly inflated view of ourselves, and our personal importance? I think maybe the answer is yes.
Paul said in Rom. 12:3 nkj For I say, through the grace given to me, to every man among you not to think to highly of himself than he ought but to think soberly as God has dealt to each man a measure of faith.
None of us have it all. None of us know it all, and none of us are indispensable. Only Jesus Christ is indispensable but we all want to be needed. Does this create a conflict within us? Could this verse have been intended for today's pastors? We don't think we are indispensable but we live like we are. At least I did. We live like that until we are worn down and burned out. How often does your Pastor take a break? Is vacation a dirty word? How often do we actually take a Sabbath? If we don't need a regular break then why does even God Himself take one during the creation week? I don't know about you but I was living my life with very little margin. Taking a 3 month sabbatical has helped me realize this because I am learning how to relax all over again. I think that we all need a regular adjustment of our view of our place in this world. He is God, not me.
A few years ago I began to notice that a lot of the really big names were developing multi-campus ministries. You had to have more than one location. The first ones were really time consuming. Preach at your mega church in the morning on the east coast and then fly to New York or California to preach in the evening. Hearing my voice is so critical for your success in life that I must spend hundred's of thousands in travel expenses and the cost of building a completely functional second church in another city. One thing is clear when you read the book of Acts, and that is that the local church was local. The Apostle Paul invested his life raising up Timothy's that he could assign to help the people of God in other cities. I guess there just isn't anyone living in California or New York who could effectively lead and feed God's people, or is it just another case of us thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought to. I believe that it's time for God's people to ask "who is indispensable?"
It's long overdue for all men of God to check their ego's at the door. Only Jesus is indispensable.
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