Okay, this is going to start with the least spiritual-sounding intro ever. You need to take your church staff on a retreat with no schedule. And by no schedule, I mean no scheduled devotions, no scheduled worship sessions, no vision-casting.
As useless as this may sound, it is vital for your team’s health. The “rise and grind” culture may be pervasive in the secular industry, but it can be found in the church, too. What is a “rise and grind” culture? It is the mentality that you need to be going 24/7, that work is praiseworthy, and rest is laziness, and that being busy even gives you bragging rights.
You and your team may not realize that you are affected by this culture until it’s too late and burnout begins to take its toll. And that’s when a completely optional, unscheduled retreat becomes necessary.
Let’s look into that together.
1. Staff Retreats Should Be a Time to Recharge
A retreat gives your team the space to relax and encourages leaders in your church to let the pressure lift off their shoulders. Sure, you will still have to make food plans and where to stay. But beyond the basics, use this time to let go of the “I need to lead the charge” mindset so many pastors have. A few days unplugged can’t hurt: This email can wait. That phone call can be returned later. You can even put your sermon prep down for a moment.
Use this staff retreat to give you and your team time to recover from burnout. Put your phone on the charger and don’t pick it up until the end of the day. We are bombarded with busy thoughts, messages, posts, requests, etc. all the time. Use this time to weed out the busyness in your mind and heart.
You can do this while being active physically (hiking, biking, surfing, walking, running, etc.), or you can do this by moving very little (sleeping, reading, watching a sunset, eating, etc.). However, you choose to spend your time, be sure to let the busyness inside you go.
2. Use This Time to Grow in Respect for Each Other
Giving your team this “no expectations” space shows the respect you have for their individual needs. Not all your team members will find team activities like icebreaker games relaxing or even fun, just like how not all your team members want to have time alone with a book.
Each of your staff members has their own different needs for recharging. When you open up a space and communicate that your team is free to recharge however they need, you create bonds of trust and understanding.
3. Staff Retreats Should Be a Time for Teams to Reset
One goal during this kind of retreat is to have a heart reset that will propel you and your team into your next season of ministry. Something about the free space can open up the mind and heart to dream and rediscover your passions for ministry.
Let your team reset in their own way and time during this trip. Remember: no pressure.
4. Use This Time to Reunite as a Team
This last point may be obvious, but a staff retreat is a chance to reunite your team. No matter how great your work culture is, there are always tensions and conflicts. A staff retreat is a way to be proactive before people become edge and tired all the time.
Now is the chance to reunite and remember why you are a team in the first place. Take this opportunity to get to know that person on staff you haven’t had the chance to connect with yet. Or maybe you find out that someone else on the team also enjoys the same hobbies you do, so you can do them together.
Rest Isn’t a Bonus But a Priority
Rest is vital. Spending time together to rest as a team does more good than you may comprehend. A staff retreat isn’t just about a one-time opportunity to recover from burnout; this is about setting a whole new culture for your staff.
Make these retreats – no matter how long or short they are – part of your routine. Once a year, take time off as a staff and just be together. You are instilling in the team that rest isn’t just a bonus but a priority. Rest should be celebrated; burnout should not. So, get some rest, and create a healthy work culture now.
