In my office, there’s a framed photo I see nearly every day—a turtle perched on top of an old fence post. Whenever someone notices it, they inevitably ask about it. After stating the obvious, it’s a turtle on a fence post, I will share the deeper meaning behind the photo. The message is simple: the turtle didn’t get there by itself. Someone had to place it there.

In my years of pastoral ministry, I have often wondered how I got here. How did I end up a pastor? It’s a question I return to often, especially when the weight of ministry feels particularly heavy. I believe pastors feel burdens that we constantly carry with us. We feel in a unique way the weight of our calling. James warns “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” And Jesus warns that we’d be better off drowned than to lead astray those who believe. These warnings can feel daunting at times.

We also feel the burden of the pains and struggles of the congregation. The pastoral call is one to move towards those who are in pain and are afflicted with suffering and trials. Paul’s exhortation to “carry one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2) applies to all believers, but pastors sense a unique responsibility in leading in this effort. Often, we also exist with worry about the church and her spiritual well-being, which again, the apostle Paul reveals, is par for the course if you are a minister. He writes, “And apart from these other things, there’s the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all of the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:28).

It is these burdens and others that lead many pastors to burn out and leave the ministry. A recent study shows that the average protestant pastor lasts less than 5 years in the ministry. Not good. Many studies show that pastors’ families feel neglected as the pastor is occupied with caring for the congregation. Also, not good. And most ironically, many pastors admit that while laboring to ensure that others are fed spiritually, they themselves feel malnourished, and disconnected to the God that they are serving.

So how does a church help a pastor rest, recharge and reconnect? One way that many churches do this is by offering the tenured pastor a sabbatical. It is a dedicated season of rest, approved and overseen by church leadership, where a pastor steps away from the daily responsibilities of ministry to rest and reconnect with God and family. The hope is that the pastor returns renewed, spiritually refreshed, and ready to serve with fresh vision and strength.

I am humbled and grateful that after serving our church for 11 years, the Session of Westminster has encouraged me to take a sabbatical this summer. After I preach on May 4, I will step away from all my ministry activities until August 1. During that time, I will study the Psalms in depth, read several books designed to stir up my affections for God, and spend time with my family. We will spend a month in Ayr, Scotland, where I will be preaching for a small church currently without a pastor. We also plan to visit family and enjoy time simply to rest quietly at home.

My wife Jess has researched how to make a sabbatical a time of connection and spiritual growth for the family as well. We are looking forward to seeing how God will grow our whole family closer to Him. We will deeply miss our church community, but we are very excited to get this time away together.

Like the turtle on the fence post was put there by someone else, I know that I am at Westminster because God put me here. My time at Westminster has been mostly encouraging and joyful, but pastoral ministry has left me weary and burdened. I am so thankful to serve at a church that provides a way for its pastors to recharge by resting and reconnecting with God and their families. I am excited to return to my church family in August ready to serve another 11 years!