Where do you usually get cuts of steak?

I like Jack's Market up the street.

You've been up there?

Jack's?

I've been there.

I've never gotten meat from there.

We actually have.

My go to grocery store around here would be Aldi.

Interesting.

Yeah, I like Aldi.

I love Aldi.

And then I also, I would say.

Bravo's good for meat too.

We also have a Costco membership, so I've gotten some good stuff from there.

Okay.

But we have a farm that if we're looking for certain things, we'll try to get through them too.

There's like a meat and produce co op that I have to drive 30 minutes to get to, but it.

30 whole minutes.

Bravo.

Is that Aldi open, by the way?

Yeah, one next door.

It's fantastic.

It's bigger than the other one.

It's bigger and it looks fancy.

It feels very ritzy in comparison to the other ones.

Okay.

Only except for I went there couple.

Days ago and the lights were out.

No.

And there was only two.

There was like 500 people in the store and two lines open.

Like, oh my gosh.

It was ridiculous.

I'm like, welcome to Aldi.

And that was the day that I tried to go sick.

Right.

Like, I'm like, I'm just gonna go in and get a couple things.

Maximize Aldi's germs spread.

The only store where I've seen them go to self checkouts and then get rid of all of them and go back to regular lanes.

This is not working.

They seriously did.

No, I know.

And I asked one of the girls, as soon as like they went fully self checkout and then immediately tore every machine out and went back to cashiers and they were like, yeah, well, we were getting stolen from.

I'm like, do you think you trusted people?

You go to the cheaper store and steal from the cheaper store.

Even Walmart.

Walmart's pulling back from that a lot now.

There's some that are talking about eradicating them all together, but people like it so much they're going to have a few.

But there was part where Walmart was getting way out of hand with their self checkout and they've pulled back a lot.

I think that their, their new checkout system is, is nice.

I like the way that Walmart does it now.

Do you guys like semi spicy chip dip?

Sure.

All right.

Mexicali dip at Aldi Fire.

It's like three bucks.

I think I've had it.

And you have to dig through the corn.

The street Corn.

Cause they come in, like, together.

Oh, okay.

So you have to dig through to find them.

Because it's popular.

It's really frustrating because it's out of stock a lot, but totally gotta get it.

It's amazing.

Mexicali.

Mexicali dip.

It is awesome.

And the off brand Doritos at Aldi are garbage by themselves, but they pair really well with the Mexicali dip.

So I'm just saying for a buck or two, you know, it's like a great thing.

I just love, like, oh, this is trash.

Let me try it with some.

So to start today, like, talking about garbage, you know, sometimes we totally.

We totally feel like garbage because we feel like everyone around us is smarter, of course, better, you know, at doing things, have better skills, whether that's leadership skills, Bible knowledge, whatever that might be.

And it, it leaves us feeling less than and feeling incompetent at times.

I know.

This is a topic that I feel on a regular basis as well, so I know, Dave, you brought it to me and I think it's a great thing to talk about today, but I think that there's got to be some of you out there that feel this way too, whether you're a new Christian, not a Christian, been a Christian a long time, whatever that that may be.

There may be some that tried Christianity, felt this way, and then got out.

Yeah, of course.

It's all aspects of life.

I mean, I think there's.

There's a lot of different forms of imposter syndrome.

Yeah.

Where you're like, I don't know if I'm supposed to do this right.

And, you know, it's where I don't feel qualified for this.

Right.

The qualified thing.

How a man.

That's something that I definitely dealt with a lot.

Going into ministry was like, what?

Well, even looking in, even just looking for jobs nowadays, it's like, if I want to get a job, I've got to figure out what all of these job titles mean.

When this long title just means secretary, you know, like, and it's like all.

These big titles is like senior office coordinator.

I do not feel qualified at all.

So it's intimidating.

So.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So what's going on, everybody?

Hey, I know it kicked off funky.

But I think I'm gonna.

This is the truth response fresh, you.

Know, Aldi, Aldi talk.

I'm gonna talk about Aldi first.

Sounds good.

So.

So I'm Derek.

I'm Matt.

And I'm Dave.

Dave.

And yeah, today we're gonna Penguins movie.

Yay.

Sorry.

I like to derail things.

My daughter watched this show when she was a kid and I can't remember the name of it right now.

Oh, ruff ruff tweetin Dave.

That was what it was called.

Right.

And at the end of every episode it was, which one do you think is gonna fall asleep first?

And the answer is Dave.

It's always Dave.

And so anytime I think of Dave, I think of.

It's always Dave.

That's good.

Oh, well, I guess.

See that?

I think about Independence Day.

Yeah.

Good morning, Dave.

Yeah, that one.

And then what was the one?

Abominable was a cartoon about the yeti.

Oh yeah, yeah.

And there was one guy just named Dave.

And so at one point, dude, you darted Dave.

So Dave just kept coming up.

Wasn't there crazy Dave in Plants vs. Zombies, the game?

That could be.

I don't think I played it, but.

I had a player one time playing D and D who played.

His character's name was Dave or.

No, his name was Buster and his hammers name was Dave.

That's awesome.

So that's not even what we're talking about today.

So.

Yeah, no, well, kinda.

It relates this way, right?

It relates, it relates.

And, and none of us can live up.

None of us can live up to feeling like Dave.

Right.

So.

Well, have you ever felt you never feel more, less than when you play D and D with somebody who's been playing for, you know, 10 years?

Like the way they look at you and.

Yeah, it's like, sorry, I don't deserve to be here.

I'm sorry, I'm.

I'm judgy like that.

So anyways, back to, back to the story.

I had that feeling actually, but not with a game.

I. I remember the first time.

And my, my wife knows this because I was very open about it.

But like the first time I met her extended family, I felt so out of place.

So we had gone for our 4th of July party and we're rolling up to this neighborhood with a gated community.

Like they're all over the place here, but up north it was like, those were special.

And so I'm walking in this gated community or driving into this and I'm like, what is this?

I'm looking at these giant houses.

I'm like, where are we?

And the only thing I knew about this is going into it is like they had a pool.

And I thought, well, okay, that's pretty good.

They're doing pretty well for themselves.

They got a pool.

Right.

I did not come up with like an Abundance of money.

So, like, this stuff to me is like, I mean, that would have been enough.

But I roll up to this house, and the house is huge.

And I'm coming around the house, I see this pool, and I'm like, man, the pool is huge.

And then I'm like, do they have their own tennis court?

And she's like, yeah.

And I was like, I don't know if I'm allowed to be here.

What is going on?

Do you want me to wait in the car?

I felt.

And they were so lovely.

I love her extended family.

They're very nice and welcoming and.

But there was a moment where I'm like, I don't know if I'm supposed to be here.

This doesn't feel like my environment.

Well, even up in Minnesota, my wife has always.

She's always worked in the white collar community, so she worked for several staffing agencies.

Right.

And so I would get invited to these parties because I'm the plus one.

And at the time, I was a painter and a cabinet finisher.

That was my trade.

Right.

So blue collar.

And so I can't tell you how unbelievably out of place I felt.

They're all talking about white collar stuff.

And what do you do, Dave?

I paint houses.

Cool.

So anyway, it was always like, I'll just go sit over there by myself.

Yeah, it's totally okay.

I think that's very important.

One of the things that.

That we need to talk about on this, on the show, though, on the.

On today, I think, is.

Is how we present ourselves can make all of the difference to.

To how we feel about ourselves.

