Your All-in-One Sabbatical Toolkit
Everything you need to experience Jesus’ rest, healing, and renewal
Dr.’s Bill & Kristi Gaultiere have guided over 30,000 pastors, leaders, ministry couples, and church staff in taking and planning a Sabbatical.
Vision
- Making the Most of Your Time Away
- The Five Phases of Sabbatical
- Getting Your Sabbatical Approved
Planning
- Preparing Your Church
- Prayer Support
- Setting Boundaries
- Marriage and Family
- Managing Your Expectations
Renewal
- Burnout
- Trauma Recovery
- Strengthening Your Marriage
- Restoring Your True Self in Christ
Soul Care Practices
- Rhythm of Life
- Listening to God in Scripture
- Solitude with Jesus
- Empathy for Emotions
Back to Work
- Creating on and off ramps
- Communication with elders, staff and congregants
Bonus: Live Coaching
- One-on-one training with a certified Soul Shepherding coach
To lead well as a pastor and avoid burnout, you need true soul rest.
But there’s a problem…
- Your church doesn’t offer Sabbaticals
- You’ve tried to rest in the past but it hasn’t worked
- It doesn’t seem feasible for you to take time away from ministry
- You feel overwhelmed with never-ending tasks
- You’re unsure of how to rest in God and experience true renewal
- You need structure to ensure that you use your time wisely
Our Sabbatical Guide program has everything you need to experience rest and renewal on your Sabbatical.
All based on proven practices tested by over 30,000 pastors, leaders, ministry couples, and church staff.
Everything you need to experience true Sabbath rest.
TOOLS
- Planning and scheduling worksheets
- Prayer and meditation guides
- Marriage tools
- Self-assessments
- Burnout test
- Church resources
- Practical ways to cultivate intimacy with Jesus
Personal Coaching
- 45-minute personal coaching session with a certified Soul Shepherding coach
Videos
Vision
Get your Sabbatical approved and make the most of your time away.
Planning
Prepare your church leadership and congregation, manage boundaries and expectations, and gather a prayer team.
Renewal
Discover practical ways to prevent burnout, recover from trauma, strengthen your marriage, and rest in God’s presence.
Soul Care Practices
Learn how to develop spiritual rhythms, listen for God’s voice, and be in solitude with Jesus.
Back to Work
Bring your Sabbatical self into your daily life and work, and continue resting in Jesus’ easy yoke.
Meet Our Coaches
Ned McGrady
Marion, IN
Sungshim Loppnow
Los Angeles, CA
The Creators of Sabbatical Guide
Bill & Kristi Gaultiere are Doctors of Psychology and Spiritual Directors with over 25 years of experience in counseling and church ministry. They are the founders of Soul Shepherding and authors of “Journey of the Soul.” They help pastors, missionaries, and others to thrive with Jesus in life and leadership.
What People Are Saying
Soul Shepherding’s Sabbatical Guide helped me get all my ducks in a row for my Board and staff. They guided my wife and me on how to structure our Sabbatical and gave us practical tools to make the most of it. In their week-long Institute retreat we experienced closeness with Jesus and a renewal in our hearts to serve God’s people with greater empathy and love. Now, back to work, I feel God’s power and renewed joy for ministry.
I hit the wall personally, in ministry, and in my marriage… On my Sabbatical Bill helped me see productivity differently and face up to some uncomfortable truths about myself. That season was the beginning of a turnaround for me… Now I’m having more fun pursuing God’s calling in my life now than ever before. I actually sleep well at night, and I finally understand my emotions! And that has helped every one of my relationships.
During the craziness of the pandemic I was in some dark places… But Bill and Kristi’s patient and wise coaching mediated God’s presence for my wife and me on our Sabbatical… Learning Soul Shepherding’s approach to Scripture meditation has helped me to get out of my head to feel my longings, pray from my heart and share vulnerably with my wife.
I had been on sabbaticals before, and while the time off was nice, there was always this urge to attend a conference, or read a stack of books, or do some other “ministry” activity. I had to somehow prove that I had made good use of my time and show that the church’s investment was worth it. A few years ago, we came across Bill and Kristi Gaultiere’s Soul Shepherding ministry and the Sabbatical Guide. It radically changed my last sabbatical by guiding me towards a healing restoration with Jesus rather than just a different way of being busy. That sabbatical was two years ago, and I am still living in an “easy yoke” rhythm WITH Jesus rather than jumping back into frantic ministry FOR Jesus. Bill and Kristi have helped us engage in ministry in new and healthy ways that are re-shaping how we lead people closer to Jesus.
My sabbatical actually began as an ordered medical leave from my job as a non-profit director due to stress-related health issues. As I stepped away to take care of my physical health, I was graciously led by the Holy Spirit to the ministry of Soul Shepherding and the Gaultiere's book, Your Best Life in Jesus’ Easy Yoke and their Sabbatical Guide. I devoured this material and learned a new rhythm of life that began with rest. It was invaluable in helping me navigate what an eventual return to my position would look like and how to serve with Jesus from a non-anxious place.
I had 26 years of pastoral ministry before I took my first Sabbatical. Soul Shepherding helped me put together a Sabbatical plan that was restful and refreshing. The Sabbatical Guide provides a practical framework and helpful ideas… I received personal coaching that included rich times of intercessory prayer… My coach helped me name and explore my concerns and resistances to taking a 3-month break from leading my church. Don't make the mistake of going it alone as you plan for a sabbatical! Get help and guidance from an experienced soul shepherd and receive the gift of resting well!
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Churches and Organizations We've Helped
