If you haven’t heard, I dabble in stand-up comedy in Austin, TX as a pastor. It’s been fairly common when other comics see me do well in a comedy set and win over a room they naturally assume I would bring that same style into Sunday morning. In fact, many of them have said, “If you did that on Sunday morning you would see a lot more people attending your church.” Maybe?
But my goal as a pastor isn’t trying to get a lot of people to attend on Sunday morning. My goal as a pastor is to invite people to be known relationally, so that together we can grow closer to Jesus and eventually help someone else do the same.
Types of Spiritual Formation
Different Christians are drawn to different ways of following Jesus.
Spiritual Formation
Invitation
Practical
Monastic
Less hurried / stress
Reordering life around Jesus
Revival
Experience
Encountering power around Jesus
Justice
Action
Extending care toward others
Doctrinal
Knowing Truth
Articulating a worldview
Obedience
Self-Denial
Dying to self, living to Jesus
Relational
Community
Being known, helping others do the same
Some Christians are drawn toward one approach more than others. It isn’t that one approach is wrong, and another is right. In fairness, most probably involve a little bit of all of them, but it was helpful to me to see them distinguished from one another.
The Cost of Being Known
There are strengths and weaknesses to all of these spiritual formations, but there is something unique to what we are trying to build at North Village Church. You can practice solitude anonymously, you can attend an incredible worship service anonymously, you can protest injustice anonymously, you can read theology anonymously, and you can deny yourself anonymously.
But it’s much harder to follow Jesus with someone who actually knows you. Because eventually they ask a question. And then they remember your answer. And then you are left in a space of, “What happens next?”
When that happens, our faith in Jesus starts to intersect with actual life on life and that is both incredibly attractive and incredibly uncomfortable. It is uncomfortable for the person being asked and it is uncomfortable for the person asking the questions because in my experience our lives don’t dramatically change overnight.
Instead we are all entering into a season of long-suffering with one another as we take multiple “one step forward, two steps back” throughout the life of these relationships. It involves multiple layers of confession, multiple prayers, and sometimes seasons of waiting when we don’t really understand what the Lord is doing in our lives.
The Cost of Knowing Someone Else
And Then It Gets Worse, because eventually spiritual formation at North Village Church isn’t only about people getting involved in our life. North Village Church is wanting to build up a church family that is interested in all of us helping someone else.
This is where our faith in Jesus isn’t only something we consume from others, but we start asking ourselves, “How can I pray, encourage, teach, support, and care for someone?” Someone walked beside me during a painful season, which is great! But also asking, “How can I do that for someone else?”
That’s where a relational approach to spiritual formation becomes “Jesus is doing something in me, and Jesus wants to do something through me.” We need both. Without the first, our faith in Jesus becomes an activity of; schedules, serving, and experiencing without necessarily becoming more like Jesus.
Conclusion
In the end, maybe my comedian friends are right? Maybe I could use some of what I’ve learned in comedy to create more energy on Sunday morning? There’s nothing wrong with that. But winning over a room and forming a people aren’t the same thing. One can happen in ten minutes. The other takes years.
People often ask me which is harder: preaching a sermon or performing stand-up comedy. The answer depends on the week. Both involve standing in front of people with a microphone. Both require preparation. Both involve reading a room. Both involve ideas bring presented to an audience. But they are still both very different. Here’s what preparation looks like for each.
Preparing A Sermon: Start With The Text
When I prepare a sermon, I don’t begin with what I want to say. I begin with what God has already said. I’ll spend hours reading a passage over and over, looking for repeated themes, structure, historical background, theological connections, and how the passage fits into the larger story of Scripture.
Then, I ask, “What’s the main idea of the passage?” This main idea becomes the thread of the sermon that I want to pull throughout the sermon as I go verse by verse through the passage. Now, every story, application, and transition needs to serve the thread of the passage. After I identify the thread to pull throughout the sermon I generally use these 4-parts in every sermon:
What is the hook of the passage? Why should someone listen? What difference does the passage make in our lives practically?
