Pastoral Leadership Team Test Drives The Shepherd’s Rest

The LBC Pastoral Leadership Team is announcing a new initiative to curtail pastoral burnout. Employing a collaborative methodology, The Shepherd’s Rest is an opportunity for a local church pastor to experience a sabbatical while the pastoral leadership team oversees the preaching and pastoral ministries of the church.

“We’re “test driving” The Shepherd’s Rest,” said Stacy Morgan. “This November, Pastor Randy Bourgeois at Raceland, First Baptist Church, is allowing us to serve in his place while he takes a spiritual sabbatical.”

“It is like I am serving a short interim for them during November at no cost to the church,” added Morgan. “This allows them to give their pastor the time off with full compensation without being a financial burden to the church. This church has experienced the loss of its facility during the storms and as you might imagine the level of post-trauma stress is elevated.”

“People in other professions take extended time away and pastors ought to be encouraged to do so too,” said Mac MacDowell, deacon and volunteer worship leader at FBC, Raceland.

Based on the Mark 6:31 passage “And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while,” the Pastoral Leadership Team designed this initiative to give a pastor a brief sabbatical with the assurance that the church he serves has pastoral oversight.

“Spiritual burnout of pastors is a genuine area of concern for churches,” says Morgan. “The Shepherd’s Rest affords an extended time of rest in order that a pastor can be revitalized by the Spirit of God.”

• The Shepherd’s Rest ministry provides:
  • * An opportunity for an extended time of leave to pastors, regardless of church size. This opportunity to rest, study, pray, and refocus his ministry is a privilege typically available only in larger churches and some theological institutions.
  • * Experienced pastoral leadership for the church during the sabbatical period.
  • * A plan that avoids any added financial burden on the church.
  • * A new avenue of cooperation between churches, associations, and the Louisiana Baptist Convention.
    According to Morgan there are some basic prerequisites for a church and pastor who desire to participate in The Shepherd’s Rest initiative:
  • * The pastor has served at his present church for at least three (3) years and commits to spend the time away wisely to pursue personal revitalization.
  • * The church commits to pray for their pastor and provide full compensation to their pastor during the interim period.
  • * Cooperation – as part of the LBC/Church/Pastor partnership, the church must be willing to allow a Cooperative Program presentation during the sabbatical ministry.

If a church chooses to participate and contacts the Pastoral Leadership office, the team commits to enlist a Sabbatical Pastor who provides pastoral leadership during the pastor’s leave without the expectation of remuneration from the congregation.

“Without the help of the LBC our church couldn’t afford to give our pastor time away with full pay,” said Vicki MacDowell, member of FBC, Raceland and legal secretary. “It means a lot to a smaller south Louisiana Baptist church that the Louisiana Baptist Convention would partner with us to bless our pastor.”

Meg Gilcrease, also a member at FBC, Raceland, said, “Our pastor is so faithful to pray. I’m confident he will use his sabbatical time to do more praying.”

To request more information on The Shepherd’s Rest, contact Stacy Morgan of the Pastoral Leadership Team of the Louisiana Baptist Convention at 318.449.4293 or stacy.morgan@lbc.org.