I Got a 4… A 4!!!!!

So the other week I spoke at a wonderful Christian Writer’s Conference. It was the first time I had spoken outside of my church all year because of COVID. I felt a little rusty but I was prepared and it didn’t take long to hit my stride. I ran a little longer than I planned, which I attribute to the rustiness, but I got a lot of great comments when it was over. It went well over all.

The other day I got an email that held all of my evaluations. Overall they were good. Four tens, three nines, two or three eights (one commenting I went a little long, guilty!) two sevens which hurt a little, but someone gave me a 4… A 4!!!!! How did I get a 4? I mean come on, a four says things like “You’re worthless” “You stink” or “That was 45 minutes of my life I’ll never get back.” My first thought was, “You’ll never be invited back!” followed by “Should I go back, if I am invited.” Of course I would go back, I love this conference and it has blessed me tremendously, but a four hurt. That’s not even average.

Then I started to wonder about who would rank me that low. I mean this was in a place filled with creative people. I tailored the message to the audience. I tried to overflow with encouragement. I’ve been looking for what my next long form presentation would be, and after that presentation I thought this would be the one that I would expand, I was even considering making it my next book, and then I got the four. Who would give me a four?

Why am I writing this? I hope you’re seeing it because this is an affliction that afflicts many creative people. I got a lot of great comments and some really good numbers. I got four tens, but that was all eclipsed by a four. Understand that’s a choice. We get to choose where we focus. Some of the mid-range numbers should make me want to shift and adjust, but if I take one four over four tens, maybe I deserve to hurt. I don’t know what was going on with the person who gave me the four. The conference director was very kind, constructive and helpful,
many people were constructive and appreciative.

Do yourself a favor. Check yourself on the fours, but don’t ignore the tens. Focus on the positive, keep improving and stay encouraged. Oh and one other thing. When it’s your turn to be an evaluator, be honest, but be kind. Some day the show will be on the other foot. It wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t a four!

My Paintings and the Stories Behind Them: Forgiven

Some of my best ideas came from my prayer walks. This was one of those. I knew I wanted to speak on forgiveness, but how could I express it in a way that would stick? I walled a couple of miles when it hit me. At first I just thought I was just being distracted, which happens far too often, but no it turned out to be the right image for the story. I started thinking about Pink Floyd’s album The Division Bell These two monolithic/robotic looking heads that when seen at a distance appear to be one face. Cool design, but the connection didn’t come right away, but then I thought about it. What if instead of two statue like heads, I did two human faces? And what if I make them look like they are about to fight. I put large frowns on their faces.

Then at the crucial moment near the end of the presentations, I pick up the paint and join the faces together. The large frown becomes the mustache, and the finished product is one face, the face of Christ. The idea is simple. There are many things that would keep us in conflict but there is one who gave His life to bring us together. For the message text I use Matthew 18, starting with Jesus teaching about how to deal with conflict and moving into the parable of the unforgiving servant. Here’s short clip to show you how it goes.

How would you illustrate forgiveness?

Sermon of the Week: 3/15/2020 Restoration

Well the Corona virus scare necessitated the closing of church for the week, but that’s not going to stop God’s Word.

Scripture Reading: John 19:16-30

¹⁶ Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. ¹⁷ Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). ¹⁸ There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. ¹⁹ Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. ²⁰ Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. ²¹ The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” ²² Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” ²³ When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. ²⁴ “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.” This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said, “They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.”^[a] So this is what the soldiers did. ²⁵ Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.²⁶ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,^[b]here is your son,” ²⁷ and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. ²⁸ Later, knowing that everything had now been finished,and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (NIV) Sermon: Pastor Dave Weiss

The Challenge The fact of the matter is in spite of all that is going on around us. God is really good, all the time. He is constantly at work in our world restoring us to Himself. He loves you completely and utterly. If you have never asked Jesus into your heart to be your Lord and Savior, all you need to do is pray and ask Him, and place your faith and trust in Him. If you need help to do this, please contact Pastor Dave. God is good and He will come through.

Great Night With the Salvation Army Tonight

Tonight I ministered at the Salvation Army ARC in Altoona, PA. What a great ministry they have there. Thanks to Captain Daniel Gonzales and all the folks there for making it a great night.

Something “New” I’m Working On… The “ENOUGH” Tour

In 2018, I wrote and published a book called “Enough. God and the Fine Art of Measuring Up.” I was really happy with the book, but it I never really got to promote it, the way I wanted to. It’s just been kind of floating out there as a result, and I think it’s a really important piece that could really help and bless some people, so I’ve decided for the next few months, I am going to re-edit it and re-release it and do a sort of tour in support of it in 2020. The presentations will be pretty much what folks who’ve seen me are used to—high speed art, storytelling, maybe even a little drama, video and more, all designed to communicate the Gospel and encourage people to know that they really can measure up and in Christ, they are enough. If all goes well, I will start booking this by the end of the year for 2020. If you think you’re group could use some hope and encouragement, contact me.

Motivational Speaking?