Because had you said, well, actually, I got this really awesome job where I get to, you know, transform these old cabinets or these new cabinets into, you know, the perfect fit for someone's home.

Like, completely different spin, completely different feeling about yourself.

And I feel like that is one of the root causes for us feeling inadequate as people.

So with that, welcome to the truth response, You want to pray today?

Yeah, let me go ahead and pray.

All right.

Father, thank you for today for everyone who is healthy, and we pray also for those who are dealing with the sicknesses.

We know there's a flu going around and a bunch of other things, and we ask you to put your healing hands into all of those situations and help us to just all recover as one.

We want to be able to lean forward into this new year and just represent you well, and we need to do so healthy.

So, Lord, help us with all that today.

Lead us in this conversation in A way that will help others and even help each other as we get through this topic and we do all things and pray on all things in Jesus name.

Amen.

Amen.

If you are just tuning in because you skipped all the intro stuff, totally understand.

However, today we are talking about those of you and us who feel like we are either less than, don't know enough, not good enough, et cetera, et.

Cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

In math terms, less than, greater than, or equal to is the.

Yep.

Okay.

We're not talking about the greater than though.

Not today.

That's a different podcast.

Equal to.

We don't really need to talk about what we can someday, but because only.

God is greater than.

Oh, yes.

Hey, now we're chugging.

Ooh, that's another T shirt, right?

Just the symbol, which is God and it's greater than.

See, I like it.

Anyway, I wanted to do a T shirt that said no Mac.

Mm, as in no macro evolution.

But too many people told me it wouldn't work.

And by the time that I had passed on it.

Did he show you?

I designed a shirt from the.

For a couple episodes ago.

Just said purple.

Oh, my gosh, there's a call.

I did not show him.

I did not show him episode 236.

That's all it said.

It was just the word purple and it said episode 236.

Okay.

So anyways, moving on.

Yeah.

Not feeling adequate about that one.

Yeah, yeah.

But no, I've.

I've.

I've through my entire life.

I had a really good upbringing.

Had, you know, mom and dad and everything.

Grew up in the church.

When I was 18, my mom said, well, now you're 18, you can choose whether or not to go.

So I said, sweet, I don't want to go.

I didn't do anything crazy.

But for six years, I just stopped going.

Right.

Was that one of those things like, I can sleep in on Sundays.

That's it.

And then when I met my wife, her dad was a pastor.

His dad was a pastor.

His dad was a pastor.

Same on the mother's side.

So they were as ingrained in church as you could possibly get.

So my go to joke is that she was so beautiful, I followed her back into church.

I say, if I have to go to church to get her, then that's.

What I'm gonna do.

That's fine.

But pretty girl evangelism, of course, sometimes it works.

Most of the time it doesn't.

Actually, we have a pretty high success rate.

So with that, I've also Had a.

It feels weird to say, an overdeveloped sense of humility, because it makes me sound like I'm bragging.

But it's.

I'm always of the opinion that whoever is in the room with me has.

Is.

Has something I can learn, which is great, because that means I'm always learning something, but to the point where.

To the detriment to myself is that I never feel like I'm the person who can bring something to somebody else.

I'm only just learning.

So we had.

Two weeks ago at our young adult, we had a leadership class, and in there, they kind of prayed over everybody.

And so when they.

When they prayed over me, the.

The pastor put his hand on my shoulder, and he.

He said, God's telling you to stop giving away what he gave to you, right?

Because I tend to.

One of the things.

I used to do it because I'm not as comfortable praying for people as other people are.

So I tend to get into these group situations where everyone's needing prayer, and I'll see someone and I'll go, oh, this.

My buddy Zach.

Would be great to pray for this Zach.

Come here.

Pray for that person, you know, so I'll direct traffic.

And then there was one day where there was no one.

Like, there was someone who needed prayer, and there was nobody available.

And I went, crap.

Now I have to do it, right?

So.

Oh, man.

But the other part of it, too, is that.

So Jeremy we were talking about at Elevate Networks, he and I just happened to be sitting alone for a few minutes, and he goes, dave, I need.

You to do something.

I said, okay.

So it was literally, this happened on Wednesday at church, and.

And then Thursday, the next day, I'm sitting with Jeremy, and he goes, I need you to stop acting like you don't know what you're doing, okay?

And he goes, you have got to lean into what you have because we need you to.

Like, what do I have?

It's like, I genuinely don't know what I have to give back to somebody.

So.

So it tends to.

People get most frustrated with me because I don't step out and do what they believe I can do, because I don't know what I can do, if that makes sense.

Oh, I can understand that wholeheartedly.

You know, there was plenty of times, even when I got down here, where I'm like, man.

And, you know, there's a large part of me that was like, oh, you can do this.

You can do this.

You can do this.

It's fine.

But there is A moment where you just feel like, oh, my gosh, am I even that person?

Did they.

You know, they invested all this money, they took this big risk on getting this guy from Maryland to move down to southwest Florida and take up a position.

And am I going to do the job that they need me to do?

Is God going to be with me in this?

Am I really the right guy?

And it just leads you to moments of crisis in yourself.

But the thing is, I realize that's what our enemy wants to do.

He wants to take us away from who we are called into being.

Because if he can stop us from stepping into that light and stepping into that moment, then maybe it won't happen, or maybe we'll fall away from it or back away from it, or when you get pretty complacent with just passing the buck, so to speak, on.

But God, I love how God spoke through that guy.

It's like, no, no, no, no, no.

You don't understand.

I need you.

That's why you're here.

I didn't send Jerry or Steve.

I sent you.

And so that means you step into.

And what's interesting is that I just.

Over the years, I just learned to just walk into it.

If I honestly felt that was the direction God was leading me.

Just.

I just walk into it.

And then on the other hand of it is that I'll be.

So, for instance, we'll have Sundays here where we do more of a prayer Sunday.

And I remember the first prayer Sunday here that I was a part of.

And I'm over in this corner, and people are coming up to me and we're praying together.

And some of it was so beautiful, you know?

And I mean, it's all beautiful.

But what I mean is some of it was so raw and so real, and you could feel God was just all over everyone.

And I was just like, wow.

As the line cleared away, I remember thinking, how do I get to do this?

You know, like, how me.

Like, this is wild, you know, to think that this is what I get to do now.

So here's the little challenge like, you're talking about.

Let's stir some pots or whatever.

So I heard somebody say this.

Oh, no, I'm sorry.

I didn't hear somebody say it.

I thought it.

I'm take it.

See, this is me.

I'm taking ownership.

Take that ownership.

We were at.

There was an event happening over at Victory, and somebody got up and said, it's like, guys, I feel God is here.

And I went, yeah.

Like, he's always here, like, why is this new?

Right?

And then he, the, the guy got up, I said that.

And he goes something to something to the tune of if you don't feel like God is here, then you didn't bring him with you.

It's like God is everywhere, he's in you.

So if you walk in and say, I don't feel like God is here, that's not us, that's you.

Like, what's your opinion on that?

I don't think that if you have God, you can't bring him with you.

I don't think that's possible.

In fact, that that might even be to the tune of re crucifying him.

You know, that's the only way that you can pin him anywhere is to re crucify himself.

I think that.

Interesting.

I think that sometimes we just harden ourselves to the fact that he's there.

You know what I mean?

Like we get so self centered that he's right there, he's been there, right?

You know, and our perspective gets way off.

You know, how many people are like, I have to go to church.

And what they really mean is, I need to go to this building where these people are at.