Where is the tension of the passage? Where will people object? Why will they object? When will they push back?
Where is the gospel in the passage? The goal isn’t to leave with a moral code to accomplish. The goal is to see how Jesus rescues us from the weight of the passage so that He is our hope.
How does the passage lift our eyes to a greater vision? It might be the vision of our church family or our personal lives but I want to draw out the vision of the passage?
Preparing Comedy: I Still Start With A Biblical Idea.
My comedy doesn’t start with a passage in God’s Word, but it does start with biblical ideas. They are just packaged differently. In a sermon, the idea is front and center, but in comedy the idea is smuggled in so the audience never sees it. In fact, my main goal is for the audience to feel like they discovered the biblical ideas on their own. I am not sure I am always able to accomplish this goal in comedy, but that is my end goal.
It doesn’t mean my jokes are “Christian jokes.” It means the moment I let the audience know I am a pastor I am shaping the lens by which they hear everything. It means there is a biblical layer running quietly beneath the entire set.
First, I identify a biblical idea like marriage, money, faith, parenting, etc. Then, I look for inconsistencies in those areas in my life or in our culture. What’s bothersome? What’s frustrating? What’s discouraging?
After that, I want to look for the tension, so that I can create tension for the audience on some level, because laughter comes out of tension. Telling the audience at a comedy club that I am a pastor in the first 10 seconds of being on the stage creates tension.
Next, I start writing out those ideas to create a surprise or a turn for the audience. They know the idea. They are a little uncomfortable with the tension. Then you try to release the tension with a surprise. It’s really hard!
Most of the time I can write all I want but at some point I have to get up at an open mic and see how those words land on an audience. I will show up with 3-minutes of ideas and it’s a success if I can leave with 30 seconds of something that might be funny.
That’s one of the humbling parts of comedy. I may spend an hour writing three minutes, only to discover the audience liked one sentence. Then I go back, rewrite, perform it again, and hopefully build something worth keeping.
The Biggest Difference
In a sermon, I deliver one time. In comedy I will deliver an idea 30 times and maybe on the 50th time I start to see the timing that will make it funny. In a sermon, I don’t always know what lands, but in comedy I know immediately. When I preach, my responsibility is faithfulness to the passage. When I do comedy, my responsibility is to connect with the audience. Those are very different scorecards.
The Biggest Similarity
Oddly enough, both require a deep love for people. If I don’t understand what people fear…What they’re hoping for…What they’re frustrated by…What they’re ashamed of…I’ll struggle in both worlds.
Good preaching applies timeless truth to real people. Good comedy exposes real people to timeless truths about themselves. Both begin with careful observation.
Why I Love Doing Both
Well, sometimes I hate both of them. It can be agonizing to work on something over and over, and then not have the satisfaction of those ideas connecting. But, on Sunday mornings I hope people leave seeing Jesus more clearly. In a comedy show, I hope people leave laughing a little harder at life, and maybe the ideas in the comedy will linger a little longer. Because both remind me that people are searching for hope.
Sometimes hope comes through hearing God’s Word. Sometimes it begins with laughing at ourselves. And every once in a while, those two worlds unexpectedly meet. Those are my favorite moments.
A few months ago, I signed up for a comedy competition with 250 comedians in Austin at Capital City Comedy Club in the Domain. That means 250 people were trying to accomplish the exact same thing I was, make people laugh.
Stand-up comedy has a funny way of exposing you. It’s just you and a mic on a stage. The lights are bright. You can’t really see the audience. People are seated at your feet. And, everyone is there with an attitude like, “Make me laugh!”
When you do stand-up comedy there’s nowhere to hide. Every word, every breath, every pause, and every facial expression counts. There’s no PowerPoint to blame on technical difficulties. It’s just a room full of strangers deciding in real time whether you’ve earned another minute of their attention. As I walked away from my set, I realized I had learned lessons that have very little to do with comedy and almost everything to do with life.
