I'm On Sabbatical!

What Does that Mean?

Today officially begins my sabbatical.

Every seven years, the pastors of our church are graciously given a sabbatical. The word sabbatical comes from the same Hebrew root as Sabbath and means “to cease.” Every seven years, our pastors are given time to cease from their normal labors in order to reflect, read, research, and rest, with the aim of becoming better pastors and serving our church more effectively. In other words, by benefiting the pastor, a sabbatical benefits the church.

In the past, I’ve used my sabbaticals to start my doctorate, write a couple of books, and do some long-range planning. One of those books I wrote while on sabbatical, Brothers, Stand Firm!, has been used continuously for the last twelve years in our leadership development efforts. I’m praying that this sabbatical will bless our church family in similar ways.

The History of Sabbaticals

In Old Testament Israel, God’s people were to rest the land every seven years (Lev. 25). Before the development of modern fertilizers, allowing the land to lie fallow greatly benefited both the land and the quality of the soil. But it also benefited the people. For a year, they ceased from the normal labors of working the land and gave their attention to working on other important things. In academia, sabbaticals are common, allowing professors to pursue in-depth research, write journal articles, engage in long-range planning, and develop new courses. What benefits the professor also benefits the university and the students. In other words, sabbaticals are not simply vacations.

My Objectives for this Sabbatical

I have several goals for this sabbatical, and I wouldn’t mind your prayers!

1. To develop with Lori a 5-year plan for our ministry at First Bible Church.

Lori and I came here in 1992 and much has happened in 34 years. We raised our children here, and they both found their spouses in our church. Today, we’re enjoying the blessing of grandchildren. We recognize that we have entered the fourth quarter of our ministry and our focus now is preparing ourselves and our church for the transition to the next generation of leadership. Realistically speaking, this will probably be my last sabbatical.

This is sometimes called “passing the baton,” a reference to a relay race in track and field. I think it’s an apt analogy here because in a relay race, there is no slowing down. The point is to maintain speed and make the handoff without losing forward momentum.

As I’ve clearly communicated over the years, I don’t know when the Lord wants me to retire, but I know I’m reaching the “retire-able” season of life. The Lord has blessed me with excellent health, but I’ve officiated enough funerals over forty years of ministry to know how quickly that can change. Lori and I want to leave First Bible Church better than when we found it, and we want prepare our church for an even greater gospel impact in the next generation.

2. To live in the Gospel of Mark for a month.

When I return from my sabbatical on August 16, I will start a new sermon series in the book of Mark. During my sabbatical, I plan to read this gospel several times, meditate on its central themes, outline its structure and plan the sermon schedule for the rest of 2026.

3. To feed my heart and mind with good books.

Here are a few of the books I plan to read during my sabbatical.

Reading stimulates my mind to think about things differently. The ideas of other people usually spur other ideas in me that I hope will benefit others. Here’s to good summer reading!

4. To equip others for ministry through writing.

Throughout the sabbatical, I’ll continue writing the weekly articles for this newsletter, though they might be shorter than usual (and I expect no one will complain about that!).

In addition, I will be writing three articles for publication at The Gospel Coalition. I’m grateful to the editors of TGC who continue to encourage my writing and add to my body of work there.

One of the articles that TGC asked me to write is a pre-release book review of In Defense of Evangelicalism: A Response to Its Cultured Despisers, by Bonnie Kristian. I’ve received an advance copy of this book which will be released in September and I’m looking forward to diving in to this important work.

I’ll also be working on a book proposal for my third book, for which I hope to find a publisher soon.

5. To be outside in physically demanding situations.

I have always, always, preferred to be outside. I think more clearly, feel healthier, and simply do better when I spend regular time surrounded by God’s creation. Recent research confirms what I’ve long suspected: spending time in nature while doing physically demanding things is good for body, mind, and soul. For me, adding calculated physical risk helps make the experience even better.

I believe God designed our bodies to work hard and spend time outdoors. When we neglect either, our physical and emotional health often suffers. When I do my annual check-up, my doctor tells me all the numbers look good and whatever else I do, I should keep riding my bike. I asked him to write that in a prescription!

So, during my sabbatical, I’ve planned some epic bike rides, including an adventure in South Dakota with my son, Josh. Countless times, I have pondered a perplexing passage of Scripture or a problem at work while on a long bike ride and eventually, the mental knot becomes untangled. I expect that to happen during this sabbatical.

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6. To travel with Lori on a “Thank you!” tour.

When we first started out in our marriage and ministry together, God used several older couples to mentor and encourage us. They may not be with us much longer and we want to see some of them, hug their necks, and thank them for their investment in us. Once again, we’ll seek their wisdom as we prayerfully prepare for the next season of life and ministry.

As you think of us over the next several weeks, would you pray that this season accomplishes everything the Lord intends? Pray that we return refreshed in our love for Christ, clearer in our direction, and better equipped to serve First Bible Church in the years ahead.

The Bateman Family (2004)

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