Welcome to the Beautiful View Podcast, where we encourage you to look for opportunities in your life to see a beautiful view. I'm Candy. 

And I'm Paul. This episode we have titled Brush Strokes of Faith. Our lives are a gift that we use each day for the things that we have to do, and then the things that we want to do. There are the tasks that are a part of life and then there are other ways that we get to express our creativity. The things that make life interesting and brings joy. 

M. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, we have a very special guest today. Joining us, who has a unique set of gifts which he uses in his life to express creativity and his faith. 

Mm-hmm. 

So sit back, relax, and enjoy the Beautiful View. 

It has been a really busy few weeks for us. Let's talk a little bit about. 

To say the. Least. 

What we've been up to. 

Yeah, I guess it all started Easter weekend. So we had to dewinterized the RV, get to get ready for. 

Hmm. 

The. Season. Yeah. And so that involves quite a few things to to get everything, all the systems in place and all working again. Mm-hmm. After being frozen in time. So we got that ready. 

Yes, yes, yes, there's that. 

And we made our way up to the. 

State Park for we were there for Easter weekend, which was really cool. Cool. The kids kind of came up and joined us a few times and we had some nice meals together, had Easter dinner together and it gave us a chance to figure out all the things that we forgot to load in the RV. So I think I think we probably went back to the House once, maybe twice every single day. 

They did. 

M. There were a few. 

We were up there too. No every day to get the little things that we forgot that we needed to take with us on our trip to Texas, because that's ultimately where we were headed. So yeah. 

Every single day I was gonna. Say it wasn't once or. Twice it was once or. Twice a. Yes. Yeah. And then we then we started out on on the Tuesday. OK. And our goal was to get to Texas in four days, which we did and we stopped at some great places along the way. So first stop was. 

MHM. 

Yes, we. Yes. We did? Yep. Van Till Winery in Missouri. 

Yes. Which was a beautiful place. 

It was a beautiful place. It was a little further off the beaten path than we thought. Then I kind of thought it was going to be so. Yeah, that ended up being the end of a really long day and we just barely squeaked in before they close. So thank you to Van till winery for still letting us stay there. 

Yes. Yeah. Yes, thank you so much. Yeah. 

And then we the next night we ended up at Wildwood Cellars. 

Which is an old stomping ground of ours. 

Yes, we have been there numerous times. It's a great stop in Peck Kansas. It's right off of I35 and Yep, Yep. So they have a nice big parking lot for us to park up. Easy, easy. 

Very convenient. Easy to part. Then we went from there to another old stomping ground of ours. So we haven't been to in a. In a long, long time, and that was Lake Arrowhead State Park. Yes, which is in Texas. So we made it into Texas just across the border. Yeah. Yeah. And we got to walk the dogs down by the lake. And it was just cool to sort of, like, be in in Texas again, all the familiar. 

We made it just across the border into Wichita Falls so. 

Smells. Sounds. 

Yeah. And there's some specifically at that park. There's some really sweet memories. Of you know, with the kids and stargazing and bike riding and just fishing and all the fun things. So it was kind. Of neat to be back there. 

And they had some new concrete pads on the campsites themselves, which made it all real easy to get in and out. And from there we went on the last leg of our journey. 

They did. Yeah. That was really nice. Yep. Yeah, we made it to my dad's house. Yeah, so that was really sweet. We got to spend a few days with family before our jobs kind of kicked in. And, yeah, it was really. It was really great. 

Yes. It was. It was great. So. But then there was a really tight schedule of things that had to be done. And so we went to Big Spring, to the college for the Deaf there, Southwest College for the deaf. Mm-hmm. And we, we filmed some interviews with students and. 

Yes. MHM. M. With lots of pictures, I mean their social media accounts. So that's been a lot of fun. 

Yeah, that was that was really neat. And and then. 

Always a pleasure to be there so. 

And and also during our trip, I went to renewal church in Temple TX and again we did some interview filming there. Mm-hmm. Which we're gonna put together for a promotional video for them and went to the ground breaking service for First Baptist in Belton, TX. So that was. 

Mm-hmm. M. 

Yeah, yeah. 

That was a big moment in in their history and their church history, that breaking ground for a new building. So I went and met up with with our lovely friends. There and and and during our trip, we also went to little town. 

Mm-hmm. 

Called Dove Creek, Texas. 

Yes. And specifically for this episode. And we interviewed someone, so we cannot wait to share all of that with you. 

Yes. 

I love when I just have time to sit back, relax, express my thoughts, my feelings and faith and creative. I absolutely love to journal and doodle and you know, we have many pieces of art hanging around our home that kind of reflect that, some that I've done some that Emily's done, some that we've picked up along the way. In fact, the first spring that we were in this House. 

Yes. 

We did a few things to kind of make our front porch just feel a little more like kind of a really special. Place to be. 

Yes. 

I have this vision I wanted like these hanging hammock chairs and stuff. So we got those and that's really kind of a neat place to hang out with. Then it just had blank walls kind of around that area. So I was really inspired by all of our time that. 

Mm-hmm. 

Very plain. 