1. You Don’t Have to Beat Everyone
You just have to do your job: When I first heard there were 250 comedians competing, it felt overwhelming. How do you compete with that many people? Then I remembered something important. I wasn’t performing against 250 comedians that night. I was performing in front of one audience. My job wasn’t to be better than everyone else. My job was to deliver the best 4 minutes I was capable of delivering. That’s true in almost every area of life. We spend so much energy looking sideways as we comparing careers, churches, businesses, social media, and accomplishments, that we forget our actual assignment. Comparison creates anxiety because it asks us to control outcomes we never could. But, preparation creates confidence because it focuses on what we actually can control.
Whether you’re leading a company, raising kids, preaching a sermon, or stepping on stage, your responsibility is the same: Prepare. I can’t control how audiences are going to respond. But I can work out those 4-minutes! I can run through those 4-minutes. I can imagine how the audience is going to respond. I can watch the audience as they prepare for the show. I can imagine how they might respond. I can prepare!
Failures Compound Faster Than Big Breakthroughs
The majority of laughs I got that night were from moments where jokes didn’t work, audiences didn’t respond, and timing was off. Each of those failures is an opportunity to improve. Do words need to change? I can swap the order. Where can I cut?
In sermons and comedy, most people just assume I am quick on my feet talking about topics off the top of my head. Not even close. The four minutes last night have been delivered 50 times over the last two-years and every miss was an opportunity to make it better.
Confidence Comes From Evidence, Not Optimism
Some comedians seem to not care if an audience laughs. I need the audience to laugh. It isn’t because I need them to like me. I want to get on the same page with the audience and if they are laughing at what I think is funny it tells me, “We’re all hearing the same thing.”
Before I get called up to a stage I can feel my heart beating in my chest. I am flooded with these thoughts like, “Why am I doing this to myself?” The only thing that quiets that voice is my faith in Jesus that give me the courage to pursue this area of my life and evidence that people have found these bits funny.
Real confidence isn’t pretending you’re not nervous. It’s remembering you’ve done difficult things before. I’ve found that to be true in comedy, leadership, and faith. Courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s trusting what you’ve already learned enough to take the next step anyway.
One Final Thought
Competitions have winners and losers. But life isn’t a competition. Sometimes in life there are going to be moments where we advance and there are going to be moments when the fruit of the hard work doesn’t materialize.
Success in life isn’t about advancing. Success in life is about learning and discovering that you’re far more capable than you thought you were six months ago. For me, I’m grateful I advanced to the next round, but I’m even more grateful for what the process taught me. Because long after this competition is over, those lessons will still be shaping the way I live, lead, and step onto the next stage.
We are bringing together local and national talent for a cause that matters. All proceeds from the evening will support GirlStart, an Austin-based nonprofit committed to empowering girls in STEM!
The show will be headlined by Cam F. Awesome, who was a national boxer, but recently been taking his experiences to the stage to provide inspiration and laughter to audiences around the country. Joining him on the lineup:
The event will be held atNorth Village Church, offering a welcoming environment for an unforgettable community-centered night of laughter.
This show continues the growing tradition of Austin comics partnering with local organizations to bring joy, build community, and make a tangible difference in the community.
Event Details: Date: Saturday, May 30, 2026 Time: 6:00pm Location: North Village Church, Austin, TX Benefiting: GirlStart
I recently started doing stand-up comedy in Austin, TX. And I am a pastor. Which means most nights I am standing in a bar talking about my life, and at some point, people realize, “Wait… this guy is a pastor.” It creates a moment. You might be asking, “Why would a pastor do this?” You can read about it HERE and HERE.