I'm like, that's great.

That's not the church, okay?

The church is not that building.

That's not the only place God hangs out, you know, like he is everywhere, you know.

And so it's the perspective you see on why people go into a church building in their one way and then they go into park and they start cutting each other off and flipping each other.

One of my favorite things to hear is, oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't do that in church.

And my response is always, why not?

Right?

Why?

Why not?

I don't care if you cuss in church, do it, whatever.

Because here's the thing.

I want you to be you because God knows you, right?

Like, so if he's telling you you shouldn't do it, that's a different thing, right?

Just calm down, right?

But the whole like, if you feel like you have to say, oh, I shouldn't do that at church, you don't understand church.

Well, that's true, but I'm with you on that.

I know where your head's at in it.

But when somebody says that to me, it's like, why don't you listen to your own conviction then?

Because it's not about that, right?

It's not about that you're doing it in church, it's that you're doing it.

You know, it was amazing to me.

When I was like, first really talking about the fact that I was going into ministry, and even when I went into ministry and people first started finding out about it and they would say things to me like, oh, I don't know if I can talk around you anymore.

I feel like I cuss around you all the time.

They suddenly become very aware of themselves and I'm like, the conviction don't.

Because of me.

Well, I don't know that that's true.

I think that that can be true.

Absolutely.

And maybe, maybe three quarters of the time it is.

Right.

That's just a random thrown out number.

But, but 80% of things are made up.

So 93.

93%.

93, 93% of all statistics.

So.

But, but I think that a lot of times people do it out of respect.

It's a respectful thing.

Like they respect you and your beliefs.

Like they would expect you to believe.

Yes, but I think there's something about that.

Respect for.

The respect for what I'm doing also reflects who I'm doing it for.

And I think ignorance is bliss for so many people where it's like when they're not having those reminders around them, they can live how they want.

It's almost like a subconscious thing.

I don't have to be reminded of it, so I can just live how I want.

And the second they're faced with that truth, with that, where I'm shining that light on them and they're seeing it, they're like, oh my gosh, that's what that is.

Then they suddenly get uncomfortable.

It's like, well, listen to me.

Why are you uncomfortable?

Maybe you should think about that.

Sure.

But here's the reality.

But here's the reality, bro.

Like, has the church really done that good of a job of showing what Jesus actually wants from us?

No, we have not done a very good job of that at all.

So they have a false expectation of what we expect of them.

Okay, I'll give you that.

But I'm just saying the whole point that I was making is that like, look, this is something you need to start exploring.

I think it can be.

Yeah.

If you can suddenly be aware of your, your insignificancies, you need to be able to go, okay, maybe I need to start seeing if there's something else wrong with me that I need to fix.

If someone can stand in front of you and then as soon as you find out that they're a pastor and you get really uncomfortable because you realize how imperfect you are, suddenly you got work to do.

I think there's different levels.

There's different levels, but at the same time, like, I don't take my hat off when I go into a courtroom because I feel like I need to have my hat off in the courtroom.

It's the expectation.

It's the etiquette.

Right.

It's the etiquette.

It's not because I have any conviction at all whatsoever.

I think I should be able to wear my hat wherever I want to wear my hat.

Sure.

Like, I truly believe that I should be allowed to do that now.

I do it out of respect for others, but there's no conviction in there at all whatsoever, except for the, the respect for others.

And I think that some things.

I think you're absolutely right.

I think some things hit them deep.

I think that a lot of times people only do it because of respect for others.

Because if you're saying, oh, sorry, I shouldn't cuss at church.

Right.

You don't understand the whole concept at all.

Like, you don't understand what's going on, and that's okay.

I'm not expecting anybody to understand it.

All right?

But there's an educational level that we gotta have to that.

And it's like, it's fine.

Just, it's okay, it's okay to be you at church.

Because I would.

To your point.

Okay, right.

So to your point, there was a.

My wife and I were, we were building a house.

They told us to take nine months.

It took three years, eight or three years, eight months and four days.

So we went to stay with my mother in law because she had four extra bedrooms for a brief period of time, which was a year and a half.

And my, my mother in law was born and raised in Tennessee.

She married very young.

She's very, very spiritual.

And so my sense of humor, like Deadpool was written for me.

Right?

That's, that's just how I roll.

I kind of joke around a lot in that sense.

I'm never gonna be that way around her because that's gonna go against how she feels and what makes her comfortable.

So when I'm in her space, then that's.

I'm putting some filters on out of respect to her.

So to your point, out of respect to her, I'm not going to be the way that I typically am.

I don't have a conviction that says that what I do is wrong, but I'm going to, out of respect to you, behave a little differently.

Now when you've got, like, for instance, my brother in law at one point was the Youth pastor, kind of a dipstick.

At some point, we had a lot of late night talks where I was pouring some stuff into him.

Now.

Then he eventually elevated to the point where he was the associate pastor and eventually the pastor and the relationship definitely changed.

All of a sudden there was this, oh, we can't be dopes anymore.

Now we got to be pastors.

It's like, so there was.

There was a tension there because I was still kind of a dork and he now was a pastor.

So he felt that he had to be at this level and obviously above reproach and everything.

So.

So you have to stop being a dork if you become a pastor.

That's what I was told.

I don't believe so.

I mean, look, I get it that there's these pedestals that get put out there and a lot of stigmas, but, you know, I'm more concerned about is that if suddenly you feel something inside of you, don't run away from it.

Then, like, let's embrace it.

Let's, you know, that's.

Let's at least have a conversation, right?

Is that really the root.

And that's something I want to get to with the.

You were talking about the humility, the word humility.

Having too much humility.

And my toss back to y' all is, could that idea of too much humility really be pride?

I think, yeah, I think you're right.

I think it can be.

Well, because he's never said it.

This is.

Write this down.

This is what is today.

Today is the 7th of 21st, January 7th of 2026.

He said, you're right.

It's too.

Derek Stevenson.

It's happened.

But listen, no, I think there is such a thing as.

I wouldn't call it too much humidity.

It's become a prideful.

It's focusing on yourself too much.

There's being humble.

That's just a natural humbleness.

And you're now doing it.

It's beyond it.

I think it is prideful.

I think it's almost like the Pharisees.

Like, they're doing it to be seen.

They're doing it to be known that they're humble.

And you really like it when I'm nice and loud, dude.

But I've got you turned down in.

Here to the right point.

You just need to talk into it.

Well, I'm normally loud.

My wife actually will be like, why are you always so loud in the house?

I'm like, well, I'm a preacher, so, like, I love to project, project.

But if you're Loud over here.

Yeah, I know.

Then it doesn't.

It's not.

My microphone doesn't always get me out there.

So we always instinctually talk a little quieter as we get closer.

I don't, you know, but I control the sound.

I'm sorry.

Okay, so back to humility.

Yeah.

I think that there's a point where you are almost like a Pharisee.

You want to be seen doing it.

You want people to understand that you are humble.

And it's.

At that point, it's like, that's not humble.

That is pride.

And so I think that, you know, we.

But I mean, I'm also the kind of person that's like, you should always be in check of what you're doing.

If you find yourself getting too comfortable or getting comfortable with certain things, check them.

Maybe it's not bad, but maybe it means that you let some things slide a little bit.

Or if you find yourself tightening up around people, maybe it's time to start wondering why you have to be tightened only around certain people.

Maybe it's time to reevaluate what you call normal.

