Cross at the top of hiking trails on Camp Buckner hill. Photo taken 05-02-2018
It has been almost two weeks since I returned from my sabbatical. Many have asked me how it went, what I did, where did I go, what did I get out of it. There is really so much I would like to share but it was such a rich experience it is difficult to do in one sitting or one blog!
In this blog I will share with you about my sabbatical from the numbers perspective. Of course, my sabbatical was much more than the sum of these numbers but this approach will allow me to give you a general sense of my experience. I will conclude my blog with only one number.
Before we get to the numbers I want to express my deepest gratitude to Calvary for granting me the sabbatical, to the personnel committee for approving it and for supporting me, to the pastoral staff team who took on additional responsibilities in order to make sure ministry continued as normal, and to the rest of the staff, leaders and volunteers who always do such excellent work. I was able to enjoy my time knowing all was well back home. Thank you, thank you, and thank you again!
Here are the numbers:
- 34 years of ministry
- 6 weeks of sabbatical
- 10 cities/towns visited
- 5,555 miles traveled (3,000 by plane and 2,555 by car)
- 12 museums, monuments, cathedrals visited
- 7 very different churches visited for worship
- 112 miles walked (261,296 steps)
- 16 miles hiked
- 54 holes of golf played (24 golf balls lost!)
- 3 books read other than the Bible
- 22 books/epistles of the New Testament read
- 59 journal pages filled
- 62 hours of prayer, meditation and worship
- 33 days with one or more family members and/or friends
- 9 days of solitude
- 4,687 unread emails
Needless to say it was an active, diverse, and restful time of renewal spiritually, physically, mentally and relationally. I was able to spend time with my wife, my children, my mom, various friends and still have time alone with God to reflect and hear His voice.
The numbers above may seem a bit silly to you but the six weeks of sabbatical were very meaningful to me. In looking toward the future there are other numbers that took meaning for me. Specifically, they are years. I'm referring to the following years in particular:
2020
2024
2025
Why are these years significant?
2020: Back in our spring Church in Conference we shared what we called 2020 Vision, which is the concept of launching a multiplication movement in the Rio Grande Valley that would result in 65,000 new disciples (click on the link above to learn more about this and click here for a bibliography). This is an audacious goal!
2024: For me the year 2024 would mark 40 years in ministry. With that comes a sense of urgency and focus. I want these next 6 years of my ministry to contribute strategically to the Great Commission!
2025: Networks of believers who want to finish the Great Commission in our generation have set the year 2025 as a target. These groups include the 24:14 movement and the #NoPlaceLeft movement. The idea is that every people group on the face of the earth will have a reproducible group of disciples (church) by then. (That also happens to be the year I would turn 60 in age!)
All that to say that during my six (6) weeks of sabbatical God fanned the flame in my heart to focus meaningful and strategically for the next six (6) years as a leader who contributes to a disciple-making multiplication movement. I want what comes next to count and to be big for the glory of God.
Of course six years seems like a long time. So in the meantime, I want the next 6 days, 6 weeks, 6 months to count!
How about you? Are you in? Do you feel God mobilizing you to make His glory known in McAllen, in the Rio Grande Valley, and around the world? Will you be a part of what God is about to do? I hope so!
Sunrise at Lake Limestone. Photo taken 04-26-18
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