Austin has become a major hub for comedy, with names like Shane Gillis, Joe Rogan, and Tony Hinchcliffe shaping the scene. The rooms are full, the crowds are sharp, and the conversations are often as unfiltered as you can imagine. So why step into that as a pastor? At some point, I had to decide whether following Jesus meant staying in environments where I naturally fit, or stepping into ones where I did not. Stand-up comedy made that decision unavoidable.
There is constant pressure in those rooms to blend in, to match the tone, to say what works, and to avoid being the one who shifts the atmosphere. But following Jesus has given me a different option. Instead of trying to manage perception, I can simply be honest. There have been plenty of moments where I have said something, or chosen not to say something, and it creates a pause. Not hostile, just noticeable. And in that space, there is nothing to fix. Just a quiet recognition that I am different.
That is not always persuasive, and it does not guarantee agreement, but it is clear. And clarity matters. Paul says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel,” not because it always lands well, but because it is worth being known for. Jesus lived this way. He did not isolate Himself from the world, and He did not mirror it either. He entered into real places, real conversations, and real tension, while remaining anchored in who He was. He asked questions people were not asking, said things people were not expecting, and stayed present in environments where others might have pulled back.
Following Him means we will feel that same tension. Not because we are trying to stand out, but because we already do. What has been surprising to me is how often this creates opportunity. I have had conversations about a biblical view of marriage and sexuality, finances, some political conversations, and caring for those in need. It’s not because I am actively trying to drive conversations toward those topics, but that, at least in Austin, TX, there are people who are wondering and thinking about those topics today, and then out of a nowhere a follower of Jesus is dropped into their life.
In a few cases, other comedians have quietly shared that they follow Jesus too. Not on stage, not publicly, but they are there. And sometimes just being present and clear has caused them to reconsider what that actually means for their life and their work. That has been the unexpected part. Not influence through volume, but through presence.
So maybe the question is not whether you feel comfortable identifying as a follower of Jesus in your environment. Maybe the better question is where God has already placed you where that clarity would actually matter. Your workplace, your friendships, your neighborhood, or conversations you did not plan. People do not just need content about Jesus. They need to encounter people who actually follow Him. And that will almost always feel a little uncomfortable.
Followers of Jesus often face a tension when working in environments that are not shaped by Christian values. Comedy clubs, music venues, corporate settings, universities, and many other spaces raise the same question: How can someone be present in a culture without simply becoming a participant in it?
This question is especially important to me, because I work as a pastor in Austin, TX. My wife and I started the church in 2009, and at the time we had two little children, so it was easy to connect with young families in our neighborhood. By God’s grace we were able to enter into spiritual conversations with those families and for a season it resulted in men and women coming to faith and pop up bible studies. Sometimes we would have 12-15 adults in a living room looking at God’s Word with 30 kids running outside. It was wild!
Fast forward to 2024 and I did an open mic near our house at Cap City Comedy Club as a bucket list type of challenge. The experience went horrible. But for some reason, I wanted to keep trying. Eventually I started talking about being a pastor in a 3-minute comedy set, and 2 years later here I am. Usually 2-3 nights a week I will meet up with comedians and we will try to do our best at making people laugh.
But Austin, TX isn’t known for clean comedy. Austin actually has some nationally known comics in our city like Joe Rogan, Shane Gillis, Tony Hinchcliffe, and more. It isn’t exactly Nate Bargatze material on 6th on a weekend night, so what does that look like for me as a follower of Jesus?
The New Testament doesn’t call followers of Jesus to isolation, but it also doesn’t call them to blend into culture. Instead, it presents a third option known as “Faithful Presence.” Jesus entered ordinary public spaces. He ate with tax collectors, attended gatherings, and spent time with people who lived far from the religious center of society. Yet those around him consistently noticed something different about Him. His presence influenced the room rather than the room defining him.
The challenge for believers today is learning to discern whether they are participating in culture or bringing a distinct presence into culture. Several patterns can help make that distinction clearer.