And the thing is that as a pastor, and a lot of pastors have this problem where it's like, we realize that we now have the role, and whether we like it or not, people do try to put us on a pedestal, and they do look at us as a different kind of breed, as if we're not one of them.

And we totally are.

And so we have to be on all the time.

You got to be on while you're at the church.

You got to be on while you're at the grocery store.

You got to be on.

You got to be on.

You got to be on.

Our.

Our biggest place that we have to watch ourselves is at home in that place that, like, nobody else is there.

And now we're going to try to let our guard down, and that's when the enemy will attack.

So we have to.

You got to be careful about where you where and how you let your guard down, what you accept when you think nobody is looking.

Yep.

That's an everybody thing.

I think that's for everybody.

That's a really good word.

But I want to touch on.

So when it comes to that, though, with the humbleness.

So back when.

Back when I first fully came back to Christ, which was.

I can't remember which year it is, but I remember about the time of my life.

It was.

And I remember being.

I was forcefully being what I thought God wanted me to be.

I instantly made a change.

Forcefully no, no, no, seriously.

And it fits because so like, I was like, alright, so I stopped listening to certain music I only listened to.

I listened to a lot of Christian music again.

And, and I was watching what I said a lot and I was going to the right places and I was trying to do all the right things and it was like I made a life switch.

And the thing is, I was doing it under my own control.

You know what I mean?

And it took a lot of effort because it wasn't natural.

And when things didn't work, I remember asking God, why are things still.

I'm trying to do everything that I would think you want me to do.

And he's like, well, that's not how I made you.

And I misunderstood at the time.

But the thing, the whole point he was trying to make is that this is something that I work on with you, you know, and the thing is, is that we sometimes put on a show and we're displaying something that sometimes is so false.

Oh, yes, I have.

I've gotten this way this far in my walk with Christ and Christ is like, I'm back here.

Like, you're not, you're not there.

I don't know why you keep telling people you're there.

You're.

You're back here with me.

And look, we're great back here.

Just keep coming with me.

And we're.

We'll get there.

We will totally get there.

Well, we're not there yet, but if.

You keep thinking you're there, this is going to make it harder.

Yep.

So that's touching on.

I think that is also touching on the greater than conversation a little bit.

I mean, even greater than not, which we are.

And maybe that leads to some things because, like, it's easy in a way, and not for everyone, but it's easy in a way to let people presume certain things about yourself to where you just kind of live that.

And it's not necessarily that you're lying, you're just not correcting.

Well, and I think seasons, man, seasons too.

So on that I think that's dead on.

I think that at times we've done all of these things in this season, this season has come to an end and we don't want to let it go.

And so we just continue doing the things.

And I think that it leads.

I think that leads to it.

For those of us who have been in ministry for a long time.

Long time.

Like sometimes we don't want to let seasons go.

We don't want to let the things go at the end of a season and it leads us to continue doing the wrong thing.

Well, you need to be able to pivot.

But I mean, it's something about just going back.

Everyone needs to just kind of go back and see where they really are.

And so when you've talked about today what it is to feel inadequate when you're called in situations or, you know.

Yeah.

Well, it's okay to necessarily feel that way.

But then.

But then needs to come the, well, then.

But why am I getting called into that?

And the answer, if it's God, then you have nothing to worry about, you know, and could you mess up?

Absolutely.

People do.

Look at.

Yeah, look at Peter.

Read the Bible.

Poor Peter.

Love Peter.

He makes me feel better about so much that I do.

But, you know, oh, even David.

Oh, David.

There isn't a character besides Jesus who doesn't make us feel like, oh, yep, we're at home.

Yeah.

And this is that whole.

It's the whole statement that God doesn't qualify or he doesn't call the qualified.

He qualifies the equipped, or he doesn't equip.

He doesn't call the equipped.

He equips the qualified or equips the called.

Dude, you're messing me up.

Okay, let's go back.

Got a new shirt.

But I was always heard that he doesn't qualify, that he doesn't call the qualified, but he qualifies the called.

Yes.

And he doesn't call the equipped.

He equipped the called.

So whatever.

Yep, that's the one.

I know, I heard it qualified, but.

Yeah, either way, it works both ways.

And the thing is, is this.

If God's calling you into it, just step into it.

You know, there's been plenty of times.

Well, I remember the first time I preached here.

Now, I didn't know it quite when I got hired, but I ended up finding out later that when Nick was praying for someone to take the student ministry position, he was also praying for someone who could come and preach too.

And that was me.

But then here comes the day where it's like, it's time to step up into this and do it.

And there was a moment of just pure panic, of, like, well, what if they don't like me?

What if my sermon style doesn't work here?

Like, what then?

And so.

And it.

And it worked out just fine.

And it has for.

Since I've been doing it.

But there is moments where you're just kind of like, oh, my gosh, what if it doesn't?

Yep.

You know, but you can't if God's calling you into a situation, you gotta have confidence that if he's calling you, he sees something sometimes that maybe you don't.

You don't see and that you don't need to see, because he.

He does.

And we got to trust in him.

He really is greater.

He's greater in the way he thinks.

He's the greater in the way he does math.

His impossible, wonderful math.

But he's greater in the way that he plans.

And so sometimes if he's called you into that plan, you just got to trust his plan.

It's better than your plan 100%.

Yeah.

Well, and I'm in the midst of that right now.

Like, God called me out of the job that I was in.

Yeah.

Just over a year ago now.

And I. I spent.

Yeah, I spent this whole last year.

The first half of the year was great.

Right.

Well, the first three months of the year was great.

And then I had my first event and felt like a failure.

And then from then on, it was like, it was just a struggle and it was hoping that I'd get from one thing to the next.

Yeah.

And felt like a failure.

And failure and failure and failure.

And then.

Shout out to work in progress.

One of our listeners, they.

They have been one of my biggest cheerleaders.

They have been one of the biggest promoters of not only this podcast, but of my business.

And they were messaging me just yesterday, and we were talking about something I was working on for him, and I just told him, like, hey, this is how I'm feeling right now.

And they're like, you're.

You've.

You're amazing.

You've got, you know, you've got this, you know, and I'm gonna.

Let me.

Let me read to you the encouragement that I got from.

From them because it.

It really has helped shift my thought in.

In this.

You're almost far enough to not hear the swallowing.

Almost.

It's fine.

Almost.

You cracked your neck.

And I, like, I heard that on my headphones.

Yeah, yeah, it's on the show now.

So they.

They sent me this.

I'd love for you to see yourself the way we see you, the way God sees you.

We see you.

Your God given talent, the way that you steward, your gift, you.

Your quality of craftsmanship.

Craftsmanship.

I don't know why I can't say that word.

Shows that you care about the kind of work you produce.

I see that both.

I see that both in your woodworking and in your music.

I simply get excited when I see, When I get to see what you've created.

To God be all the glory.

You will definitely be in my prayers.

So cool.

And that was like, you know, how often.

How often is that the case for us?

When we get into those places where it's like, I don't know the Bible enough?

I don't.

I don't.

You know, I can't do this.

I'm not good enough at this.

This person is so much better than me.

You know, how often do we.

Do we need to step back and be like, how do other people actually see me?

You know, not that we're comparing ourselves, but, like, I feel like a lot of times when we get in that headspace, when I get in that headspace, I need somebody to come along that's like, yo, stop.

You don't see you like we see you.

Yeah, you're not looking at yourself the right way.

The mirror that you're looking in is warped.

You know, you are looking at it in this flawed mindset, but that's not the truth.

