David Hayward was baptized Anglican as a baby, came to faith in a Baptist church when he was a teenager, changed to Pentecostal in his late teens, married another Pentecostal named Lisa, was ordained Presbyterian, pastored a Vineyard church, and planted others.
He has a Masters in Theological Studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, as well as a Masters in Religious Studies and Ministry from McGill University in Montreal.
But in 2010 David left the professional paid clergy. He is still passionate about how people can find and follow their own spiritual path with courage and joy, as well as in how people can freely gather and form community in healthy ways.
David started a blog called nakedpastor in 2006, and initiated his public analysis of religion, religious community and spirituality through his writings, art and cartoons. Thousands of people are challenged and entertained by nakedpastor every day.
His art, cartoons, writings and book have found their way all around the world.
David lives with his wife Lisa on the beautiful Kennebecasis River near Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. They have 3 grown children close by.
Here is my timeline:
1957 Born in Toronto, Canada, to Richard (British) and Joan (Irish/ Italian).
1957 circumcised by a Jewish mohel.
1957 Infant Baptized in the Anglican Church.
childhood: sporadic church attendance.
1973 was “born again” at a Baptist youth night. My family followed along.
1974 switched to the Pentecostal Church.
1975 filled with the Spirit and spoke in tongues
1976 graduated from Newmarket High School
1977 worked as a security guard at Toronto’s parliament buildings.
1978 went to Central Bible College in Springfield, MO for music degree.
1978 met Lisa Washington (“missionary fox”), from Alabama.
1980 Married Lisa.
1981 Graduated with B.A. in Bible and Theology. My goal was to teach Bible.
1983 M.A. in Theological Studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Needed ministry experience if I wanted to teach at a Bible College.
1983 Assistant to the minister at Zion Presbyterian Church in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It was here I experienced a major spiritual crisis. You can read about some of it here.
1986 Was informed by the elders that my contract had been discontinued because it was believed I should go back to school. So I went to Knox College at the University of Toronto to get my PhD in Biblical Studies.
1986 Lisa finds out she is pregnant and all our plans change. Through a fortuitous meeting with Dr. William Klempa, the president of Presbyterian College at McGill in Montreal, we end up transferring there for the Masters in Religion and Ministry. I also serve two small presbyterian churches in the Adirondack mountains of New York for income.
1987 Our first child, Joshua, is born. I graduate and am ordained into the ministry of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. I accepted the charge of three small presbyterian churches in rural Nova Scotia for the next 5 years.
1989 Our second son, Jesse, was born.
1992 Our daughter Casile was born.
1993 I accepted a call to plant a presbyterian church in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia.
1995 Fell into hopeless despair because I felt trapped in a system I couldn’t escape.
1995 Lisa and I attended a Vineyard conference in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. Received prophetic words and met some pretty amazing people. Long story short: decided to move to the church who hosted the event just to enjoy that kind of church life and community.
1996 The pastor, Steve Witt, asked me if I would take over him as pastor of Rothesay Vineyard since he felt called to return to Ohio to plant another one.
1997 Not even one year after I accepted the pastorate of Rothesay Vineyard, we went through a horrific church split that would initially take half of the congregation, and eventually take three quarters.
2002 Accepted John Paul Jackson’s invitation to plant a church in New London, New Hampshire, to serve the community, as well as his ministry, Streams Ministries International.
2002 John Paul Jackson fired me for insubordination because I would not participate in a required public repentance to hopefully banish sin from the camp and increase revenues for the ministry. We were carrying for Lisa’s dying father in our own home. He died in our home the same week.
2003 Returned to Rothesay Vineyard under the invitation of the leadership team and Doug, my assistant who took my place as pastor when I left, in order to recover from our recent traumas. Started my blog nakedpastor.
2006 Doug decided to go into business and I was asked to return as the pastor of Rothesay Vineyard. Started cartooning on nakedpastor.
2008 Lisa is accepted into the nursing program at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John.
2010 I quit the ministry after years of struggle and frustration, as well as experiencing increasing hostility about my blog.
2010 Accepted a position as a teacher of English as a second language to international students at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John. Josh has his own business True Life Training. Jesse works on heavy equipment out west. Casile goes to Mount Alison University.