So I’ve been having a problem recently. I’ve been hearing church leaders making comments that prove, to me at least, that they do not truly believe the teachings of Scripture. I find that not just frustrating but baffling. I often make the comment (I think I’ve even made it here) that if I didn’t believe the teachings of Scripture, I wouldn’t be a preacher. I’d go into the world of motivational speaking, because the paychecks are a lot larger. Lately, though I have been having struggles with that line of thinking, and not for the reasons you might think.

I think the underlying tone on my comment is that there is something wrong with motivational speaking. In reading my comments, it almost sounds like I’m some kind of martyr, sacrificing the wealth of motivational speaking for a higher call. I hate that. For the record, I love motivational speakers. I watch them. I listen to them. I study them and I want to communicate the way they do. They help and encourage a lot of people, which is pretty much exactly what I want to do.

Then another thought occurred to me. I happen to know more than a few motivational speakers share my faith, they just get to reach a much larger audience, an audience that is by-and-large outside the church. How much different is that that what we are commanded to do as Christians. You know taking the message of Christ to the ends of the earth. Making the most of every opportunity. Using WHATEVER gifts you have received to serve others. Those are all things God told us to do. What if that is precisely what we’re called to do?

Think about it. The principles of Christ are beyond a doubt the most beneficial teachings that could be taught. I mean we serve the most motivational person who has ever lived. People have been sacrificing their very lives to His cause for millennia and finding truth and meaning beyond anything this world has to offer. What would be so wrong with taking that to a wider audience?

Now I can almost hear the resistance. Well you’ll sugar coat it and weaken it. What if we don’t? Well some people won’t receive it. How is that different from now? Some people won’t bring you in because they know you’re a Christian. Yes, but some people will. What if we were to just take those principles to the world and let the chips fall where they may? Maybe instead of thinking I would be a motivational speaker if I didn’t believe the Scriptures, I should be thinking, I should be a motivational speaker because I believe the Scriptures, specifically, because I believe the Gospel is still the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.

It’s something to ponder.

P.S. No I am not thinking of leaving pastoral ministry or my itinerant ministry, just examining my heart and contemplating something different.

Faithful in the “Small Things”

The last few posts may make it look like I have it all together, and if that’s the case, it’s time for a little honesty. Those posts reflect me at my best, but I like everyone else, am not always at my best. Case in point from yesterday’s post, the festival I have been pursuing for years. Imagine my surprise when I approached a young man who does something similar to what I do and found out that he has been accepted to minister at the same festival I’ve been pursuing. I started to think things like, “What’s wrong with me?” “Why do they keep rejecting me?” “I’ve been doing this longer than he has been alive.” It was about then as envy and discouragement were setting in a wreaking havoc on my psyche that the Lord pushed my thoughts in a different direction.

He took me back to one of my favorite passages to preach from, the parable of the talents. In the parable a master, before going away on a journey, entrusts part of his wealth to three of his servants in varying amounts based on ability. Jesus goes on to tell us that two of the servants went to work at once and doubled the master’s investment. While the gain is great, the point is not so much the success as it is the faithfulness. When the master returns from his journey and sees what the first two servants did, his response is “Well done good and faithful servant, you’ve been faithful with a few things I’ll put you in charge of many things…” There’s a point in there for us all.

I had no business envying my young friend, nor did his success have anything to do with me, my abilities or lack thereof. He has his calling, I have mine… AND YOU HAVE YOURS. Yes he got the big audience, I get smaller ones. If my calling is to larger audiences, God will open the door. In the mean time, I need to be faithful in the small things and give it my all, because here’s the thing. What is a small thing in the Kingdom of God? How valuable is one soul? Well Jesus would say “It was worth my life.” Seems to me one soul in eternity is no small thing, so maybe rather than focusing on the size of our audience, we need to focus on the size of our God.

According the Jesus, the say to big things is faithfulness in small things. Let Him worry about the size of your following. Just pursue what He puts before you and be faithful.

God’s got this and in His eyes, at least as it pertains to the people He loves and gave Himself up for, there are no small things.

Putting Yourself Out There

More than one person has expressed to me that they would like to do what I do over the years, and hear this, I am grateful for that. It means God is still at work in this type of ministry. They say things like I wish I could do that. “Well,” I want to ask, “what’s stopping you?” Today I am asking you that question.

I think a lot of people are hesitant because they are not sure they have what it takes. Hear this and hear it well, when God calls, God provides, but…

There is no substitute for doing the work. You need to practice, grow in your skills, develop what you do and seek the Lord for ways for you minister in a way that honors Him. The Bible gives the admonition to work as if you were working for the Lord. Well in ministry that is precisely what we are doing, and so we must strive to do the best we can, but here comes the but…

We have to be sure not to allow feelings of insufficiency and inadequacy, or worse yet perfectionism to keep us from doing God’s will. Look folks none of our work will ever be perfect on this side of the grave. What we need to be working toward instead is faithfulness, doing the best you can with what you have today. And once you have that worked out, you need to start putting yourself out there. In other words, you have to find the “audience” for whatever it is that you do, and you can’t do that if you don’t share your work with the people who need to see it.