1. Direction of Influence: Who’s influencing who?
A participant in culture gradually absorbs the values of the environment. Language, priorities, and assumptions begin to mirror the surrounding world. A presence in culture moves in the opposite direction. While remaining fully engaged, their posture, tone, and character introduce something different into the environment.
This doesn’t mean constant confrontation or overt religious messaging. Often it simply means that over time people notice a steadiness, humility, or integrity that stands apart from the surrounding culture. Jesus was often accused of spending time with sinners, yet the stories repeatedly show people being drawn toward change rather than Jesus being drawn into their patterns.
2. The Trajectory of One’s Work: What’s the tone of the work?
For anyone whose work involves creative expression, the work itself becomes revealing. In comedy, writing, music, or storytelling, the deeper worldview underneath the material eventually becomes visible.
When someone is a presence in culture, their work tends to humanize people. Humor exposes human weakness without celebrating cruelty. The tone may include honesty, self awareness, and humility.
When someone becomes a participant in culture, the work often begins drifting toward whatever the surrounding environment rewards most. Cynicism, degradation, or shock value can slowly become the easiest path to approval. Over time, the trajectory of the work often reveals the deeper direction of influence.
3. How Others Perceive You: Are you experiencing favor from others?
Another helpful indicator is how people within the culture describe you. A person functioning as a presence is often respected even by those who disagree with them. Others notice reliability, honesty, or a different moral center. They may not share the same beliefs, but they sense a consistency.
By contrast, someone who has become a participant in culture becomes indistinguishable from the surrounding environment. Their identity is primarily defined by the culture they inhabit rather than the deeper convictions that guide them.
4. Private Spiritual Vitality: Are you still growing in your faith?
Perhaps the clearest indicator is what happens privately. Scripture describes the life of the Spirit producing qualities such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. When someone remains rooted in these realities, their internal life continues to deepen even while they live and work in challenging environments.
5. The Role of Community: Is there willingness to receive feedback?
The New Testament consistently places believers within community. Spiritual formation rarely happens in isolation. A presence in culture remains connected to people who can ask honest questions and offer perspective. Spiritual conversations continue. Others are able to speak into both life and work.
A participant in culture gradually shifts their primary feedback loop toward the surrounding environment. Career success, audience approval, or cultural status become the dominant voices shaping decisions.
6. The Question of Motivation: Does it become a distraction?
Motivation also reveals direction. A presence in culture is often driven by a desire to understand people and serve them well. There is curiosity about the human condition and a sense of stewardship for whatever platform or opportunity exists.
A participant in culture is often driven by a desire for belonging, approval, or recognition within the environment itself. Identity becomes increasingly tied to acceptance by the culture rather than faithfulness within it. Both motivations can coexist at times, but the direction that grows stronger over time becomes revealing.
7. Long Term Fruit: Is there spiritual curiosity from others?
Jesus frequently spoke about fruit as the ultimate measure of a life. Faithful presence often produces meaningful relationships and deeper conversations over time. People come to trust the person because they experience integrity and care.
Participation without discernment tends to produce deeper immersion in the same cultural patterns. The individual may achieve success within the environment but gradually lose spiritual clarity and distinctiveness.
Longterm Goal
For me, my work as a pastor hasn’t changed. I still want to gain trust and credibility to speak into the lives of the people in my life. I pray for those people. I look for ways to encourage them and support them in their pursuits. I look for opportunities to challenge them in ways they would be receptive. I consider it a privilege to be in their life, and I want to point them to Jesus in everything.
The “sermon” isn’t that different either. On Sunday morning it is more clear that I am taking God’s Word and going verse by verse to point people to the hope we have in Jesus, but in comedy my goal is still the same. I am trying to take biblical and cultural values and package them in a way that are hopefully comedic or at least insightful, so that the people who are listening might think more deeply about those areas of life. I can’t say I have mastered this, but I am continually trying to grow in this area.