We spent at the beach. And we had spent time at Lake Superior and we had all of these, like shells and rocks and things that we've collected along our travels. 

Hmm. 

And I just wanted something that felt kind of like Beachy, where you live like 2 blocks from the Mississippi River. So I just wanted that kind of, like, water. Beachy feel. So I just. I had a bunch of paint. Some of them are acrylic paint. Some of them are like wool paint. It was just a mixture of things. And I just started brush strokes. 

Yes, we do. 

Listen. 

Mix and match. 

Just, you know, just started kind of painting it to where it was like the colors that I wanted and kind of the vibe that I wanted on that porch and on that side of the porch on the other side of the porch is kind of my little. Creative Space study area. So in the spring and summer time, I love to work out there. So it's just I get to see out the windows and stuff. So I painted kind of bright bold colors and scriptures on the wall and that just is kind of like that is my happy place. I don't know how to describe it. It's a little sweet. 

Starting. 

Yeah. 

Corner of our porch that. 

And when we include artwork in our in our house. Those are the kinds of things that go toward making a house into a home right in my office. I have verses of Scripture painted on little, small canvases that used to be right here in our RV. And I have a piece that was created by Emily years ago and it has a. 

Yes, yes. Mm-hmm. Yeah. MHM. 

Combination of wood burning and string art and that kind of stuff, which I I really like that. 

String R. 

Too. 

MHM. 

And then when Tyler was little, he made kind of like a Father's Day. A little piece with a photograph in the middle of it and some foam pieces around the outside. So that was his little piece of artwork that he did for Father's Day and I like to keep that. And I also have a photograph of one of the sets that myself and the team created. 

Yeah. Yeah. 

At the church in Odessa, for a for a Christmas series. 

Hmm. Yeah, it's printed on a big canvas. Yeah, that's pretty cool. 

Huge. So it's just a really neat reminder of what we used to do back. Then and so you know, to surround yourself with artwork. I think really, you know, sets the tone for the space. 

Yeah. I agree these pieces are kind of creative expressions that allow us to show things that inspire us and what is also important to us, and they also kind of give others a little glimpse into our personalities and kind of into our hearts too. 

Mm-hmm. 

Yes. They can also be just for fun pieces that are humorous and they're just simply designed to make people laugh. 

Mm-hmm. 

Art is just one of the gifts that makes life colorful and takes us out of the mundane. 

Yeah, you don't have to be an artist per say to express your creativity either. We all have ways that we can express ourselves to our friends and our communities, the sports teams that we support can inspire creative expression that can be expressed by a shirt that we wear or when we cheer together sports events. 

No, no. Yes, OK. Yes. Yes. 

And we share stories. About how great our team did. Last night I will say. I have so much fun when we're in Texas watching sports with my dad. We really get into it. It's it's fun. It's just like whether it's watching Caitlin Clark play basketball or whether it's watching the Texas Rangers. It's just it's fun. It's. 

Yeah, you do. You both do. Uh-huh. 

Oh yeah. 

A lot of fun. 

And some even expressed their support for their team by taking no shirts off and painting their torsos up and standing outside in freezing weather, cheering on their team. 

No. True. That's true. There's that the tough ones. 

Hats off to those guys. 

Are the crazy. 

The crazy well, the crazy and tough, right? 

One important side of life is faith. Yes, we all hope and something from the eternal to our favorite team winning the Super Bowl, though I've completely lost hope in my Cowboys ever winning another one that's just never going to happen. So that's OK. Whatever. 

Ohh dear. And now probably. 

We place our hope in our thoughts and our emotions will be wrapped up in those things. 

Yes. We have the pleasure of talking with someone who gets to express his faith in traditional and artistic ways from the pulpit to the paintbrush, one could say. 

Yes, this was a great conversation about the origins of creative expression and how that inspires us to live our lives in creative ways. 

Mm-hmm. 

Yes. 

We are here today with our friend Ryan Dalglish and we're coming to you from the 456 church in Dove Creek, Texas. Thank you for being here with us. 

Yes, huh. Yeah, you bet. Thank you. 

So, by way of introduction, let's talk about where we're at. We're here in in Dove Creek. Yes, Sir. Which is a small place out here in West TX, right? Yes. 

Just outside of San Angelo. 

Yes. And so talk a little bit about how your family came to live here and minister here. 

Yeah. So my wife was born and raised in San Angelo. I moved to San Angelo 23 years ago. Mm-hmm. But this property was gifted to us in March of 2019. And so this old church out here had been vacant for two years, and it had defaulted back to a local Baptist association in town. And we put our name on the list. So we'd really be interested in the property it came with. 

Hmm. 

In a small church and a small little house. And I was ready to move to the country. My family was ready to move to the country and after a couple of months, the property was given to us and we spent Pierce and Micah and I, the other two pastors here, spent a year renovating the House and the property and getting it ready to meet. And we've been meeting out here since January of. 

2020 wow. So were you guys meeting in your house before that? Were you? Did you already have a church at that point, or a house group or something? Or? 