Putting yourself out there can be hard, mainly because you know, not everyone will like what you do, and some might even reject you. Some people experience rejection and decide to avoid it all costs. I implore you, don’t be one of them. The people who reject you are not your audience. Love them, pray for them and keep pursuing them, but only if God leads. Otherwise,
Invest yourself in the people who will give you opportunities and make the most of every one. Invest in the people who love what you do and give them your very best.

I know this feeling very well. There is a major ministry and a major music festival that have both figured majorly in my ministry. I have pursued them many times trying to get them to give me a chance. The story of what God has done in my life through them alone would be enough to get me to accept me, but year after year they reject me. Here’s the thing. I don’t focus on them. I don’t say, well they keep rejecting me, I must be nothing and no good. No I pray, send them something, pray again and get back to focusing on the people who want me. I keep putting myself out there, but I don’t let their acceptance or rejection to define my ministry. Only God can do that.

Put yourself out there. No one will call you if they don’t know you exist. Then make the most of every opportunity because you’ll never know.

Great Things About the Road

I know I just did two pieces meant to be a kind of reality check for all the aspiring traveling ministers out there, but it never be said that I ever attempted to dissuade people from pursuing their calling. Today I want to give you some great things about traveling ministry.

It can best be described by the definition of a noun. Nouns are people, places and things and those are also the great things about traveling ministry.

First off, People. I have met some great people on the road. It is really cool to meet people I never would have gotten to meet any other way. From the pastors to the children and every one in between, the blessings I have received from these people are too numerous to mention. I have made many lifelong friends, discovered a whole new kind of ministry. I’ve been inspired and humbled by so many over the years. It’s truly a blessing. Of course there is no greater blessing than when someone with tears in their eyes, comes to stand before you to pray to receive Jesus Christ, or to rededicate their live to the Lord, or even just to open their hearts and minds to the Lord’s call. There are very few feelings that can compare with realizing you have been used by God.

Places: It’s always an adventure to go to a new place—to see what doors God may open. Camps, churches of all sizes, conferences, festivals, and all kinds of other venues. I’ve been to all of these and more, but what’s most satisfying about the places is seeing all the many different ways people “do church.” Staying within one’s denomination can sometimes give us a kind of spiritual tunnel vision. Getting out among more of God’s people, and moire expressions of His worship, can’t help but open our eyes to new possibilities.

Things: Don’t go too narrow with this, I’m not talking about money or possessions. I’m talking about a lot of more intangible things. Like seeing God’s faithfulness over and over again, the aforementioned opportunities and experiences, etc. Spiritual growth, learning to be flexible, and even coming to the end of yourself and realizing my total dependence on the Lord for everything. The road can teach one a whole lot of lessons, if we will take the time and be open enough to learn.

I’m sure there are many more things I could mention here, but suffice it to say, if God is calling you to traveling ministry, He will make a way. Trust Him, be faithful and put yourself out there.

More on that later.

The Road

I’ve decided now that I am in the midst of what has been a rather long stretch of traveling, that it might be a good idea to share some thoughts and reflections for those of you who envision more of a traveling ministry. First of all let me say, I rejoice to have this calling, I get to live the best of both worlds. As a pastor, I have a strong church family to come along side me and support me both when I am with them and on the road. Case in point is my friend and brother in the Lord, Matt who actually made a three hour drive last night to support me as I ministered here at the beach after which he and his brother, Mike drove home in time to get a very short amount of sleep before going to work. I appreciated that so much.

Of course I am also blessed by all the people who take the risk to bring me in to speak to their congregations, audiences, etc. Any time a person in leadership puts someone new before the people with whom God has entrusted them, requires a certain degree of risk. I never want to take these opportunities lightly, and I pray that God will always allow me to bring my best.

Being away from home is an adventure. Going to new places and meeting new people is always wonderful, but that being said, it can also be hard at times. It only takes a few days on the road to make me realize how much I miss my family. There are times where I miss things to do this. This is not a complaint, but it is a reality to be considered that goes along with this calling.

The times that I get to minister are wonderful. I can really be in the moment and I can see God moving and let me stress again, I love what I do. Those in-between times are usually spent studying, cleaning up, loading and unloading, getting ready for church and getting ready to do it all over again. Again, you may get to go to cool places, but the road is work.

I think the biggest thing though about an extended run, is how hard it can be to concentrate, especially in prayer. I’ll start off trying to really get involved in prayer, but before long, my next travel route or the next message or something that is going on at home, or whatever starts running through my mind and before long I realize I’ve been side-tracked and I’m off course. Focus sometimes comes hard on the road.

I hope this doesn’t sound like whining. I know there are a lot of people who would love this life, and remember, I am one of them. This is more of a “count the cost” piece for those who are feeling the call to the “open road.” It can be a really great life, but you have to be ready.