In the end, pursuing this area of life has been a lot of fun. Our church family has been really supportive. Once a quarter we have been hosting Clean Comedy Shows for our community and partnering with a local non-profit where all the donations are given to them. Our next one will be in May. You should come!
A night of smart, high-energy comedy is coming to North Village Church on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 6:00pm in Austin, TX. We are bringing together local and national talent for a cause that matters. All proceeds from the evening will support Mobile Loaves & Fishes, an Austin-based nonprofit committed to serving neighbors experiencing homelessness.
The show will be headlined by Donna Lee, whose sharp wit and crowd-warming charisma have made her a standout in clubs across the country. Joining her on the lineup:
The event will be held atNorth Village Church, offering a welcoming environment for an unforgettable community-centered night of laughter.
This show continues the growing tradition of Austin comics partnering with local organizations to bring joy, build community, and make a tangible difference for underserved neighbors.
Event Details: Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026 Time: 6:00pm Location: North Village Church, Austin, TX Benefiting: Mobile Loaves & Fishes
Building Resilience One Laugh, One Story, One Step at a Time
Let’s be honest: life can feel like a roller coaster you didn’t want to ride.
Some of us are raising teenagers, losing loved ones, trying to keep marriages alive, or just trying to get the dog to stop chewing Amazon boxes. (Why is cardboard the forbidden fruit for a dog?)
As a pastor for 25 years, a husband for 26 years, and a dad to two grown children, I’ve learned the hard way that life isn’t about avoiding the storm. It’s about learning how to dance in it, and sometimes laugh so hard you forget it’s raining.
That’s why I created the 5-Day Humor & Hope Challenge, a simple rhythm of encouragement to help real people (like you and me) build resilience through laughter, faith, and small honest steps.
If you’re tired, burned out, or just looking for something to lighten the load, this is for you.
Day 1: Own Your Mess—Then Laugh!
Let’s stop pretending we’ve got it all together. That’s exhausting. The truth is, some of your best moments, the things that bond you to other people, are the stories you’re tempted to hide.
Like the time I had to walk my mom (who had schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s) into her facility because we couldn’t provide care for her at our house. It was horrible. It was one of those moments where you curl up on the couch in the fetal position.
There wasn’t much in life that prepared me for those days. But laughter helped carry me through it.
Scripture:“A cheerful heart is good medicine…” (Proverbs 17:22) Action: Tell someone your funniest hard story this week. Let them laugh with you, not at you.
Day 2: Laugh WITH Your Spouse, Not AT Them
Marriage isn’t built on perfect communication or flawless date nights. It’s built on punchlines, patience, and being willing to forgive each other when you forget to cancel that Amazon order for the third time.
We’ve had seasons in our marriage where it felt like the only thing keeping us together was the mess—but laughing with your spouse is a real gift!
Scripture:“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:7) Action: Think of one ridiculous memory that brought you closer. Text it to your spouse with a, “Can you believe we made it through that?”
Day 3: Give Grace to Your Family’s Weirdness
Every family is weird. Some are just better at hiding it.
But when you start giving grace instead of judgment, when you see your dad’s addiction or your mom’s mental illness through a lens of compassion, it opens the door for deeper healing and humor.
Resilience in families comes when we stop needing people to be perfect and start celebrating their progress.
Scripture:“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8) Action: Say this prayer: “God, help me laugh more than I lecture today.” Then try it.
Day 4: Choose Hope When It Feels Optional
Hope isn’t passive, it’s practiced. It’s what you choose when you’ve buried people you love. It’s what you hold onto when you feel like giving up would be easier.
It’s not denial. It’s defiance against despair.
Scripture:“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Hebrews 6:19) Action: Write down one hard thing you’ve made it through. Title it: “I’m still standing.” That’s your reminder.
Day 5: Share What’s Real (Not Just What’s Right)
People aren’t looking for polished faith. They’re looking for honest hope.
You don’t have to be the expert. Just be someone who’s still in it. Still praying. Still messing up. Still laughing. Still standing.