2012 OMG how my life has changed. But I’m happier for it.
My name is David Hayward, and I am the nakedpastor. I am a graffiti artist on the walls of religion.
dave, you’re an A+ in my book…
Thank you Dave for being just you, you have been a blessing to me as has Rothesay Vineyard …I am new to your fellowship but have experinced much love and acceptance which was much needed .I cherish the way the Lord speaks thru you each Sunday……….alot of things you share ,the openess,realness,heretical I have also felt or experinced or sensed in my journey…………I love your realness and gift you give of teaching others how to be free and to be real…………I have long disliked religousity, makes, facades and the things we have ALLOWED to bind us………….I look forward every week to coming to service to see what the Lord has in store…………….it was a journey back for me and I am grateful he told me to attend your congregation.
Katharine
Is it permissable to link to your blog from mine?
Hi David,
Thanks for leaving a comment on our site http://readingsroom.wordpress.com it was nice to hear from you and glad you enjoyed reading our readings! Your site is fascinating and I’ve enjoyed browsing around. It’s great that our little group in south west England can link with you in Canada. What sort of musician are you? I’m a singer/songwriter and at the moment I’m making quite a little career out of it which is fun. Shalom
Hi David
Thanks for dropping by my site and yes your idea of exchanging links is great as I check your site daily. I really like your art and the poignant messages within your comics. I will set up my site accordingly and feel honoured to be on your roll with such other blogs of note.
Lord Veritas
I want a t-shirt like that!!!! Great self description, believe it or not I can relate – some of us simple folks are a bit complicated.
Hey Dave…loving the photograph, it looks like an awesome cover from some rock and or roll album. Your Blog is very interesting, I find it very diverse. How are things? Trust all is well. Simplicity is no cake walk in this culture. We always have ‘stuff’ pushed on us, to make us “better” or more “human.” Minimalism seems a philosophical fine line between counter-culture and a healthy, autonomous definition of self. But I love it.
Hi, I have you on my favorites list ( one of only three favorites ), because as an artist, I love your art! It has enormous feeling and your art takes me to where your imagination and heart has gone for that moment which is the greatest compliment I can give. God made things simple, it’s us that complicate things…… Ann Hoy….grin
ok i totally want to make a shirt that says that!!! that so desribes me, in fact when i read your description of you i had to laugh because i feel like people are confused by me too, and i’m confused by me, i don’t know! cool to see you just digging that. also, i go to a vineyard in ann arbor, mi so pretty sweet to see you are a vineyard pastor. good stuff!
Whoa! Scaaary.
My name is David
I am Canadian (but I live in Colorado)
Our ministry is called Revolution, with the sub title: Naked Church!
Although I don’t attend a Vineyard, I used to, and some of my mentors are Vineyard!
Basically, you’re me… or I’m you.
Or there’s an alternate Universe and we are each other!
Love your bio. Love your shirt!
Yes, actual human beings DO tend to confuse those who are only accustomed to cardboard cut-outs of humans. It’s a sign of a healthy psyche that labels just don’t stick.
I like that Simple slogan, too.
Your Jaunts with Jesus are a real crack up (“very funny”) and very incisive.
Your sketches crack me up, so funny
) We have a bible study group here in Ramsau am Dachstein, (Austria) every Wednesday night you’re welcome to come, and we have many Canadians in our group.
One thing I loved to do with your sketches is to make a desktop widgets out of them which grabs the latest one from your site. Would you mind ? I think it would be cool, like the Dilbert one, it would probably draw more visitors to your awesome site.
BTW once bought a Cohibas T-Shirt in the states thought it was rather irony, also good to smoke, the cigar that is!
Rothesay, eh? I’m a Monctonian myself! Another Canuck!
Love your words! Check out the brith of a possible missional art ministry…. http://holybrow.com
email me & let me know what you think!
-st Mars
mars@valentiger.com
Hi David,
Ive been all over your blog and all i can say is WOW. If there were more pastors like you (not afraid to be yourself no matter what) maybe the sheep would be in better shape too
who knows?? Anyway you inspire me as i am a little like you (even though I am female and African)
Many blessings in all you do, and thank you for sharing your thoughts and art with the world. You have NO idea what a blessing you are….
