With Milissa and Jay now officially on their 14-week sabbatical, we thought it would be worth reminding us all about what a "sabbatical" is and what we can do over the next 14 weeks to join Milissa and Jay in this time of intentional rest and preparation.
What is a Sabbatical?
In Scripture God gives many commands for his people regarding rest. As with all of the commands of God, the commands regarding rest are both for his people's thriving, and their faithful reflection of who God is - a God who created and then rested. Jesus’ life, too, reflects a pattern of work and retreat.
The Hebrew word that Scripture uses for this is shabbat which means “to rest” in the sense that you would rest from your labour. It’s where we get the word sabbath. Perhaps you’ve heard of this.
It’s because of this - God’s commands and Jesus’ example - that Christians have regularly pursued practices of intentional rest including weekly sabbaths, retreats, etc. These patterns of regular rest and renewal are crucial for follows of Jesus, and especially crucial for those in ministry; those who’s work is to be living parables of Jesus.
There is another word that Scripture uses to gesture towards these patterns and rhythms of God-honouring rest - semitta - which means “fallow” and describes letting land rest by leaving it untouched for a year. By allowing land the opportunity to rest, the land iself was more nutrient-rich for the following year’s harvests.
It is this combination of shabbat and semitta where we get the idea of “sabbatical”.
The Hebrew word that Scripture uses for this is shabbat which means “to rest” in the sense that you would rest from your labour. It’s where we get the word sabbath. Perhaps you’ve heard of this.
It’s because of this - God’s commands and Jesus’ example - that Christians have regularly pursued practices of intentional rest including weekly sabbaths, retreats, etc. These patterns of regular rest and renewal are crucial for follows of Jesus, and especially crucial for those in ministry; those who’s work is to be living parables of Jesus.
There is another word that Scripture uses to gesture towards these patterns and rhythms of God-honouring rest - semitta - which means “fallow” and describes letting land rest by leaving it untouched for a year. By allowing land the opportunity to rest, the land iself was more nutrient-rich for the following year’s harvests.
It is this combination of shabbat and semitta where we get the idea of “sabbatical”.
Getting Ready...
Mike Breen, in his book, "Building a Discipling Culture", shares this description of the first-century process of growing grapes:
"At the time of Jesus' incarnation, a vine would be cultivated, planted, and left to grow for three years before being allowed to bear fruit. Every time it tried to bring forth a bunch of grapes, it would be cut back. After the third year, the grapes would be allowed to grow on their own. By then the branches were strong enough to support the weight of the grapes without breaking."
What he is describing here is a pattern of growing and pruning, productivity and rest, and it is crucial if we want to be strong enough to support the weight of fruitfulness without breaking.
As Milissa shared this past Sunday,
"We've never seen the Holy Spirit work in as profound a way as we have since we've come here. We've never led more people to accept Jesus for the first time... we've never seen these amazing, miraculous things happen like we have since we've come. God is on the move. Something is beginning...".
Something is beginning. We've been feeling it for a while, and many of you in our church family have been feeling this too. This, right now, is a season of preparation and exploration so that we can be ready for what is coming. We don't fully know the specifics of what that will look like, but we want to be ready when it comes.
Milissa and Jay are entering a sabbatical rest so that they can be ready; so that their fields can be nutrient-rich, and their branches strong enough to support the weight of fruitfulness, because we believe that a harvest is coming. What about us? What about you? What does preparation look like for us over the next several months?
"At the time of Jesus' incarnation, a vine would be cultivated, planted, and left to grow for three years before being allowed to bear fruit. Every time it tried to bring forth a bunch of grapes, it would be cut back. After the third year, the grapes would be allowed to grow on their own. By then the branches were strong enough to support the weight of the grapes without breaking."
What he is describing here is a pattern of growing and pruning, productivity and rest, and it is crucial if we want to be strong enough to support the weight of fruitfulness without breaking.
As Milissa shared this past Sunday,
"We've never seen the Holy Spirit work in as profound a way as we have since we've come here. We've never led more people to accept Jesus for the first time... we've never seen these amazing, miraculous things happen like we have since we've come. God is on the move. Something is beginning...".
Something is beginning. We've been feeling it for a while, and many of you in our church family have been feeling this too. This, right now, is a season of preparation and exploration so that we can be ready for what is coming. We don't fully know the specifics of what that will look like, but we want to be ready when it comes.
Milissa and Jay are entering a sabbatical rest so that they can be ready; so that their fields can be nutrient-rich, and their branches strong enough to support the weight of fruitfulness, because we believe that a harvest is coming. What about us? What about you? What does preparation look like for us over the next several months?
Pray. Lean In. Give.
Milissa gave us three encouragments for our own preparation during this sabbatical season. Pray, Lean in, and Give.
Pray.
Prayer is more than just asking. It is also listening, and resting, and presence. During this season, let's bring our burdens, our heartaches, our passions and desires to him; let's ask God to open doors and show us where he wants us to "therefore, go". And let's also take time - intentional time - to just sit with him, quietly, listening for his still small voice and resting in his presence. Prayer need not be another thing to do, another box to check, but rather a powerful place of sabbath rest itself.