Scripture:“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) Action: Call or message someone and say, “Can I tell you something real?” Then do it. That’s how light gets in.
Final Thought: You’re Not Failing—You’re Building Resilience
If you made it through this blog, guess what? You’re doing better than you think.
You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to keep showing up, with a little more grace, a little more grit, and maybe a little more laughter.
And if you ever need someone to remind you that God still works through broken people with Costco outfits, I’m your guy.
If laughter is the best medicine, then our clean comedy show in January was the ultimate prescription for a night of pure joy! We kicked off the year with a packed house, an electric atmosphere, and a lineup of incredibly talented comedians who proved that you don’t need to be edgy to be hilarious.
From the moment the first joke landed, the room was filled with the kind of laughter that makes your sides hurt—in the best way possible! The comedians delivered punchlines that resonated with everyone, from young families to grandparents, all without a single awkward moment. It was proof that clean comedy isn’t just possible—it’s powerful, relatable, and downright fun. Here’s a recap video! (Click HERE)
But don’t just take our word for it! The feedback was overwhelming:
“It felt amazing to go to a comedy show where I could bring my kids and my parents and not worry about the content!”
“Who knew clean comedy could be this good?”
“This was my first clean comedy show, but it won’t be my last.
In addition, all the proceeds were committed to Love Justice International. We were able to donate $2,000 to Love Justice International! Love Justice International exists to end human trafficking around the world. Every dollar donated will be put saving lives!
But it’s not over! That’s right—if you missed January’s show, you’ve got another chance to experience the magic! Our next Clean Comedy Show is happening in May, and we’re pulling out all the stops to make it even better. Expect a fresh lineup of hilarious performers, brand-new material, and the same high-energy, family-friendly atmosphere that made January’s show such a hit.
So, whether you were there in January and can’t wait for more, or you’re ready to see what all the buzz is about, mark your calendars now! Stay tuned for ticket info and lineup announcements—this is one comedy night you won’t want to miss.
In 2022 I was sitting around with some friends around a campfire and said, “I am going to try to do an open mic.” Everyone in the circle laughed at that idea so I thought I was off to a great start! I’ve worked as a pastor for 25-years and during sermons I have found moments to involve humor but I started to think to myself, “Could I make strangers laugh?”
Creating laughter in a sermon isn’t that hard. Most people in attendance on a Sunday are there to learn about God through His Word, so if the pastor says something slightly funny you can get a pretty good laugh because they weren’t expecting you to be funny. But people show up at a comedy club to laugh and laugh quickly, so I thought trying an open mic in Austin, TX would be a good challenge.
Needless to say, all of 2022 came and went and I never made any progress on that open mic. In 2023 my friend asked me again, “Have you done the open mic?” I said, “What?” He said, “You said you wanted to do an open mic, you should give it a try.” I spent all of 2023 thinking about what I would say at an open mic. It’s harder than you might think. You have 3-4. You get up on a stage. Bright lights are shining in your face and the audience has this attitude like, “Say something funny.” It’s terrifying!
In January 2024 I visited three open mics in Austin, TX; Cap City Comedy Club, Creek and the Cave, and Comedy Mothership. If you don’t know, Joe Rogan moved to Austin in 2020 and opened up Comedy Mothership, so hundreds, maybe thousands of men and women have moved to Austin to try their hand at comedy, so there are plenty of opportunities.
In January 2024 I signed up at Cap City Comedy Club and the host called my name to the stage for me to deliver 4 minutes of what I had spent 12-months thinking about and trying to come up with something funny. It was a blur!
My wife was in the audience. You can go to my Instagram Page to see some of the clips but it was a complete blur. People will tell me that it’s easy for me to try stand up comedy because I am used to being on a stage as a pastor. It is familiar but preaching a sermon and doing stand up feels completely different.
