New Pastor Sabbatical Grant Program announced

The Texas Baptists Center for Ministerial Health is pleased to announce the creation of a new program, the Pastor Sabbatical Grant Program. The program, which will be led by director of Ministers Financial Health Tammy Tervooren, aims to assist and encourage churches in providing sabbatical for their pastors.

The grant was first announced during the 2021 Texas Baptists Annual Meeting.

The grant is a response to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen pastors experiencing higher rates of burnout, increased stress, and difficulties in finding time to unplug from the demands of ministry. The grant program will help churches make a pastoral sabbatical possible by providing financial support of up to $2,000 for churches to employ an interim in the pastor’s absence and providing travel and financial assistance for the pastor.

“Pastors experiencing burnout are more likely to leave the ministry. We want to support pastors and help churches in providing rest and renewal for their pastors by providing the funds and resources needed to make a sabbatical financially possible and beneficial for the congregation and the pastor,” Tervooren explained.

In addition to receiving funds, pastors and churches will also have access to free pastoral counseling and resources to ensure that they have a beneficial sabbatical experience.

Churches must be affiliated with Texas Baptists, contribute a minimum amount annually to the Texas Baptists Cooperative Program and submit a short essay to be eligible for the grant program. A grant committee will review grant applications and select grantees based on eligibility criteria and essay responses. Churches will be notified of grant approval/denial within two weeks of application submission. Applications will be accepted through the end of 2022 or until funds are no longer available.