Norkenzie's Sabbatical Policy

The Elders at Norkenzie have encouraged me to take a sabbatical, and I am blessed. At the beginning of this year they said that if we could work out the details in the next 18 months, that would be good. It seems clear to me that God has orchestrated the events so that the sabbatical will be sooner rather than later.

Tim Miller, a Norkenzie native who was born, raised, baptized, married and ordained here, is available to preach for me this summer. I'm so glad! As I hope you'll experience, Tim has a preaching gift and has a great heart for the Lord. It's also significant to me that he can spend this time at his home church before heading off to the next ministry that God has planned for him. As I overheard this past Sunday, "This is going to be a great summer!"

I've been asked if this was a 'forced' sabbatical. Not at all. I'm blessed to be given the opportunity to 'get off the treadmill' for a season and get recharged a bit. There is a predictable drain in ministry and, after 20 years, I feel it. I'm grateful for the chance to have my cup filled up again!

I've been asked if I'm going to leave for another church. Are you kidding me?! I love our church! This sabbatical is intended to be a blessing to me, my family and the church family. If it were detrimental to any of us, we wouldn't be making this investment. Below is the Sabbatical Policy and, as you'll see, it's pretty clear that I'm not supposed to be looking for another job! (smile) The Johnstons' roots are pretty deep here. God could move us, of course, but our desire is to serve at Norkenzie for a long, long time.

Do you have a question? Email me.

From the Personnel Policy Handbook

Sabbatical Leave - a leave of absence for personal renewal and professional advancement. During or after the seventh year of service (and every seven years thereafter) the pastor is encouraged to take a sabbatical. Norkenzie Christian Church will provide up to 3 months of paid leave for the purpose of a sabbatical.

Pastors invest in people. The sabbatical is one way for Norkenzie Christian Church to invest in the pastor! For the pastor, a sabbatical is a season without the pressure to produce. Both the pastor and Norkenzie Christian Church will be the long-term beneficiaries of a successful sabbatical.

The expectations of the pastor are:

1. Plan ahead! What will you do on your sabbatical? Where will you go to accomplish the goals of the sabbatical? How will you finance your sabbatical?
2. Equip people to lead the ministry in your absence.
3. Provide a written plan to the Elders and Senior Pastor answering the questions from #1 and the schedule of #2, with dates and names of ministry leaders.
4. It is a strong expectation of Norkenzie Christian Church’s leadership that the pastor on sabbatical not entertain job offers from other church ministries during the sabbatical.
5. A written evaluation of the sabbatical will be due the first elders’ meeting following the sabbatical. The leadership will be interested to know if the sabbatical was successful in reaching its goals.