Yep.

We actually had.

When we took over as young adult directors, the first thing we did was to put a few young adults in place.

Like, we don't know how to speak your language anymore.

Help us to speak your language.

Right.

And my wife and I have both struggled with.

I'm not the guy who, like, has this deep dive drive to go home and just study religion for eight hours a night.

I'm like, I want to go home and play with my kids.

So when we sat down with these.

With these young adults and said, look, we'll be honest, like, we don't know a lot of the stuff.

You know, I was sitting with one of my leaders, and he said, yo, the festival of something, you know, where they did the thing?

And I kind of looked at him, he goes, you don't know about the festival of something or other?

I'm like, I really don't.

And so it happened multiple.

We had conversations like that, and we have a couple.

We have three of the young adult leaders who are intellectually far beyond where I am for sure, 100%.

But what I think is fascinating is one of them has come to us a couple of times, like, put her finger in my face one day and said, that's why it should be you, because you're learning a lot of this stuff for the first time.

And it's so fresh and it's so new and it's so exciting.

You can't help but want to share it with us.

Right.

Well, you see, that's where that's where sometimes we.

People that we lose it.

Okay, I got to step in this mic because I know, I heard.

I get.

So sometimes we're too quick to let go of the conviction that we.

We receive.

And the first off, I mean, obviously if you're.

If you start to feel convicted about something, especially from a Christian standpoint, let's check it.

Check it with God, check it with the Bible.

Everything checks out is a good conviction.

But that's the thing is that sometimes, as we're called into some situations, or even for the convictions we have about the scriptures and such like that we're so quick to abandon them.

Sometimes if we get a little intimidated or a little scared.

There was a.

There's been times where I have.

I have some strong convictions about certain parts of scripture and such, and sometimes I will argue with other people a little bit, including this guy right here.

But I do have some strong convictions.

And the thing is that every once in a while, if I know that someone is very well educated.

I hate saying this about myself, but like, myself, I'm like, all right, cool.

And I get a little excited about speaking to them, but then when I hear their intelligence, there's moments where I've had over the years where I'm like, I almost want to feel like I want to back down and just kind of go with whatever they say because I'm like, oh, man.

They definitely seem like they've done their research.

And then there's this moment where I got to just be like, no, no, no, no, you've done yours.

Yeah, stick to what you know.

And then I just went.

I go for it.

And, you know, it's weird to have that feeling of like, why am I letting go of what I know what I feel?

If I feel so strongly that this is it, I put the time in, I've put the prayer in, I've had the conversations about.

And this is what I keep coming to.

Then why Willing to back down from it?

Sure.

Wes Huff said something to the tune of that, and that was.

Confidence doesn't equal correctness.

Amen.

But you can make people believe just about anything if you're confident enough for sure.

Right.

So that's to them, though, is like, they listen.

Just because somebody on here sounds confident, just because somebody that you're listening to on one of your reels sounds confident does not mean that we or they are correct.

I actually had this, this idea one time of getting up and doing a whole message, like a 15, 20 minute message, but getting it just a little bit Wrong.

You know, like talking about how when Samson delivered the people out of Egypt or whatever, and he, you know, had to deal with like, like all these different things.

Oh, my skin crawls.

Right.

But, like, get to the end and say, by the way, how many of you just took everything I said is gospel?

And then they see the hands go up like, okay, you're all wrong.

Like, I got every bit of that wrong.

Go home and research and tell me what I said wrong.

But I think that, I think that part of the importance of, of even that message, you could flip and say that even if you change the who's and the wins, if you kept the importance of the what in the scripture, you can still give the lesson and not know all the names, not know the chapter verse, not know the word for word.

If you understand the concept, you, you could still give the same message and, and, and it be correct.

You know what I mean?

Which I think is important for especially some of our younger, less confident.

Right.

It's an amazing thing to be able to do as a leader is to let to know when this isn't the time to make that correction.

Yeah.

So I've had some of my team, when they're giving a lesson to.

I'm making all the corrections on here.

Anyway, I've had some of my team, when they begin lessons to high school or middle school, and I've heard something like, oh, it's kind of like this.

And then they throw out this thing and does it work?

And is it going to help make their point?

Yes, but it's not correct.

And I remember thinking, okay, I'd really love to just stop them and go, look, that's.

That you can't.

No, don't.

No, but, but I realized if I say that I'm going to completely ruin everything they got.

They may never, ever want to teach again.

You know, like, there's a moment where you got to go, is it absolutely necessary?

If it's.

If it is, then it's got to be a circumstance where, like, this is, this is such a major deal that, look, we just.

I can't have.

There's.

There's probably something that I could think of if I really put some of my mind to it.

But, like, it wasn't that big a deal.

It was something.

I could go to them later and go, hey, by the way, you know, that was this person and not that person.

Yeah.

Or, hey, by the way, that letter wasn't written while he was in jail.

You know, stuff that's not, you know, what I Mean, I've had those things happen.

I was like, let it slide.

Let it go.

There's.

They're on a roll, they're doing fine.

And.

And for the one time that one person was their first time teaching, and I was just like, yep, that was.

That wasn't how that was written.

But you just keep going.

And then afterwards, even the simple but major mistake of mixing up Elisha and Elijah.

Sure.

Right.

Two massively different people.

Yeah.

Like, radically.

One didn't die.

Right.

Like, yeah, radically different people.

Right.

So, like.

But that's.

As much as I hate it, that's just a semantic thing, right?

Well, that's not the point of the story.

I command semantics.

If you're good.

Because people use it in a way that's not correct.

Right.

And of course, because semantics.

Yes.

That's why I'm getting into the weeds of the words, is because it is the definition of the word.

It's hard.

I'm one of those people that's really hard when I know something's off.

It's hard for me to keep my composure sometimes.

Like, and I've gotten way better at it.

But my family, especially in my household, my kids, my.

My.

My poor daughter, I remember, forget.

So her friend lives in Kentucky, and she was like, oh, man.

My.

She's thousands of miles away.

And I sat there and she read my face.

I was like, don't say anything.

Don't say anything.

And she's like, what?

I was like, well, since you asked, it's hundreds.

It's not thousands.

And I was like, I'll look.

I will show you exactly how far it is.

And it is not thousands.

It's not even a thousand.

And like, she's like, why do you got to do that?

Like, you could have just left me alone.

I was being quiet.

My wife's go to phrase is quiet.

Your face.

Yeah, my face doesn't have a loud.

It has a silent.

Always.

My face has a silent mode, but I have to purposely do that so that it doesn't sound.

Speak.

Yep.

If I.

If I have to turn on blank face.

You only have that blank face.

I put it.

No, that is the only face you have.

That is my work.

That is your.

That is your go to face.

But my face doesn't always match what I'm thinking or.

Or feeling or actually what I want to say.

And sometimes the real word is never.

Sometimes it betrays me, too, especially in front of my kids where they'll bring me something.

I'm like, oh, no, it's great.

Don't make that face.

Yep.

Now it happens a lot.

Like, well, somebody be preaching and they'll say something.

And I'm in my head, I'm like, I disagree.

I'm like, or that's dumb.

Or saying, my wife will just nudge you.

She goes, quiet, your face.

I'm like, it's so evident you disagree with that.

They sound like, sorry, yeah, but we.

Were at CIY move this past year with the kids, high schoolers, and one of my team was behind me and they had this demonstration with this rope and they were like, this is the timeline.

