Earlier this year the board of the ministry I direct, Mika, granted my proposal for a two month sabbatical.  According to Wikipedia and tradition, a sabbatical is a time of rest from work.  It comes from the Biblical concept of Sabbath and God’s own example of resting.  So after seven years of leading Mika and living in the neighborhood where we work, it seemed like a good idea to practice sabbatical.  I am grateful for the rest and beyond that we at Mika want to develop a culture with healthy, biblical rhythms and resting is clearly part of that.

Often sabbaticals are granted for different types of work, especially in academic circles, like research and writing.  While I plan to do some writing, the point of this time off is truly to rest and reflect.  I am staying with my sister and her family in Oregon.

Big news for the global church:  VideoTeaching.com launched this week. Here’s their reasoning:

Video teaching in the Church isn't an experiment anymore. It fuels thriving churches around the globe every weekend. And now, your church can access an online library of video messages from gifted Christian communicators…all for free. Wondering if video teaching is a good fit for your church? Many ministries enjoy video teaching for different reasons... see if these examples spark some ideas for you:

• Expand your teaching team.
• Make a smooth transition.
• Develop your ministry.
• Take a break.