I had the chance to observe life in local church. Sometimes we all overlook important needs and theological truths. One of these times occurs when churches require a new pastor or staff member to wait one full year before receiving vacation time. Many times a minister who has earned three or four weeks of vacation is cut back to one or two. This practice is widely accepted in the business world but should not be applied in the church.
The theological truth I refer to is the truth that the Church is “universal” as well as local. When a pastor or minister moves from one local church to another, he is not changing “companies.”
If thinking biblically then you should say instead that he is moving from one branch office to another. Every local church is a part of the universal Church. A minister of the gospel is employed not by the church, but by God, right? The church, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, calls a minister. We believe his call comes from God and not from the church. The church is simply following instructions given to them by God Himself, right?
This being the case, if a minister is required to wait a year it seems the minister is deprived of vacation he has earned by his many years of service in the Church under God’s employment. If he is required to wait a full year each time he changes churches, it would seem the local church thinks it is not “one” with other churches but separate from them. That’s wrong theologically and is a philosophy adopted from the world.
The need we overlook is the need for a time of vacation. Think of how a minister’s family suffers each time a minister moves to a church with this policy. The family must give up weeks of vacation time earned and greatly needed simply because the minister was obedient in changing “branch offices.”
Jerry Wilkins
Director of missions emeritus
Tuscaloosa Baptist Association
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