And they were like, they did a ribbon.

This is about when God made creation.

Okay.

And then I'm watching, I'm like, this is gonna be inaccurate.

And then they're like, this is when he'll come back.

And I'm like, presumptuous, but okay.

And then it's like, this is when Christ was born.

I'm looking at him like, that seems uneven already.

And then they're like, and this is when this happened.

And as soon as they were like, I was like, nope, nope.

And there's.

I could hear my teammates laughing like crazy because they were watching my reactions to everything that was happening.

They did the side by side, social media, you watching them, that's.

That's great.

Oh, gosh.

I think the important part of it, I think the important part of it to, to get back to the root of what we're talking about is, is.

Is that regardless of what situation is put in front of you.

Mm.

Whether that is you're in a room where there's a bunch of smarter people than you.

Mm.

Whether that is, you're in a new room, you know, where you don't know anybody in the room, whether you are in the midst of, as a Christian or non Christian, in the midst of pastors or whatever that situation is that you've been placed in the middle of, especially if you're seeking God.

Right.

I'll put that caveat on there.

Especially if you're seeking God.

Just be there.

You know what?

Actually I love that and I'm going to build on that just a little bit.

So I'll give you an example.

So when I felt God pushing me to go into seminary, right.

And I was fighting him on it because I didn't want to, and.

But he was, you know, seminary.

And then I was like, I can't afford it.

He's like, look at this.

And he basically was like, you're going.

And the thing is, I went in there and I was so Intimidated, you know, I thought I was in there with people who, I mean, at the time, I wasn't really doing full time vocational ministry.

And so.

But everyone in my co op, most of them were.

And I felt just like, am I not.

I don't even know if I'm on their level, you know what I mean?

Like, what am I doing here?

Kind of thing.

And let me tell you something.

If God's called you in a situation and you don't understand why, maybe what we need to do is start letting him show us why.

Because what happened was the first time we all got together, right?

And I first start meeting them and I'm like, tried to put on the oh, man, I don't know who, how did I get here face.

That night a conversation started and I was like, oh, I can get in on this.

And then I was holding my own.

And then we got deeper and deeper and deeper.

And actually that conversation went well into the night and even involved a Perkins run.

Yeah.

Which was score.

I was like, oh, my gosh, this is why.

Because, like, I'm on their level.

I might not be doing what they're doing, but, oh, God, you're showing me that I'm this, these are my people, that I'm one of these guys and they get it.

Like, I get it and I can hold my own with these guys in this way.

And oh, man.

And the whole outlook of my entire time in that master's program changed because I went from thinking, why am I even here?

To oh, oh, this is why I'm here.

This is why I'm here.

Oh, because these are the kind of people that I'm going to glean off of and sharpen off of and all those.

Okay.

Yep.

The next, the next step of that, though, the, the challenge from that point is realizing that, oh, no, none of that matters.

God's on my level because he came down to my level.

And that's why it doesn't matter what he's put in front of me.

Like, I'm okay, I'm here for a reason.

Yeah, that's it.

Find out.

I am here for a reason, whether that is to learn or to contribute or to both.

And most of the time you're going to find out it's both.

Like, there is a give and take to every relationship that you have.

There has to be.

Yep.

There has to be a give and take or else there's not a relationship.

Well, that's typically.

It's like the number one reason for divorce is because somebody got lazy.

It's like somebody stopped caring about the other person.

Nobody wants to put in the work.

I think it's impossible.

Interestingly, how choices are involved with that.

I actually just brought that up in the sermon I did two Sundays ago, where it's like, there's a choice.

When you choose to love someone, it's amazing what you're willing to overlook or work through or work with.

But if you choose the opposite, and when you choose to hate someone, when you choose against someone, it's amazing how quickly you can destroy a relationship.

Oh, 100%.

Where it's like, well, I'm not going to be tolerant of that, and I'm not going to, wow, watch how fast it implodes.

The choices that we make have such real consequences.

But to choose to see why God puts you in, like, okay, let's find out.

God, show me why I'm here.

I don't understand it, but you say it, so I'm okay with it.

And so you show me why I'm here.

And then to be able to discover that.

And it's amazing because you're right.

Not only was I able to glean from them, but I found myself helping them.

And I was not even.

I never thought that was going to be possible until I found myself in the situation and let God show me why I was there.

And, you know, it's as scary as it can be.

You know, sometimes that's how we know it is from him, you know, because left to our own devices, we're going to oftentimes do what's comfortable.

We're going to do what's.

And when we can feel that it's something that's kind of scary because it's new, because we've never done it before.

But we feel that push, that pull that.

That produce.

Maybe that's how we know that it is from God, because that's.

That's when sometimes the best things can happen.

Here's another little nugget, too, is like, if you think that you're not good enough, if you're feeling that way, guess what.

You're right.

Mm.

You're not.

Yep.

But guess what?

You were chosen.

Oh, it's like that you were chosen.

Right.

Who was it that said that?

Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right.

I don't remember who said it.

Oh, I'm not talking that.

I'm saying you're not good enough.

Even if you think you are, I think you're not Henry Ford.

Because God said you're Not.

But he chose you anyways.

Was it Henry Ford?

No.

Who was it?

I don't remember.

I can't remember, but it's good.

But I don't do history.

In this meeting that I wound up stumbling into yesterday, the guy.

One of the things he was talking about was, like, your identity.

And, like, he was busy talking about money, habits and things, but you're talking about your.

Your identity, and you say, you know what?

I don't feel like I'm smart enough to be this person.

And his question was, who told you that?

It's like, you listen.

You listened.

Oh, dude.

Right, dude.

You listened to someone at some point, and they said, somehow, whether it was actions or straight up, you're not good enough to do this.

Who told you?

Started in Genesis.

Mmm.

Mm.

Who told you you were naked, Right?

Who told you you were naked?

Mm.

You know, who told you that?

That food was good enough?

He had to know.

I had to know.

It was Henry Ford.

But going back to what you were saying earlier, it's like, literally, the devil's only tactic is asking the question.

Right?

Yeah.

They said the number, making us doubt it.

Right.

The first question asked in the garden was, is that really what he said God really said?

Did God really say.

And then God's comeback was, yeah.

Who told you that?

Right?

Who told you you were naked?

Yeah.

Yep.

Who?

The female.

I'm just kidding.

No, watch Adam blame everything else was hilarious.

Now it's totally Adam's fault.

I.

The whole thing was Adam's fault because he didn't lead his family.

And that's why, guys, he was so important.

He wasn't separate.

Even if he was.

Even if he was separate.

Right.

Even if he was, he did not lead his family.

And that was the first.

Absolutely.

And.

But the thing is, is that that was something that was a shock to go back and read later on in life when I.

And it was before seminary or any of that, but, like, just to be like, yeah, Adam.

She gave it to Adam, who was with her.

It's like, you were there the whole time, bro.

Right?

The whole time.

That's why.

That's why threw one.

Listen.

He was mesmerized at her as her appearance.

That's.

That's why through one man, sin entered the world.

Wait, there were apples.

But I mean, like, think about, like, we would talk.

I actually talked to our associate pastor earlier about this.

Today is you've got a situation like, can you imagine if this had happened?

And the very first thing Adam did was a turnaround.

Just stop, drop to his knees and say, God, I screwed up.

Please help me with this.

Like, I guarantee the entire story would have played out completely different, but it's, nope, I'm terrified.

I'm gonna hide this.

I don't want to admit that I did it.

