Demystifying the Sabbatical: What It Is, Why Leaders Fear It, and Why You Can't Afford to Skip It

Sabbatical gets misunderstood, feared, and misused — and most leaders either wait too long to take one or avoid it altogether. In this episode, Alan joins Andrew Estes on the Nexus Church Planting Podcast for a conversation that cuts through the baggage and gets honest about what a sabbatical actually is, why boards resist it, why church planters think they can't afford it, and why the leaders who take it well come back with more vision, more creativity, and more fire than they've had in years.

If you've ever thought sabbatical is for someone else, someone further along, someone with a bigger team — this one is for you.

What You'll Learn:

• The difference between micro, medium, and macro rest — and why you need all three to lead sustainably
• Why sabbatical is not discipline, not a vacation, and not an escape — and what it actually is
• The abundance vs. scarcity mindset that determines whether a leader can truly rest
• Why boards and congregations fear sabbaticals — and how to address every one of those fears honestly
• The surprising truth about sabbatical as a leadership development tool for your entire team
• Why church planters can't afford to wait — and what to start doing now even if you're only three years in
• The six R's framework Alan uses to help leaders prepare well and waste nothing
• "Don't resign, redesign" — what it looks like to come back from sabbatical ready for the next decade

Key Insight:

You are not as valuable as you think — and that's actually great news. Sabbatical forces the leadership development your team needs, creates the empowerment you've been meaning to build, and reminds you that God was never depending on you to hold it all together in the first place.

Reflection Question:

What's your honest excuse for not pursuing sabbatical right now — and is it rooted in scarcity thinking or genuine wisdom?

This episode originally aired on the Nexus Church Planting Podcast. We're grateful to Andrew and the Nexus team for sharing it with the H2 community.

Connect with Nexus:

Full episode: https://www.nexus.us/episode/06-alan-briggs--demystifying-sabbaticals

Website: https://www.nexus.us

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nexus-church-planting-podcast/id1838803043

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd5AMLFOOTjdiQ8wiwMW51Q I

nstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nexus_church_planting/

Resources Mentioned:

The Sabbatical Journey Field Guide — available on Amazon

Sabbatical Coaching Group — sabbaticalcoachinggroup.com

Lilly Foundation Clergy Renewal Grants — lillyfoundation.org