Well, we started the church in 2009 and we were meeting in my living room back then. It was just three families and. And so along the way, there were churches Glenn Meadows Baptist Church in town has been a really good friend to. 

OK. OK. 

Us and they gave us they had a building that they were not using, that they allowed us to use on Sunday nights. And from there we just kind of borrowed other churches, sanctuaries. If they didn't do Sunday night service. So for the first, I don't know, 9 1/2 years we met on Sunday nights because we could borrow people's buildings and meet there for free. 

OK. Yeah, cool. Very cool. So why 456 church? What is the meaning behind? 

That we get asked that a lot. It's I like numbers numbers stick in my head better than names do typically and and so I really was struck by Ephesians. 

Sure. 

4 But specifically verses 4-5 and six, and it says we are one body called to 1 hope by 1, Lord 1 Faith, One baptism, one God and father of all. And so just talking about this is who we are as a church. Like not just us, but everyone who's put faith in Christ has the same Lord, the same God, the same hope, the same spirit, the same. 

OK. 

OK. 

Baptism the same faith. And that's what unifies us. And so just kind of a reminder that we wanted to be unified with other believers. 

Yeah. So I guess our connection with you is I obviously grew up with your wife with Michelle. She was two years older than me, but we were in youth group together and yeah, lots of shenanigans over the years. We won't. 

Right, yeah. 

Get into any of that. Today. That, and my sister Tammy and her husband Ron and their family. Yeah, they all go to 456 church and. 

Yeah, they've really reconnected. And their two daughters are the same age as both of my boys. 

As your voice? That's right. Yeah. So that's kind of the connection with us. And so we've been here. We've attended here a couple of times when we've been in town, so. 

OK. OK. 

Yeah. Yeah, it's been great. Yeah. 

As we've listened to you prep. Which we've we've heard you tell stories about your family, the trips you've taken on around the world, and travel's been just a huge part of our lives and something that we've we've really grown, we grew while we were travelling. What is it about the travels that you've taken that inspires you? 

Yes, Sir. Yeah. 

In ministry as a as a father. 

Sure. 

Well, my dad was born and raised in Oregon, and we didn't have a lot of money, but I grew up a couple of hours from here in West, TX and Midland, and we used to drive up to Oregon every summer and we would take a different route up and back every summer. So I got to see the whole western half of the United States. 

OK. 

Yeah. 

And went through all the national parks and have seen every state West of Texas. If you draw a line. 

Mm-hmm. 

Yeah. 

Straight. Up. Yeah. And so I always enjoyed that. And then since I didn't meet my wife until my 31st birthday, I had a lot of ministry opportunities and I had friends who were like, hey, do you want to go with us to India or do you want to go to Indonesia or do you want to go with us to Germany for this mission trip or whatever? And so. 

Very good. 

I I took every opportunity I had to travel and and got to kind of preach in some different places around the world and I I am always amazed by just the world and just. 

Sure. 

The different cultures. 

Ohh yeah. 

And being able to instantly feel connected to believers, it doesn't matter where around the world like because you share Christ in common. 

Mm-hmm. 

Just feel connected to him and and so I have always enjoyed traveling and seeing new places. 

Amazing, yeah. 

So you so you've preached with an interpreter before? Yes, Sir. Like how? How does that go? Because, like, what? Like this morning when you were preaching like you, when you're in the thick of it. Yeah. And you're in a flow. Like, how does that work when you have to? Stop and let them catch up with you. I mean, it's it. Well it. 

It's it's difficult for. Yeah, yeah, I'm a fast talker, for one. Yeah. For two. You have to drop out any kind of. 

Because I imagine. 

Like slang, slang stuff or idiosyncrasies, regional that you know you know. So like you have to be really careful. In fact, I was. I was just recording something for pastors and training in Mexico and Africa. And I made a reference to distance. And I had to. I was like, meters, not yards. 

Kind of. Yeah, regional stuff, yeah. 

Just so that it makes more sense and so I'm not great at speaking with an interpreter, and you just hope that God is being gracious enough that it's making sense for the audience, you know? 

Exactly, yeah. 

As far as. 

Absolutely, yeah. We can totally relate with the travel stuff and the inspiration that comes from that because of course we did the full time RV thing for 6 1/2 years. So we've been all over the country and it is. It's inspiring when you look outside and there's, you know you do national parks and that kind of stuff, that and us that's first creativity because we're both creatives and you obviously are as well. 

Yeah. 

Yeah. Hey, Jim. 

We have some of your artwork behind us and we get to see your artwork through like social media and that kind of stuff. And it's just really cool to be in this space and see some of it in real life. 

Yes, ma'am. 

Griffin, I think probably I have a couple of favorites. The first one is the lamb, which I think I saw hanging in there on the wall. And then there's the most recent one is you're lying with the serpent. That is pretty. 

OK. 

Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Yeah, that one just sold. Yes, ma'am. Yeah. 

Ohh did it really OK. I knew you were kind of back and forth cause that. 

One was hanging in here too. Yeah, I was here in the new building up until. 

What's that? 

Up until a couple of days ago, so I had asked them. The buyer was super interested in it and I asked him, I said, can you leave it just? 