And it only took one sin to separate.

So I don't know if I agree with that.

But had he said, I told you, you couldn't have that to Eve, then we'd have a completely different.

You know, I'll tell you what, it's interesting that, yeah, Adam was supposed to put the law down there, but that was the problem with his son.

His first son became prideful because of that.

And it was weird.

Cain was born with so much pride that God gave him continuous outs.

If you read through it.

And every time that he asked a question or tried to confront him, instead of admitting or anything, he would just double down and he would just get more hard hearted and he would get more, you know, almost, screw you, God.

I'm like, no, this is how it's going to be.

And, you know, if he think about the difference it could have made in Cain's life if he would have just been like, you know what?

I messed up.

Even with the first things like, why is your heart so hard?

Why are you so mad at your brother?

If you'd been like, I don't know, man, can you help me with this?

That would have been, no, Boom, he stays.

So, no, no.

And it's wild to see that, that, that full on prideful arrogance on display and what it leads to.

I mean, within the first children, the first two sons, you have this on full display.

You have one who's humble and one who's prideful.

Yep.

And it's like, wow.

It's character.

Right?

And that's literally it.

It's the person who's willing to say, before anybody even brought it up, I made a mistake and I want you to help me figure out how to make it better.

And then I think the other side, like, going back to obviously feeling less than.

I bragged on my son.

We went to see the wicked for good, right?

And in there, the Glinda sings a song where she basically says, true happiness comes when all your dreams come true.

And he literally snickered and said, no, dad, it happens when you're content with where you are.

And I was like, holy crap.

Right?

I was like, I didn't teach him that.

That just somehow came out of him.

But he was little.

High five.

Yeah, right.

Najema said, good for you.

But then I was thinking about the.

Or somebody was telling the story about, you know, Jesus feeding the 5,000 with the five loaves and the two fish and that kind of stuff.

And the very first thing he did once entered it was he gave thanks for the food, right?

And so just giving us the, the picture that gratitude, immediate gratitude for everything that you've got can completely change your circumstance.

I was talking to one of the guys after the meeting yesterday and he was saying he recently visited Haiti.

And he said he went down the street and it literally is 4x4 posts and tarps.

And that's, that's people's homes, right?

Just four by four posts and tarps.

And he said he's never met people who are so grateful to be in an enclosed space.

I was like, and we're making 150,000 a year and complaining we don't have enough.

It's like, yeah.

So it's just, it's wild.

So I think it's, that's more just.

I think for a lot of us, especially me, the.

When you come into a situation like, I don't really know what I have to bring to the table.

God obviously put me here for a reason.

And what I've come to realize recently is that the.

There's so many people that are just pumping their brains with information that they're blocking because God tends to work from the inside out, right?

He talks.

There's a scripture about polishing the inside of a. Oh, crap, I forget what it is.

Yeah, yeah.

Inside of the cup, cleaning the inside and then eventually the outside gets cleaned, right?

He works from the inside out.

So he works on your character and gets your character to the point there.

When he gives you the knowledge, you can handle it, you can understand it.

And so many people are trying to get all this information with having zero character inside.

There's no heart work done yet.

So it's, it's people who are like, I don't have, like, personally, I don't have a lot of head knowledge, but.

And again, not bragging on myself.

I am the guy who's going to immediately take responsibility for anything I did wrong.

Because I want to be better right tomorrow.

I want to be better than I was today.

Right?

If I'm helping with the elevate networks, I want that business to be better tomorrow than it was today.

That's my whole goal, right?

So what I bring to the table is I like to teach people character.

I like to say that I'm an image of God's character.

And if that's what I bring to the table.

Then that's enough.

Well, and I think that it's important for us to always remember.

And I know podcasts have come back to this a lot, but I'll throw this out there.

I heard a lady who was speaking once talk on identity as a Christian.

And one of the things that we get caught up in and this doesn't.

You don't have to take this as, like, political or social or whatever.

You don't have to take it as that.

But hear what it says, and a lot of us get caught up in the what's before and not the what should be.

And what she said was, I am not a black Christian woman.

I am a Christian who happens to be black and a woman.

And I think that's very important for us to realize is that our identity has to be in Christ alone.

The other things are descriptors.

Intelligence, descriptor, presence, descriptor, skin color, outgoingness, your introvert, extrovert.

All of those things are descriptors as a Christian.

Our identity is in Christ.

Everything else describes what he has us designed as right.

So whatever that looks like for you.

For me, I'm constantly feeling like I'm not good enough to do this business that he's thrown me into.

Constantly.

However, I'm a Christian and I know that he has thrown me into this.

It was his plan, not mine.

And it was so very clear from the get go.

And so I rely on him to get me through to the next step.

And it's like every time I have an issue, even though I feel down, I'm not saying that I don't feel down anymore.

I'm saying every time that I have something that comes up, something pops up.

Whether it's a podcast on taking the complex problems and going, here's the simple part of it.

You break it down and there's a bunch of simple problems.

And once you start solving the simple problems, eventually the complex problem goes away because it's fixed.

And so from that podcast allowed me to get to where I'm at, started this week in this whole new mindset that I've got for it.

Whether it's.

I feel like this project I'm working on looks like garbage, and the.

The people that it's for are in love with it.

And then I get a text message from work in progress saying, you know, you need to see you like we see you like, it's every step of the way, God has placed something, somebody there to be like, keep going.

Yep.

And so I attribute that to being.

Being like, okay, Christ is the center of this.

Do I do it perfect?

No, absolutely not.

I don't do the Christ thing perfect.

Christian.

Christian thing perfect.

But my identity is.

Christ gave me this.

This is where he wants me.

I know that for sure.

So I have to keep stepping into that.

Everything else around it will fall into place whenever it's his time for it to fall into place.

Yep.

So all of that to say, remember that if you are a follower of Christ, your identity is having been adopted, made a son or daughter of Christ, of God, and you are a Christian, a little anointed one.

So rely on that.

Stand on that.

Because that truth breaks all of the lies.

It breaks everything else out.

Because whenever it comes down to it, start from there.

It doesn't matter if you're brand new, don't know anything except for that Jesus loves you and he died for you and that you're a sinner.

Yep.

You can take that knowledge and take it to someone else, and they can have the realization that they are a sinner who needs Jesus and that he loves them.

Right.

Like.

And that's the biggest point.

That's the biggest point in all of scripture.

So it doesn't matter how new, how dumb you think you are, how smart you think you are, how whatever all those other things are, descriptors rely on the fact that your identity lies in Christ alone.

Very true.

Yeah.

The church we used to go to up in Minnesota was founded by a evangelist named Lowell Lundstrom.

And he was famous for this saying that as soon as he got saved, he jumped to his feet and he said, wait till everybody hears about this.

It's like.

And he said, from the day.

It's just.

He was so excited to share God with everybody.

Yeah.

But I am curious.

Earlier in the podcast, you.

You made a statement where you said the.

You said, you know, like.

Like, we have to be on all the time.

You know, it's like.

And there's.

I think there's a lot of people in ministry who are like, oh, man, I would just wish I could be off.

But I think the biggest compliment I ever got was one day there was.

We were doing something funny at church, and the.

The somebody said, dave, you literally don't know how to.

Anybody but Dave, like, there is no other version of you.

Right.

Well, I think.

I think there's.

Okay, so I want to clarify.

So don't get too deep into those woods, because I want this to be a podcast episode.

Okay.

Seriously, we will.

I think.

