Pastor Bryan will be taking a planned every-five-year sabbatical from April 29th to July 28th. Sabbaticals are a time to refresh, rejuvenate, and gain knowledge or experience that requires an extended period. Different guest preachers, along with Trinity elders, will cover sermons during the sabbatical. We will be posting introductions to each guest preacher on this journal throughout the sabbatical.
The sabbatical includes intentional focus on different areas of health (e.g. physical health, spiritual health, relational health, family health, professional health, etc.). Some specific examples include Pastor Bryan gathering with different local churches each Sunday, extended and intentional time with family, and a trip to Switzerland through the North Central District (NCD) and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS).
This trip takes place in June and includes 10 EFCA pastors, a TEDS church history professor, and a ReachGlobal medical officer. Together, they will travel to the Alps to explore pastoral ministry against the backdrop of Calvin's Geneva and delve into pastoral practice while hiking the historic Tour Du Mont Blanc. Meaningful discussions and thoughtful reflections will focus on important areas of pastoral ministry, including: leading by example, administration, counseling, preaching, physical health, developing elders and deacons, congregational worship, prayer, evangelism, discipline and restoration, calling, equipping believers, and personal discipleship. Pastor Bryan's specific focus will be on personal discipleship, particularly pastoral and congregational health in a unhealthy secular age. Following the trip, there will be a series of follow-up articles, along with a documentary produced by TEDS.
Please keep Pastor Bryan in your prayers during his sabbatical season!