OK. For Easter, that's fair. That's fair. Yeah. So your painting style is super unique. There's a lot of color and a lot of lines and a lot of that kind of stuff. Has art always been a part of your life or is that something recent? OK. 

Sort of. Easter. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah. Yeah, I love color. Since I was very young. Yeah. Yeah, so I my dad was a pretty decent pencil artist. 

OK. 

And and so I started learning to draw from him when I was about 8-8 or nine. 

OK. 

And then took private lessons through elementary and middle school and in high school, started taking private lessons from a really excellent artist who went to our church. She she was a friend of mine. And I still keep in touch with her. Mm-hmm. And she taught me a lot. And then I actually majored in art at Texas Tech University. 

OK. Yeah. MHM. 

In. Lubbock. 

OK. Yeah. 

Before I left school, I ended up dropping out after my sophomore year and then did nothing with it for 15 years. Didn't pick up a pencil, didn't pick up a paint brush and one Christmas it was December 2011. Maybe, maybe 2010. OK, and my mom sent me a pad of paper and some pencils for Christmas and said you're too good to. 

Is that right? Oh. 

Do nothing with it. You got to do something. But I was bored with drawing, so I I taught myself to paint. So I spent 2011 and 2012 teaching myself to paint. And I've been painting. 

Yeah. To lay that down. Yeah, yeah. 

Ever since. Very cool. 

Wow, was this something about doing art in college? That kind of took the shine off of that for you? Was it like what made you drop? 

It well, so part of it was that part of it was. 

For so long. 

They made me do it so it wasn't fun anymore, right? Yeah, it wasn't fun. And then, but part of it also was by the time I was in college, I was in a full blown depression and I was barely making it. Like I I spent probably 18 hours a day in bed, nightmares every night and just was not functioning well. And I was at. 

Yeah, it. A hobby anymore. Yeah. Sure. 

Yeah. 

In school on academic scholarship and all of my grades suffered. And when you get D's and F's and they they say, hey, you know what, we we can't pay for your school anymore. And I didn't have any other recourse. And so at that point, for me, it was just the time to kind of really focus on spiritual health and and being grounded in Christ. 

Oh wow. Yes. 

Sure. 

And as I got more and more into ministry, art just wasn't something on my radar. At that point. 

Sure. 

Your artwork is a very interesting part of your story to me. You know the the route to be a pastor is kind of set. You know, you go to Bible school. Yeah. You learn Greek and Hebrew. You write many, many, many papers. I've only just done. 

Yeah, I didn't do any of. 

That you didn't do any. Of that I did. 

Not so. So then. 

I'm working on Greek. OK. Yeah, good. I'm teaching myself Greek. 

OK, OK. So but you're you're very artistic. So a lot of pastors that I have known are very academic. Yes, Sir. That's this, the gifting. Nothing wrong with that at all. You know the history, the languages, just the way that the text is put together. And of course, you include all of that in your preaching. 

Sure. 

Yes, Sir. Try to. 

But you're an artist. So what? How does that intersect with preaching? With pastoring, I mean what? What about that connects with ministry? 

Yes, Sir. So for me it was kind of a practical. Step. I I traveled and preached all over for 20 years and I've been preaching now for 30 years and I. I got tired of being away from my family. 

Sure. 

My boys were really little and every time I was gone for a week to do this camp or this revival or whatever, I'd come back and they seemed completely different. You know, it's amazing how much they changed. One of that little. Yeah. And we had already started the church, and it was really small. But we knew that this is where we wanted to be, like, where there were 15. 

Yeah. Grow so fast. 

MHM. 

Sure. 

Us and we knew that we needed to Mike and I at that point knew that we needed to put our energy into it. So I approached my wife, who we've been married for a few years. At that point, she had never seen me do any art, ever. OK. And I just said, hey, what would you think about me trying to do art to pay the bills? Because the church, 15 people wasn't paying us. 

Right. Yeah, sure. 

We had no income and Micah and I out of our own pocket, we're paying for our childcare workers and the coffee and that kind of stuff and so like. It was a loss for each of. Us, you know, like. Like 100 bucks a month and we just and so traveling was what was making my income and doing the camps and the revivals and the retreats. But I was missing out on my family. 

Yeah, yes, yeah. 

Mm-hmm. 

About. Six to seven months a year and I just got weary of that. And so art for me became the memes. It was, you know, Paul made tents. And I I painted. 

Yeah. 

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. 

And and so I in 2015, I decided to come off the road. And I painted 100 pieces that year to find my style and my technique. OK. And it's the most I've ever painted in a single year. It's a lot. And and I love color. I love big brush strokes. I I lean impressionistic. Yeah, I'm not. I'm not so loose that I'm abstract, but right, you know? But like, I like seeing the brush strokes. 

Yeah. 

Yeah, sure. 

Yeah. 

Yes. 

Like the texture in the canvas. Yeah and and so just kind of figured out how I wanted to paint and it was. It really was what enabled me to be home with my family and still do the ministry that. 

Select. 

I wanted to. 