Among other things, to sit in silence and stillness with God - to have moments where we resist the impulse to do or accomplish - is a profound act of surrender (we recognize that it is not in our own strength or effort that we work, but by the Spirit who knows what we need before a word is on our lips, and who intercedes on our behalf), and a powerful protest against the idol of productivity (that can lead to us, with the best of intentions, to rushing ahead of God in our own wisdom and will).
Taking time over the next few months to learn how to more deeply abide in Christ will ensure that we as a community are strong enough to hold and carry the harvest that is coming (John 15:5).
Lean in.
As we pray and listen to what God is calling us to, it can be tempting to do so in isolation - like it's just a question between me and God. Discernment is not just an individual activity, but is perfected in community, with each other. Over the next several months we will be talking a lot about missional engagement from lots of different angles in our Sunday gatherings - what we see God doing and where he may be inviting us - and it is crucial that we have these conversations together.
Whatever the shape of your next several months, wherever they lead you, let's not neglect to meet together (Heb. 10:25). Continue to join us in-person or online so that we are all listening and participating together. And let's not just listen, let's talk and engage with each other. Gather up with friends and share how God is moving, where you see him opening doors, and how he is working in your own life.
And if you'd like to share your story with us - the work that God is doing in your own life - check out this form that we've made to help prompt you in your own awareness and reflection. The big story that God is writing here in Thunder Bay and at Redwood is a story made up of each of our individual stories - let's share with each other.
Pray.
Prayer is more than just asking. It is also listening, and resting, and presence. During this season, let's bring our burdens, our heartaches, our passions and desires to him; let's ask God to open doors and show us where he wants us to "therefore, go". And let's also take time - intentional time - to just sit with him, quietly, listening for his still small voice and resting in his presence. Prayer need not be another thing to do, another box to check, but rather a powerful place of sabbath rest itself.
Among other things, to sit in silence and stillness with God - to have moments where we resist the impulse to do or accomplish - is a profound act of surrender (we recognize that it is not in our own strength or effort that we work, but by the Spirit who knows what we need before a word is on our lips, and who intercedes on our behalf), and a powerful protest against the idol of productivity (that can lead to us, with the best of intentions, to rushing ahead of God in our own wisdom and will).
Taking time over the next few months to learn how to more deeply abide in Christ will ensure that we as a community are strong enough to hold and carry the harvest that is coming (John 15:5).
Lean in.
As we pray and listen to what God is calling us to, it can be tempting to do so in isolation - like it's just a question between me and God. Discernment is not just an individual activity, but is perfected in community, with each other. Over the next several months we will be talking a lot about missional engagement from lots of different angles in our Sunday gatherings - what we see God doing and where he may be inviting us - and it is crucial that we have these conversations together.
Whatever the shape of your next several months, wherever they lead you, let's not neglect to meet together (Heb. 10:25). Continue to join us in-person or online so that we are all listening and participating together. And let's not just listen, let's talk and engage with each other. Gather up with friends and share how God is moving, where you see him opening doors, and how he is working in your own life.
And if you'd like to share your story with us - the work that God is doing in your own life - check out this form that we've made to help prompt you in your own awareness and reflection. The big story that God is writing here in Thunder Bay and at Redwood is a story made up of each of our individual stories - let's share with each other.
Give.
We know that God is moving - and that when we are on the Holy Spirit’s timing, doors could open at any time, and we want to be able to nimbly step through as we explore our part in this Great Commission in Thunder Bay, Northwestern Ontario, and beyond. We also know that this costs money.
At the time of this writing, our Missional Engagement Pastor, Samuel Sarpiya, is once again, up at Mishkeegogamang First Nation, continuing an exploration of what God may be inviting us to there. Indigenous Reconciliation is not about us setting the agenda and making our plans happen, but it's about rebuilding trust as we respond to their invitations. Being able to respond means not being limited by funds.
This past Sunday, we officially launched our Redwood Exploration Campaign to raise $100,000 of above-and-beyond giving that will allow us to continue to explore and respond to invitations to engage with our city, region, and beyond. We launched this campaign already half-way to our goal, and since then even more of you have responded and given above-and-beyond. Thank you for your generosity and participation!
• Learn more and support our Exploration Campaign here.
May God continue to prepare us for his amazing works and wonders as we enter this season of rest and exploration together.
We know that God is moving - and that when we are on the Holy Spirit’s timing, doors could open at any time, and we want to be able to nimbly step through as we explore our part in this Great Commission in Thunder Bay, Northwestern Ontario, and beyond. We also know that this costs money.
At the time of this writing, our Missional Engagement Pastor, Samuel Sarpiya, is once again, up at Mishkeegogamang First Nation, continuing an exploration of what God may be inviting us to there. Indigenous Reconciliation is not about us setting the agenda and making our plans happen, but it's about rebuilding trust as we respond to their invitations. Being able to respond means not being limited by funds.
This past Sunday, we officially launched our Redwood Exploration Campaign to raise $100,000 of above-and-beyond giving that will allow us to continue to explore and respond to invitations to engage with our city, region, and beyond. We launched this campaign already half-way to our goal, and since then even more of you have responded and given above-and-beyond. Thank you for your generosity and participation!
• Learn more and support our Exploration Campaign here.
May God continue to prepare us for his amazing works and wonders as we enter this season of rest and exploration together.