Daisy from Uganda
Hey ~> I’m a Canuck too – from the Stampede city. Enjoying the site. Our family has been involved as leaders in an evangelical congregation. However, God took us out and taught us a whole lot about what it really means to be the body of Christ in a relational kind of way as opposed to an institutional way. In short He had to demolish some of what we thought He had established in order to rebuild.
We completely believe that people who follow Christ need to be in community with one another. How the way community works is pretty wide open and completely up to the Holy Spirit to lead. We’re not structured. We’ve seen a lot of institutionalism outside the walls of the church building. We’ve worked with and seen a lot of people who are hungry for Jesus Christ but are not going to fit into the social system of church life and do the regular symbols, rituals and traditions. At the same time we’re misunderstood a lot by those who want to be in the walls rather than outside of the box.
Just felt to explain myself for some reason – unkown even to me.
Let me get this straight…you’re a pastor and you don’t know what you are? Sometimes you’re evangelical, sometimes heretical. I’m sure that’s a great help to the many who seek your spiritual counsel.
A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Ancient Jewish proverb. Why halt you between two opinions? Choose you this day whom you will serve. Ancient words from Joshua. Who is on the Lord’s side? Another Joshua question.
You can have your online orgy of self-indulgence and spiritual schizophrenia. What the world needs now are Christian leaders who are fearless, devoted to the glory of Christ alone, not their own egos and their pathetic, artsy, finely honed images, who like the Apostle Stephen, are willing to die for what they believe because truth is valued AS truth. These are the kind of men who understand following Jesus isn’t a cute, postmodern thing where you pick and choose what to believe off a buffet line, depending on what image you’d like to exude. These are men who possess a muscular faith that can withstand the assaults of a world in moral and spiritual revolt. You, Sir, are not one of those.
[...] Here’s the latest installment of the Slice feature, “Meet the New Pastors”. Today’s feature is the Naked Pastor. You’ve heard of Movie Pastor, now it’s time for the Naked Pastor. Here, Naked Pastor describes who he is. Bear in mind that this man is actually leading others. [...]
wine, scotch, beer and tobacco…….LOL…..Sir, you need an impartation from the Holy SPirit..then you will know WHO YOU ARE in CHRIST and the vain imaginations of this world will all seem meaningless… I won’t buy you a beer, I’ll pray the Shekinah Glory of the Living God overshadows you. May your countenance shine with the Glory of God…not a buzz from the booze.
Looking on your Blog and your Website for:
Jesus – God – Bible – Holy – Repent – Christ
I don’t see those words anywhere…
sometimes conservative, sometimes liberal? sometimes evangelical, sometimes heretical?
at all times apostate…
repent dude…and cease this farrago of absolute godless nonsense.
I’m with T.J., Zeke, and J.Rich…you are one confused puppy. I’ll pray that you come to know the real God, the real Jesus Christ, and the real Holy Spirit.
[...] Today’s feature is the Naked Pastor. . . Here, Naked Pastor describes who he is. Bear in mind that this man is actually leading others. [...]
Naked Pastor, you remind me of my great-uncle Harold Harvey, of whom the following was said by his wife, my mother’s beloved Aunt Jenny (who is now in Heaven with Jesus, having served Him with all her heart after her salvation late in life): “Harold is standing stark naked before the Lord Jesus Christ, wearing only the helmet of salvation.” You see, he never did what it took to grow in Christ (which involves separation from the world), and I fear you have not either, my brother. Are you saved?
As to your alarmingly dichotomous personality: “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:8
As to your t-shirt sentiment (I’m simple; it’s complicated) … agreed; you seem to be simple. It’s not all that complicated. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” That solves that problem. But for heaven’s sake don’t brag about it; it’s nothing to be proud of.
As to the rest, you should prayerfully read Romans 14 (maybe even memorize the whole chapter) and think about how much of a stumblingblock you are when you claim the name of Christ and then brag about liking single-malt scotch and enumerating your fave tobacco products and so forth. Not good. These substances and habits destroy lives; they in no way enhance them. You’ve been duped.
Have you ever heard this little jingle?
He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool. Shun him.
He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is simple. Teach him.
He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is asleep. Wake him.
He who knows, and knows that he knows, is wise. Follow him.
You are the first variety, but with God’s help you could become the fourth one. I pray that it will be so.
David, you seem to love a lot of stuff, but do you love Jesus?