Do here as we were building the church, that is awesome. But do you find that so as you're preparing for a? German, you're studying through a book of the Bible or whatever. Are you thinking about what you're going to preach next as your painting, I mean, is does that. 

Is there any crossover? Is it separate? 

It's it's interesting because through the years there have been so many people who have tried to get me to paint religious art. The one I get asked the most, I mean like. 

Sure. 

I've probably been asked 20 times if I was. Paint the woman anointing Jesus's feet. OK. And I just. I can't bring myself to paint. Jesus. Yeah, I and I love the scripture so much. So I am artistic. But I'm also a student. I love. I love to study and I can't bring myself to paint scenes from the Bible without feeling like I don't do it. 

That's tough one. 

Hmm. 

Sure. Yeah, yeah. 

Justice I would right as a. 

Sure. 

Artists I most artists will say. This. 

Hmm. 

Mm-hmm. You paint a piece, there's a part where you're, like, really excited about it. Then there's a. Part. Where you hate it and then you finish it and you kind of tolerate it, right. And then you like it for a little bit and you're like, OK, put that in a corner. I need to do something new. Yeah. There's this constant need to create. Right. And. And I just felt like I couldn't paint. 

Yeah. Yeah. 

Anything biblically and be happy with. Is it ever right? And So what I've started to do, because I love to paint animals. So what I've started to do is you've mentioned already the the lion. I've painted the lamb. So I painted the lamp on a black background with the crown floating above its head and its shadow is red. So like, indicating the blood and the sacrifice. And so I've started to do that. I painted the the lion that you referenced painted the lion with the crown, and he's crushing the serpent. So there's references to Genesis. 

Have to do a lot of animals. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Yeah. 

315 There there's pictures of it and. And so like, I like to do that kind of stuff. Yeah, I like to. I like to incorporate. 

Yeah. 

Kind of. My faith, sneakily, into into the art, you know, because I just. 

Yeah. Yeah, no, I guess not. 

I don't know. I like, well, I don't know. I was about to say I like subtlety, but behind. You is a. Really big T Rex and I don't like. Yeah. So I don't I. Don't know that that's. Subtle, but it's. Yeah. And so it's for me. It was really practical. It was just. It's what enabled me to do the ministry that. I wanted to do. 

One of the disciplines that both Paul and I benefited from when we were travelling full time in our RV when we were in that on that journey, we were both also going through a time of healing and redirection. We had left full time ministry at that point and we were burned out. We were exhausted and we were just, there was a lot of. Anxiety and stuff that we were dealing with. So one of the things that we started doing during that time was we started reading the Bible through, and that was the first time I did it. I read it from Genesis to Revelation and. 

Yeah. 

Nice. 

And I did it on my own and it was just something that I wanted to do, just to kind of like I was like, OK, I have been in church since, you know, the weekend after I was born, you know, but what do I believe, you know, where do I stand on these things? What does the Bible actually say, you know, not just what a preacher has preached to me. So that was a really big thing. Then the next time, the next year. 

Yeah. Right. Yeah, me too. Yeah. All right. 

I did it again, but I did a chronological. 

Yeah, cool. 

Thing. And my mom did it with me, so that was really cool. And then every year they got bigger and bigger. At one point I had a group of like 3540 ladies that were doing it with me. We had a Facebook group and the whole thing. But anyway, that was kind of one of those. 

It's amazing. 

Things and. You have done something like that recently with the simpler Bible videos, and was that just last year that you started that or was it the year? 

This means. We started recording it. 

What? 

We started recording it December 23 and so the first year is available was January 24 all the way through. Yes, ma'am. 

OK. Yes. January. Yes, that's right. That's right. So and in that simpler Bible, you kind of take bite sized pieces of the Bible and you break it down and you just make it very easy to understand for anybody that's watching. And I. 

Yes, ma'am. 

Think. 

Lots of arrows and circles and. 

Yeah. Yeah, that's a little notes and yes. 

Well, I'm visual, right? Yeah. I'm a visual learner. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

I am as well. So what inspired you to start doing that? To do simpler Bible? 

So when I was 19, I had a Sunday school teacher get in my face and a couple of my friends faces and just said, look, you guys have the potential to be real leaders. In the church and do well in ministry, but you guys gotta quit cutting up all the time you to get serious about your faith. Yeah. And you need to be in the word more. And it just really ticked me off because I was like, I've been in church my whole life. I I know the Bible pretty well and he was probably 35. I was 19, you know? And so around this same time, I was reading the autobiography of George Mueller. He was born in 1805, died in 18981898. That's what it was in Bristol, England, built 5 orphanages housed over 10,000 kids, was a pastor there. Ring a bell? You remember the name? Yeah. So George Mueller became a Christian when he was 20, died at 93, and he he read the Bible just over 200 times in his life. 

OK. 

Yes, yes, yes it does, yes, yes. 

And so I had this challenge for my Sunday school teacher. I had this challenge from George Mueller, who had gone 100 years or so before me, and I decided to pick up the Bible and start reading it through. And so I've I've read it through at least once a year since February of 95, and it's it's changed everything from everything. And so a couple of years ago, my son. 

Right. 

