Seven Lessons from Seven Weeks Away

This year our church turned seven years old. In that time, we’ve grown from a startup into an established church with a vision to multiply. As the calendar turned to 2026, it was time for me to take a sabbatical from my role as Lead Pastor of Hill City Church.

Over the past seven weeks away from day-to-day ministry, the Lord met me in powerful and personal ways. Below are seven of the most significant lessons He taught me during this season. I hope these insights shape my return to ministry and influence our culture for years to come.

1. Life (Even for Christians) Is Full of Highs and Lows

On the first day of my sabbatical, I wrote down the most significant moments from the last seven years of ministry. Next to each one, I drew either a smiley face (for the celebrations) or a sad face (for the hardships).

What struck me was this: for every celebration, there was also disappointment. Even many of the highlight moments were preceded by pain, conflict, or difficulty. The journey to something beautiful often included seasons of struggle.

As long as my joy and peace are tied to circumstances, life will feel like a roller coaster. But when my foundation is Christ, I can experience joy even in sorrow and a peace that truly surpasses understanding. That doesn’t mean pretending hard things are easy. It means inviting God into the pain and allowing Him to help and heal when life gets difficult.

2. Everyone Is Busy

I spent about half of my sabbatical at home. The kids were in school during the day, and I filled my time with journaling, reading, and running.

For the first time in years, I felt genuinely bored.

When you’re not going to work and everyone else is, it’s surprisingly difficult to fit into people’s schedules. I imagine this is what many retirees experience. Everyone is busy.

While reading The Contemplative Pastor by Eugene Peterson, I was struck by his emphasis on being “unbusy.” It exposed something in me. When I’m in my normal routine, I can be hard to access. I can be unavailable—not just to people, but at times even to God.

This season reminded me how important it is to slow my pace, build margin, and make intentional space for relationships.

3. I Don’t Have What It Takes (But Jesus Does)

One question lingered in my mind throughout the sabbatical: Do I have what it takes to lead our church into this next season?

It didn’t take long to answer honestly: no.

My skills, knowledge, and experience can only take us so far. And that’s actually the point. God regularly calls us into assignments that exceed our capacity so that we learn to depend on His.

My confidence in returning to ministry isn’t rooted in my own ability. It’s rooted in the promise that God is with me and will give the grace I need for each day and every new challenge.

4. Jesus Doesn’t Need Me—He Wants Me

This realization builds on the previous one. If I don’t have what it takes, why serve at all? Because serving Jesus isn’t about earning approval or fulfilling obligation. It’s about invitation.

He doesn’t need me to accomplish His purposes. But He graciously invites me to participate in His kingdom work. And there’s something deeply meaningful about being wanted.

I kept picturing elementary school recess—standing on the playground, hoping to be picked for the team. There’s joy in being chosen.

I wonder if that’s how the first disciples felt—ordinary, untrained men invited by Jesus into something extraordinary. Serving Christ isn’t driven by guilt; it’s fueled by gratitude.

5. Prioritize Enjoyment Over Performance

I can be intensely results-driven. I love achieving goals and performing well—whether in ministry or in running (my favorite hobby).

As I thought about the years ahead, I realized something: I may slow down physically over time, but I want to be a lifelong runner. If that’s going to happen, I can’t obsess over mile splits and race times. I have to run because I love it.

The same applies to ministry.

I don’t want to grind through another seven years fueled only by outcomes and metrics. I genuinely love what I get to do. A simple shift in mindset—choosing enjoyment over performance—can be the difference between joy and burnout.

6. Prepare, Don’t Overplan

While on sabbatical, I listened to a podcast from Craig Groeschel. He shared that early in ministry, he would create detailed five-year plans for his church. Almost every time, five years later, they weren’t anywhere near where he had planned.

Over time, he realized something important: it’s better to build margin for God-given opportunities than to allocate every resource to a rigid plan.

I still believe planning matters. But I want to hold those plans loosely. More than executing a perfectly crafted strategy, I want to discern God’s will season by season and be ready to say “yes” when He opens a door.

7. Pastors Need to Be Part of the Church

Another book I read on sabbatical was Dangerous Calling by Paul David Tripp. One central takeaway: many pastors lead the church but fail to see themselves as part of the body.

That hit home.

I need the “one another” commands of the New Testament just as much as anyone else. I need encouragement, confession, accountability, and care.

During my sabbatical, we visited a different church each Sunday. It was encouraging to see how God is moving in different contexts. But something was missing. We weren’t just visiting churches—we were temporarily disconnected from the community we’ve committed our lives to.

One thing that anchored me was continuing to attend my men’s Bible study whenever I was in town. And interestingly, it felt like a “get to” rather than a “have to.” That shift in perspective meant a lot.

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These seven lessons are only the beginning. My journal is filled with prayers, reflections, and ways I sensed God speaking throughout these weeks.

I’m deeply grateful for this sacred time away. I trust it will bear fruit—not just for me personally, but for our church—for years to come.

Which of these lessons resonates most with you? I’d love to hear in the comments.

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