When I was done I walked off the stage and told my wife, “I don’t ever want to do that again.” She said, “Great! You tried something new!” But by the time I got to my car I thought to myself, “I bet I could come up with something funnier.” The next week I signed up again, got picked and it went worse! Honestly, the most painful experience is to stand up in a room full of strangers and try really hard to say something you think is funny and they just sit in silence. It’s horrible!
But the same thing happened again. I got off the stage, regretted trying it again and by the time I got to my car I thought, “I bet I can figure this out.” Eventually through a conversation with another friend she encouraged me to talk about being a pastor. My first thought was, “I am never getting up in a room full of strangers and talk about being a pastor to be funny.” I didn’t want to make fun of my faith. I didn’t want to make fun of people in the room. I didn’t want to make fun of the church. But the next week I had a couple of ideas, so I signed up again, got picked again and actually got a few laughs.
Ever since then I have been trying to pull out the funny of being a pastor. Most people in Austin have never met a pastor and aren’t really sure what pastors do in their everyday lives, so it creates an opportunity for something interesting immediately.
The best part has been meeting the men and women who have moved to Austin to try stand up comedy. People are coming from all over the country and some from all over the world! It’s been pretty fun!
Right now my goal is to try an open mic once a week and try to keep coming up with ideas. 90% of the ideas aren’t funny but every once in a while I will hear a chuckle and it makes me want to keep trying. Along the way I get to talk about my faith with other comedians, answer questions about being a pastor and hopefully give people a different perspective on what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
Most Common Questions:
Are you really a pastor? Most people think I am doing a bit as a “pastor.” Making fun of Christianity / religion is pretty common at an open mic, so most people aren’t sure what to think when I stand up and talk about being a pastor.
What made you want to try stand up comedy? I wanted to see if I could make strangers laugh. It’s pretty fun!
Are you just testing out material for your sermons on Sunday? I have tried ideas from Sunday at an open mic and I have tried ideas from an open mic on Sunday morning and so far they don’t work. I tend to keep them separate.
What makes you think you are funny? I don’t know. I like to laugh. I like to be around people who laugh.
What’s your dream for comedy? I am already living my dream. I get to work as a pastor talking to people about Jesus. Being able to earn the right to do that at a comedy club in Austin would just be a bonus!
How do you reconcile being a pastor at a comedy club where people are talking about things that are offensive? Open mics might be the greatest example of free speech! People say anything at an open mic and the more shock and awe in the joke creates tension and the more tension creates an opportunity for laughter. At this point, I try not to think too much about the content and instead appreciate the man or woman trying to craft something together that could be funny.
Anyone ever told you that you look and sound like Nate Bargatze? Yes! A lot! In 2015 I would have people come up to me after a sermon and say, “Have you heard of a comedian named Nate Bargatze?” I immediately became a fan of Nate Bargatze’s comedy! But I am not trying to look or sound like him. Technically, I am older than Nate, so he looks and sounds like me, just a lot funnier and talented!
Can pastors drink beer? I get this question pretty often because open mics are at clubs / bars and I want to support these locations making space for comedy so I will try to get a beer while I am there. God’s Word is actually neutral about alcohol. Sometimes alcohol is described as a blessing / celebration and sometimes alcohol is described as a curse / grief but drunkenness is clearly contrary to God’s Word.
Can I listen to any of your sermons? Sure! Here’s a link!
What kind of church do you pastor? It’s a non-denominational church. We are really big on Jesus and the Bible, so on Sundays I will teach through books of the Bible and try to go verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter.
Can I come to visit? This question is pretty common! Most comedians are out late on a Saturday, so to turn around and show up to a worship service on Sunday morning is a challenge but it’s been great to see new friends visit on a Sunday morning. Anyone is always invited to show up to a worship service on Sunday morning at 10:30am. We sing 3 songs, I teach for around 30 minutes and then we close with 2 more songs. We’re pretty casual, so just come in what’s comfortable for you!
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