That's cool. 

Oh yeah, I would say. 

He's 16 now. He was. 14 and he was like, man, I'm going to try to read the Bible all the way through. And I was like, you know, Leviticus is tough. The 1st 9 chapters, first chronicles is tough. Yeah. Numbers. Chapter 7 is tough. You know, I'm kind of. And I'm like, let me write something for you. And so Colin, who does all of our church videos, we were doing some videos for the church, and I told him, I said, I'm gonna write a Bible study. 

That's. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Think for my boys. And Colin said no, you're not. And he goes, we're gonna make videos, and we're gonna produce him really well. And we're gonna make them available to everyone. OK. And I said no, no, I'm just gonna write something for my kids to help them know the Bible better. And he goes. No, I I can't let you do that. And he said we we have to make something for everyone. And so we started talking about simpler Bible. It's part of we do a podcast. The three pastors here at the church do a podcast. Simple pod and and so we have. We're building our simpler family. I'm trying to make it just about Jesus. 

Yeah. 

Yeah. 

Welcome to Central Bible, a daily journey to biblical understanding. Numbers. Chapter 7 is one of the longest. It's just it's just it's repetitious. It tells you another name of an elder of another tribe and what they brought forward. We know that they've got to be done and ready for the Passover. By the 14th day. We know that the priests are being consecrated. For seven days and we know that these gifts are being offered for 12 days, so all of that you don't have to keep track of it. My sons are going to say, man, Dad, that's a lot of information. That's very confusing and they're right. It's a lot of information, but here's what. Wants you to know if you go back to Chapter 1 of numbers, it says on the first day of the second month of the second year, first day, second month, second year. So chapters one through 6 of numbers come after chapters 7 through 9. Simpler Bible came about as a desire to help my boys know the Bible better and. 

Mm-hmm. 

Faster than I did at their age. You know, like that it won't take them until they're. 

Sure. Yeah. 

In their 30s. To really fill out their getting sure right and to understand context and so. 

Yeah. 

Obviously, to do it in a year, I mean, I know that there are incredible resources out there like Bible recap and and those kinds of things, but right, and I just didn't feel like I could do all 11189 chapters justice in the course of a year. So we we narrowed it down to about 800 chapters and tried to tell our goal was to try to show how the. 

Yeah, you can go as deep. As you want, yeah. 

The whole Bible interconnects. 

Tapestry of it. I don't know. It's there. 

Right. And so that even on the very first day when you're reading Genesis one, you're connecting that to John Chapter 1 and you're seeing how the the pieces of the Scripture fit together, because what I wanted for people was not. Or just understand Genesis 1 but understand Genesis one in light of John 1 and its revelation of Christ. And so like we spent ten months, 11 months recording that, yeah, we spent calling and I individually spent an extra 25 to 30 hours a week working on that project, him doing a lot of editing and me doing a lot of the prep. 

Right. Yeah, right. Yep. 

Sure, I believe it. 

And stuff. It was a massive project, way better than we expected, but but yeah, absolutely. 

Yeah. 

Yes, yes, bigger than what you initially had in mind for. Your boys. Worth it? Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah, I absolutely agree. 

And your boys benefited from it as. 

Well, yeah, yeah. They listened to it every night. And so last year they listened to it every night. While they're getting ready for bed or getting in the shower. 

OK. 

My cycle. 

Or whatever. And so, you know, it's available on podcast or YouTube. But I recommend the YouTube because I'm a visual learner. And for those who are visual learners, there's something about like you're talking about all the arrows and those squiggly lines and drawing with the connection points. It does for me that I'm I that's that's probably where the art most connects to my Bible. 

Really. 

Right. Yeah, yeah. 

Seeing it and now it's. Yeah. Yeah, it helps. 

Mm-hmm. 

Funny, because I'm very, very visual and so if I if I see something enough times, I can. I have a picture of it in my head. Yeah. And so I'm able to, like flip pages in my head and navigate notes and stuff in my head. And so that's how I learn them is how I like to create so visually. 

Yeah. Yes. 

Sure, sure. Identical. 

Another way that I've seen the way that your creativity and ministry combine with each other is through the book that you wrote the. Shadow yes. Sir. And actually, as we were going through your mom's house. 

We found one of your books in her office area and it had a little note written in the front when she had done Bible study and stuff, so it was kind. Of neat so. 

Yeah. So I was like I said to candy, I said. Do you think it'd be OK if I took this home and? And she's like, yeah, I'm sure it'll be fine. So I read through the book and your start of writing is very expressive, very poetic and very descriptive. And in this book, it's basically you're covering the fact that the Messiah. 

Yes, Sir. Thank you. 

Is mentioned over and over again in Scripture. 

Yeah, there's all these Old Testament references pointing to Jesus. 

Yeah, yes. Yeah, like the it's all one story. Yeah. If you don't mind, I'd like to get you to read just the first part there on page 109. 

Yes, Sir. 

Yes. 

