About the Sabbatical
On Sunday, May 28, Pastor Kenny and the elders announced that he would be taking a two-month Sabbatical in July and August of 2023 for the purposes of rest, renewal, and personal growth for him and his family. This was a request he made to the other elders earlier this year, and they have granted that request. You can hear much more about the decision through this video. Here are a few of the FAQs regarding the Sabbatical to help you better understand why we believe this to be a good thing.
If there are any questions you still have regarding the Sabbatical that these FAQs do not answer, please reach out to the elders through this email address - elders@missionwaychurch.org
FAQs
When will the Sabbatical take place?
July 2 - August 27. Pastor Kenny will preach Sunday, July 2, and return (but not preach) on August 27.
What is the purpose of a Sabbatical?
Pastor Kenny gave this description during the Member’s meeting - “It’s a tool to provide a pastor and his family with an intentional respite in order to help cultivate healthy patterns for the purpose of longevity in ministry.” A Sabbatical is not an extended vacation, nor should it be a time for a pastor to try and “cure” ministry burnout. It should be a preventative tool to ensure he stays healthy for years to come in order to faithfully serve his family and his church. Pastors and their families sacrifice much for the sake of the ministry and are glad to do so, but if we aren’t careful, this can quickly take a toll and lead to burnout. A Sabbatical is one of the many tools to help prevent this and aid in longevity in ministry.
Pastor Kenny emphasized at the Member’s Meeting that this is not a time for him to think about whether he wants to continue as the Pastor of MissionWay church — that desire has not changed. He simply desires to spend some time with his family away from his everyday ministerial duties so that he can become a better husband, father, and pastor. This is not a time for him to decide whether he should stay in ministry, but rather a way for him and his family to be refreshed and grow so that he can remain in ministry for the long haul.
What will pastor Kenny be doing during this time?
As stated above, this is not an extended vacation. He submitted a detailed plan to the elders which included the following elements:
Meeting with mentor couples (pastors and their wives) for discipleship, prayer, and accountability.
Studying books on family and ministry together with Jenna for them to both grow in these areas.
Attending a spiritual retreat with his family.
Spending some time thinking about establishing what faithfulness looks like to his family and the ministry at MissionWay. This would also be something he discusses with the elders upon his return.
Attending other churches on Sundays for spiritual refreshment and the chance to simply attend church with his family.
Creating leadership and pastoral goals for himself that will also be shared with the elders for feedback after the Sabbatical.
This will be accomplished through reading books, spending time with older, more experienced pastors, and taking an online course on productivity and leadership (which he is already enrolled in).
And yes, some downtime to be with his family without the need to run off to his ministry duties for a short time.
This means that he will not be attending MissionWay or fulfilling his normal duties during this time.
Who will cover his responsibilities while he is gone?
We are blessed with a tremendous group of elders who will step up to help fulfill much of the preaching duties during this time, but also will be inviting two guest pastors to preach in this span. As far as counseling, prayer, and pastoral care duties, much of that will also be split among the elders as well.
As far as some of the other tasks Kenny is involved in, the staff and key volunteers will be called on to help fulfill these duties. This means we may be calling on some of you and are asking that you consider how you can use your spiritual gifts to serve the church during this time. Some of the best ways you can serve are by showing up, praying for one another, praying for your pastor, and being willing to use your gifts in whatever ways you are needed. This Sabbatical can actually be a time of growth and excitement for our church if we are all willing to serve however we are needed.
What are the financial responsibilities of the church during this time?
We will continue to provide Pastor Kenny with his salary during this time and have also received funds from First Coast Churches (formerly Jacksonville Baptist Association) to help offset some of the expenses during this time such as honorariums for guest speakers.
When Pastor Kenny returns from his Sabbatical, will the members receive an update on what he was able to accomplish and gain through this Sabbatical?
Yes, this will either be in the form of a membership meeting, a video sent through email, or potentially a time during a Sunday service for him to share further.
Who should we contact with questions or needs that we would normally go to Pastor Kenny with?
You can either contact John Wilbanks or Jamie Wilbanks during this time. They will either be able to specifically help you or refer you to the person you will need to contact.