I think that that is a big topic and I think that it can.

Next time on the Truth Response.

I think it can bridge the gap for, for, for new and, and long time Christians.

Well, okay, so what I mean by being on for pastors is not necessarily that we become a different person.

I think that, I think that's actually problematic if you become a completely different person in order to be a pastor.

Like, when you come to work, you're a whole different person.

Like, that's.

Yeah, that's wrong.

Like, and there was a guy that, that's here.

Actually, I think it was Matt the worship guy.

Yeah.

So Matt.

It's a weird last name.

Yeah, I know, right?

But anyway, I worship Pastor Matt Stout.

He was talking about one day.

He's like, you know, I really can't stand when a preacher is completely different when they preach than who they are as a person.

And they said, he told us, you know, he really appreciate the way that Nick and myself had preached here because you can see our personalities and who we really are and who we are on stage isn't necessarily anything different than you're going to see if you talk to us in the hallways, especially if you get us excited about something.

Sure.

That's the.

Or even in your own homes.

Absolutely.

Yeah.

And so, but the thing is, is that on just means that we're constantly like, you know, you're in the spotlight, you're.

We realize that we can be looked at any moment.

And so you're just kind of waiting.

You know, you got to keep it, keep it up here.

You're on, you're working, you're, you know, I mean, like, if you're at the grocery store, you're on, you're working, like anywhere you're in public because you're representing Christ everywhere you go.

And if people get.

It's known that you're the pastor of a church, you want to make sure you're representing God.

Well, church well, the people of your congregation.

Well, you know, it's, it's, it's a lot that we put on our own shoulders, not to mention the stuff that people put on us.

That's what I mean.

So it can be a lot.

Now that's not to say if you, if you, when people aren't looking, don't look anything like a pastor ever.

Mm.

There's a big problem there.

And that would be a whole different story.

Yep.

You know, 100%.

Yeah.

So I mean, if you guys feel like you're on all the time as far as it goes with church, leave a comment Let us know and maybe that'll become a podcast topic.

Because I think it.

Think it transcends Pasterness.

I think it's even beyond that.

I think that you don't necessarily have to be a pastor in order to feel that the same way that a pastor does at times.

I think parents could feel it easily like what it is.

Especially when you.

Any parent.

And I don't just mean on, but I mean specifically with your.

Well, I'll give you example.

So, like, if you and your wife have a kid and you put the kid to bed and then you feel like you can finally relax and just be you and the spouse, and then they, you know, you find yourself, that's your on time.

But from the time that they wake up to the time that they go to sleep, you're on as mom or dad.

Right.

Well, then.

Then that transcends to.

To.

And that's getting too deep in the woods.

But that.

Then you're on as husband and wife, you know, and so, so there's a lot to.

There's a lot of ons.

So if you feel like you're.

You're stuck and on.

Right.

If you're stuck on, on, on, on.

If you're stuck in on, then comment something.

Let us know that that's something that you guys are feeling too and would like to hear about.

So, yeah, I think that's probably the number one.

The number one contributor to Burnout is I have.

I feel like I have to be on.

And if I'm being on, that means.

Maybe that's what we should call it.

We should be, like, turning it off.

Yeah.

Or finding the dimmer.

Dimmer is interesting.

I don't think you should be.

There's so much.

Well, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

That's not what we don't want to be.

Well, no, but we don't want to be lukewarm.

I think there's some depths you need.

Some time off, though, like that to be, like you said, burnout.

Being on all the time where you're like, I just need relax.

That's where vacations come in.

That's where you tie me off.

That's why Sabbath is important.

Okay, so let's land the plane.

Any last words?

A whole nother episode.

Any last words?

If you are finding yourself in a position where you're like, I'm not qualified for this, but like you said, God has definitely put this on your heart.

This is what you're doing.

You're in it for a reason, and we've Got your back.

Yeah.

All right.

If you're happy and you're not, clap your hands.

No.

If you actually did that with me, though, and you're watching or listening to this.

Bravo.

Thank you.

No.

My last words.

Yeah.

If you.

If you.

If you're feeling like you're not sure why you're getting called into something, find out.

Don't be afraid to let God show you.

Yeah.

Test it.

Trust the covering that you're under.

That's the other thing too.

So many people are like, I'm in this church, but I don't really support what the.

What the pastor is doing, and I don't really trust him.

Well, you may want to find another church, then.

Yeah.

You should be able to go to the pastor or your leader and say, hey, this is what I feel like.

Please help me understand.

Because it could be.

It could be something he's calling you to, but you're not ready yet.

It could be something he's calling you to, and you almost missed it.

It's like.

Or somebody called to, but not right here.

Not here.

Or.

Or the pastor's wrong, too, because pastors can be wrong sometimes.

Yeah.

So clarity.

Yeah.

Seeking clarity in love.

Yeah.

Just remember, your identity is in Christ first.

Yep.

That's it.

He's got you covered.

Yep.

It doesn't matter how low you feel.

Mm.

Your identity is in Christ.

And that is a new creation.

As Jelly Roll said the other day on Joe Rogan.

Right.

It's not that he's redeeming the old, though.

He is.

It says that I'm a new creation.

I am something completely different.

Yo.

Yep.

I am something completely different.

There's a brand new heart within me.

It's completely washed clean.

So all of the mistakes, all of the shortcomings, all of the downfalls.

That's the meat suit.

Mm.

That's the flesh.

Seriously, that's the meat suit.

So you are that new creation that he created.

White as snow.

Brand new.

Yep.

Go to that first.

Yep.

So we have seven more to go.

Seven more subscribers on YouTube to go live till 2:50.

And before the 250 mark, you know what I mean?

Until 100.

Whatever.

So.

So here's the.

Here's the deal.

We will have it next week set in stone the date for 250.

Sweet.

It's gonna be in April.

Mm.

Yeah.

Mid April sometime.

Everything goes.

Well, if everything goes right.

Mid April.

Mm.

So that's gonna be a live show.

It's gonna be.

There's gonna be a party.

Surprises.

That means we want you guys here in the building live.

For those who can make it.

For those who can make it.

If you can't make it, it's a free event.

So paying for travel, I mean, I understand, right?

Yeah.

I'm sure there's enough houses you could stay in that we can.

Oh, my goodness.

I know that's weird, but break out.

Some cots in the lit sanctuary.

Plus you can call it a vacation.

Yeah.

Because it's Florida.

Sure.

It's gonna be on a Friday night, so there's that.

We'll make sure that it's late enough that it's, you know, you could fly in, you know, and we're flying.

I mean, flying in the audience now.

I'm assuming that my mom is gonna want to be here, Right?

My mom would probably love to be here.

Are Ukrainian and Ethiopian listeners.

Would probably want to be part of it.

We have German listeners.

Nice.

So we do have.

From Germany.

I don't know them, but I know that we have some from Germany.

Anyways, so that date will be released next episode.

Cool.

We will have it set in stone, and we will tell you nothing extra about it because it's gonna be a surprise.

It's gonna be a lot of fun.

You'll get to hang out.

You'll get to see some people who have been on in the past.

You'll.

You'll find out all this new cool stuff for this next year and moving forward.

So thank you guys so much for listening, making all of this possible.

Yeah.

And God bless.

Hey, thanks for joining us.

Make sure to subscribe and give us a like on itunes and Spotify so that you will never miss the show.

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You don't want them to miss out on the truth, because we are all about the truth here.

Thanks for joining us this week, and God bless.