Here. So this is the chapter on Exodus 16, the manna. This is called the bread of life and the hidden manna. The cool of the morning was already bustling with new life as the sun stretched itself from sleep and drew back the curtains of night. People emerged from their tents, baskets in hand. Not many days before they had grumbled against Moses and the Holy God, outraged by their lack of food. Now every morning they rose when the cool wind of dawn stirred the desert flower, gently waking it to behold the new. Day when the shadows were long and painted in the purple of Daybreak and the dew, like many diamonds, glistened on the ground. It was then that man, woman and child departed the warmth of their beds and came blinking into the soft rays God had given them food. 

That's that's really cool. Thank you. 

It's so cool because it just paints a complete picture as you're listening to the words, I can see the the things playing out in my mind. So that's it's just really neat. You can tell that that's, you know, that's part of your artistry, the words and the stories and the that comes through your paintings and your writing and everything. So it's really cool. 

Yeah. Ohh thank you. I love stories. Yeah. Thank you. 

I think it really enters in like. Studying the Bible could be an academic exercise, but it really brings the human aspect. Like your description, there of the of the person waking up in the morning and and and the shadows and just I just I I put myself right there which is. 

Yeah. Yeah. Well, I don't, I don't actually think the Bible is boring. Right? And and I think that we have been taught to approach it too academically. Yes. And. And so there. 

Yeah. 

There do need to be some guidelines for like how you interpret a text, but like but also like this whole thing is this beautiful tapestry revealing the truth of Jesus. And if you can begin to unpack that for people which is part of the point of simpler Bible like this whole thing is pointing to. 

Sure, sure. 

Yeah. 

Right. 

Jesus. Right. And they can kind of fall in love with it a little bit. 

Yeah. 

You know, fall in love with. 

Absolutely. 

Christ all over. 

And it's about, it's about real people, the real situations that they lived through and experience so that that your writing captures that and in the introduction to the book. 

Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Thank you. 

You mentioned that Asher is about to be born like. 

Yeah. Pregnant. 

Michelle saying Asher. 

With yeah, that that was in 2008 that I I wrote that and it was well, the end of 2008, beginning of two. 

1009 yeah. Whenever, wow. So there there's a, there's a tie in there. I love. I love the way that you've. 

Yeah. 

Yes. 

You've purposely used the gifts that God has given you, not only to ministers to a congregation as you do here, but. Your family is very much right up front, and that's what spurred you not only to do simpler Bible. Yes, Sir, but to write this book in the past, there and. 

Yeah, paint. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

To. Be with my. Family. Yeah, so it's it's I love. 

Well. I so I've written six books and and they're they were all self published. You can't get any of them anymore. The publisher went out of business at some point a couple of years ago. But I would love to kind of edit them. I'd like to tweak a few things in those six books. 

Yes. 

OK. 

And make them available again. But. Painting, writing, planting the church. I couldn't do any of it without my wife. I I met Michelle on my 31st birthday and one of the things that I knew right away is that I needed somebody in my life who was OK with doing ministry forever, you know. But you can't just ask somebody that, because then what if they say yes and they don't mean it or whatever? 

Yeah, Sir. 

I was just like, so tell me about yourself. And one of the things she said. I've known since I was 8 that I needed to be in full time ministry. I just don't. Know what that? Looks like in my head I went oh, I I do I. Think it's like. 

I think it's being married to me. 

I think it's me. 

Yeah. And. And like she's she's been my backbone and my support like she's she is the best cheerleader. So like everything I've ever attempted since I've been married to her. Been because of her. 

And not surprising to me knowing her. 

But like. You know, she's amazing. I tend towards pessimism. I I'm a I'm a negative Nelly kind of guy. And my wife, Michelle is. She is my best cheerleader. And so when I come to her and go, hey, I think I wanna start painting. She goes. Yeah, absolutely. 

He. 

Hmm. 

I go I think I want to write a book. Shows. Yeah, absolutely, you know. 

Yeah, yes, yes you should. 

Hey I think. I want to start a church. Yeah, absolutely. And so she just, she is. In incredibly biased in my favor. And so I kind of feel like, you know, with her in my corner, I can try all of. It just go for it, OK. 

Yeah. I was gonna ask you if you have future plans. Do you have the things that you want to do going forward? Are you a dreamer? Do you like to draw? 

I do. Yeah, I ohh. That's The thing is yes. 

I'm about the things that you would do. 

Ohh gosh, there's the number of things that I want to do. Just gets longer and. 

Yeah. 

Longer every. Day I I wrote a book for my boys. I started writing it during COVID and it's an adventure book. It's not a Christian book, it's just an adventure book with OK dwarves and ogres and you know, and all sorts of stuff like CS Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia. I've I've read those like 4 times. I've just started reading them again. 

So yeah, yeah. Ohh fine. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Uh-huh. 

And like I just, I like to tell stories. I started the sequel for my kids book last night. Like, I just love to write. I have one that I've been touring. 

No. Mm-hmm. 

With I have a buddy who. He's a lot younger than me. I'm old enough to be his dad, but he's he's a doctor now in divinity and he's got this all these theological degrees and we've been wanting to write a book together because he goes well, you've been doing ministry a lot longer than I have. And he goes, you have that audience. He goes, I have the formal audience. I have all the guys with. 

