ECFA is grateful for this Knowledge Center resource authored by Mindy Caliguire, founder and president of Soul Care. Learn more about Mindy’s work to cultivate soul health among leaders and those they serve at SoulCare.com.
In recent years, something significant has been stirring beneath the surface of ministry leadership. More and more pastors and nonprofit leaders around the world are learning how to step away—not in resignation, but in rest. They’re choosing sabbaticals.
I’ve seen a noticeable rise in requests to Soul Care for sabbatical guidance, and I’ve had the privilege of walking closely with many senior leaders as they pause their daily responsibilities to pursue a reset. Some arrive at this threshold exhausted, burned out after relentless demands…especially since 2020. Others aren’t in crisis, but they’ve recognized an invitation from God: to embrace a different rhythm, one that makes space for the soul to breathe.
When planned well, sabbaticals “allow the ground to lie fallow.” Then, in that stillness, something beautiful happens: clarity returns, strength is restored, and new things begin to grow.
This is a good trend. Visionary churches and organizations are no longer treating sabbatical as an emergency response. Instead, they’re weaving it into the fabric of their culture: codifying it in HR policies, budgeting for it in advance, and championing it as an investment—instead of perceiving it as a threat.
In the marketplace, Adobe, Salesforce, and Zillow are companies that have been leading the way with sabbaticals embedded in their values and benefits.?While their goals may be retention and innovation, ministries are called to an even deeper aim: the flourishing of God’s Kingdom life… both within us and through us into the organizations we serve.
Because here’s the truth: the health of your leader is inseparable from the health of your mission.?
That’s why ECFA’s new Excellence in Leader Care accreditation standard is such a timely development. It names what many of us have long known—ministry boards must take responsibility for caring for their senior leaders, particularly in times of intentional rest.
So, what makes a sabbatical truly successful? Not just for the leader, but also for the team and the mission?
It starts with how the board supports the sabbatical... before, during, and after.
Here are five ways your board can ensure a sabbatical becomes a true path to renewal. Not just time off, but time apart. And don’t miss the sixth bonus recommendation… that one had to be added!
1. Support Their Soul, Not Just Their Schedule
Boards hold a sacred opportunity. They can affirm a leader’s worth, not just his or her work. This begins with prayer before, during, and after the sabbatical.
But soul-level support can take more tangible forms, too. Think handwritten notes, given at intervals. Gentle reminders that they are loved and valued, not for what they do, but for who they are in God.
As Dr. Shirley Hoogstra wisely observed, “Staying firm in one’s faith is not an individual endeavor but a team sport.” Your leader needs to feel surrounded, even in their absence.
2. Plan the Logistics, Protect the Leader
Yes, sabbaticals need solid planning. Clarified roles. Delegated authority. Smooth operations.
But logistics are only part of the story.
Your responsibility includes protecting your leader from being pulled back in. That means clear boundaries that are communicated in advance. It means letting your team know: this time is sacred. Then treating it that way.
3. Invest Financially in Their Renewal
I’ve served on boards that chose to provide extra funds during a sabbatical to support travel, rest, or deeper formation experiences. Consider a one-time grant to support a sabbatical coach, spiritual direction, counseling, or retreat expenses. And even if budget constraints are real, the board often has access to non-cash resources.?
The return on this kind of investment isn’t always immediate... but it means the world to a leader that their board has their back for true reset.?
Their life itself matters… the life that sustains the good work they do.?
4. Connect Them with Outside Guides
Time alone can bring rest. But time invested with the right people? That’s where transformation happens.
Help your leader develop a sabbatical plan that includes time with trusted voices: spiritual directors, coaches, or therapists who understand burnout recovery and soul care.
5. Champion Their Absence
A sabbatical is a trust-fall. A prophetic declaration that says, God leads this ministry, even when I’m not here to do it.
So encourage your leader to truly be gone.
No emails. No last-minute texts. No board reports.
We have many stories of leaders who buy burner phones for their sabbaticals—only one elder or board member are given their temporary number in case of dire emergency. This may seem radical, but in some cases it is totally understandable.
Boards, your tone sets the tone. Let your leader know: We celebrate the good work you’ve already done, and now we honor your rest. We will be praying for you that this time would both restore you and prepare you for greater things ahead.?
Bonus Tip: Re-Engage Intentionally, Not Transactionally
The re-entry moment is a meaningful opportunity to revisit the core values behind the sabbatical: trust, soul health, and sustainable leadership.
This isn’t a performance review. It’s a listening space. A time to hear what surfaced during their time away, and to affirm that the sabbatical itself was the “result.” No one should feel the pressure to return with a project or program to prove the time was well spent.
Remember, the fallow ground is the work. A quieted and grounded soul is the fruit.
Before the sabbatical even begins, set aside time for a thoughtful re-entry conversation.
Supporting the Mission
Sabbatical is resistance against relentless pace, the pressure to perform, and the slow erosion of the soul.
As a board, you have a real role to play.
When you prioritize the soul of your leader, you’re not just caring for one person... you’re shaping the future of the ministry they lead.