| “Pastor” is a deceptively simple title. Just think of the wide and contrasting roles a pastor must play. Preacher, teacher, theologian, counselor, administrator, fundraiser, and (if your church is small enough) sometimes janitor. Pastors wear a lot of hats. And trying to be the best at every one of these roles can be exhausting. Steve Cuss offers this advice to his fellow beleaguered ministers: “As pastors, we’d do well to practice the difficult art of differentiation of self—noticing when we are living under untenable internal and external expectations and clearly defining a human-sized capacity and scope for ourselves. We must learn to sift through our own false expectations and beliefs. We must toss out the hats that don’t belong on our heads and resize those that sit too low on our brows.” Read his thoughts on how pastors can find balance: Come Ye Pastors, Heavy Laden. The demands of ministry also underscore the importance of taking a break. And there’s no better break than a Sabbatical.Our resource on the topic unpacks the underestimated value of taking a ministry sabbatical. It also gives pastors guidance for making the most of a sabbatical when they do take one. | 