Yeah. 

Sure. Right. 

The initials after after their names. So we've talked about collaborating on a book together and I'm hoping that we'll get to do that in the next year or two. As far as where it's gonna go, I. 

Would be interesting, yeah. 

Just kind of put my head down and do the work, yes, so. 

Mm-hmm. 

We are sitting here. We talked earlier about the old building. We're sitting here in the new building that we just moved into five weeks ago 5. 

Yeah. 

Years. Ago. Yeah. So 4 weeks ago. This is. This was our fifth Sunday. This last Sunday was our fifth Sunday here. And it's it's crazy. So now instead of having 120 people packed into a room and we did 4 services. 

MHM. 

It's tight. 

Yeah. And now we've got 500 seats and we're doing 2 services and it's an incredible blessing, but like. None of that, like, really gets me out of bed in. The morning. So I don't. I'm not really invested in this space. I'm not really invested in that. Like, I just want to put my head down and preach Jesus. And yeah, I want to study and I want to paint and I want to write and like, I just want to teach like, I want to teach week in and week out. I I have to teach. 

Right, right. 

Right. And. 

Mm-hmm. 

MHM. 

And Mike and I were talking about this not long ago and, you know, he is a very capable teacher. But he'll tell you that he doesn't feel. 

OK. 

The need to. OK. But I feel the need to like if if I go a week without teaching, I start getting like. 

Yeah. Yeah. It's gonna come out anyway. 

Yeah, like I I have to. Talk about it and and so. 

Yeah, yeah, sure. 

I just, I don't know. I I'm kind of indifferent to where it goes. I just like every time Michael will come to me cause he kind of oversees the form and the functions and we just let him do it cause he's excellent at it. He's so good at it. And so I say let him do it. It's like thankfully he's doing it. Yes, because as a creative, I'm not great at form and function. 

Sure. He's good. That, yeah. Yeah. Sir, Sir. 

I'm great at being creative, but I am. I'm not good at structure all the time and so every now and he'll come and go. Hey, I think we should change this and I'll look him dead in the eye. 

Sure. 

So do I still get to preach? And he goes yes. And I'm like. 

OK, whatever. That's funny. That is funny. 

Then. You want to do. 

And do it. 

I don't care. I just have to teach. And so. So that's kind of how I feel about it. Honestly. It's like I just want to put my head down and. Study and know the Lord better and then teach him, yeah. 

That's awesome, Ryan. It has been a pleasure talking with you today. Thank you so much for your time for spending time with us. You have a very unique and a valuable perspective and your faith in your creativity just really speaks to us. So thank you so much for joining us. Thank. Yeah. I appreciate it. 

Yes, it has. 

Yeah. 

I appreciate it. Thanks. Yeah, right. Thanks for taking. The time this. Was fun. Thank you. Yeah, you bet. 

I love talking to people who are passionate about fulfilling their calling in life. Ryan's story is 1 of perseverance. 

M. 

Passion and dedication to God, to his family and to his community. 

His faith is unapologetic and I love how his creativity is woven into every aspect of his. 

Life. Yeah, we serve a creative God. In fact, he is the ultimate creator. I know anytime I feel like my well of creativity is running low. All I have to do is spend some time in God's creation to recharge Psalm 19, one says the heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. 

Yes, chatting with Ryan was really a breath of fresh air. He is passionate. His enthusiasm for life and for the gospel is contagious. 

Hmm. 

He has a beautiful gift of storytelling, whether that is shared from the pulpits, through his writing, or through his artwork. 

Yeah, I think anytime we have a conversation like this with someone, it challenges us to evaluate how we approach life. We call this episode. Brush strokes of faith. If you look at anything Ryan is involved in, his faith is painted across it. That is always our goal as well. I pray that everything and every person that we touch in this life that we leave brushstrokes of faith along the way. 

MHM. 

And as we leave those brushstrokes of faith along our individual journeys, may the Lord use them to paint. A beautiful view. 

Thank you for joining us today. Our hope is always to inspire and encourage our listeners. So we hope this episode has inspired you as much as it did of. 

If you like what we're doing here at the Beautiful View Podcast, you can show your appreciation by becoming a supporting member for owning $5 a month. Yeah, we'll send you a members only Beautiful View podcast sticker. And a weekly encouraging newsletter to your inbox. Your support helps us cover our production costs and the link to sign up is in our show. Notes. 

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So now is the point where we get to find out what we're gonna be talking about in our next episode. So what's up next? 

Yeah. 

Well, Are you ready for this? Our next episode is coming from a recent conversation that you and I had on one of our walks, and we are going to be calling it cultivating uniqueness in your merit, cultivating uniqueness in marriage involves embracing individual identities. 

Sure. 

MHM. 

OK. 

While fostering a strong and unified partnership, it's about celebrating differences respecting each other's faiths, and encouraging personal growth, ultimately enriching the relationship. I think it's going to be a great conversation. 

It's going to be interesting. Thank you once again for joining us today. We hope you have a great day and remember to always keep an eye open for opportunities in life to see a beautiful view.