I am sure that David would like to thank all of these recent posters for two things:
1. Increasing traffic to his site and, thus, his Alexa & Google rankings, which means more people will be able to find his site; and
2. For showing so many people what it means not to be a caring Christian. People, go back and read what you wrote. Then, might I humbly suggest, you consider repenting for your sins.
With all these postings one thing is for sure…you’ve got people talking…and judging! Even Tom with point number “2″! Making a judgement! Follow your own advice Tom!
I’m sure or at least I hope that we can all agree that the Word of God is our guide to all of our simple and complicated life choices. So in regards to the Word how do we measure up? Does our life truly reflect HIM in all that we say and do? Isn’t all of life supposed to be worship?
With that in mind I suggest that the next time we have something to say we should consider how others see and hear us. After all it’s really all about Christ. Matt 5:16
Seeing most of the responses really pissed me off at first. Then I came to realize that most of these “perfect” people who have all their righteous ducks in a row are really crying out down deep inside where Jesus is desperately trying to reach. Because way down deep they realize that as the scripture says, “All your righteousness is like old used tampons” (Plummer Standard Version). And down deep inside whether we are fundies, conservatives, liberals, missionals or whatever righteous tag we hold on to, we know that our stuff just isn’t it and all we try to hang on to just doesn’t cut it. It’s very scary but seems easier than having to really trust that Jesus did it all.
Truly it is easier for a camel to go thru the eye of a needle than it is for the wealthy in self- righteousness to enter heaven…
Thank you,
JP
http://abbagod.wordpress.com/
The narcissism in that bio is astounding. David, you are transparently a fool who esteems himself higher than he ought to. Apparently the standard for pastors and artists has sunk to a new low.
well levi, it is the “about ME” page, so i thought i should write and tell people a little bit about MYSELF! who should it be about? YOU?
On a whim, I just now decided to check out your “about me” again to see if anyone else had posted anything (since May), not expecting to see many new responses. And…OUCH!
I’m actually sad for those people. Some of them really do seem to think that enjoying life is a sin. I don’t smoke, drink, dance, or gamble but I respect that those are enjoyable for others. I think, like the writer of Ecclesiastes said, that one should enjoy all the days of this meaningless life. (Ecclesiastes 9:7-10)
How terrible the burden to never be allowed to doubt or wonder, or explore alternative ideas and interpretations. Must people not only adhere to the model but actually be shoved into and locked inside the mold?
Point taken. I guess the pilling on of adjectives as opposed actual facts about yourself struck me as pretentious and self-absorbed.
I personally know the nakedpastor. He is one of the most down to earth people I have ever been fortunate to have fellow shiped with. I have my self made it a goal to be “naked and raw” in my life and have been blessed a million times over do to the transparency of my life.
We all have a story to tell since we are all products of our own personal history. To live each day and to know who we are is the best gift we can give to anyone. Opinions are great but sometimes it is best to ” be still and watch” Silence is golden.
Let us all learn to hear when it is time to listen and to speak when it is time to speak. instead of attacking each other let us learn from each other. Take what is good and what personally speaks to you.
If we learned to let the issues and the differences go we would all learn what “true love” is…and what really God spoke !
So Nakedpastor.. be real.. be true ,be who you are ” JUST BE ! ”
keep the good work up!
X-pastor
I was wondering as one who is an ex pastor did you find it was easier to be naked and raw once you left man’s institutionalized occupation of pastor and allowed Christ to be your only Shepherd? Personally, I found that while I was under the bondage of what man insituted there was a false sense of nakedness. We learn to sing songs like “I surrender all”, but we are surrendering to man and his doctrines. When we come out from under that covering that man created and allow only Christ to be our Pastor/Shepherd and not man then and only then are we really naked. So many times I thought I was naked before, but that was a big deception to get me to think that I was where Christ wanted me to be.
Rod.
Thank you for sharing. Since You obviously have an understanding that it is so important for us all to seek what we each feel is to be true for each of us personally. Language is very limiting to us all so since I don’t know you personally nor do I know anyone on this site exept the author.
I commend you for seeking what you need to do.
My comments were only to bring to light that point exactly. It is a shame that people spend so much time interfering with another persons development rather than concentrating on their own.
I personally was just sending an old friend a hello and a smile, the nakedpastor and I have not seen each other in a long time so I found his site and just sent a hello
again thank you for sharing..
X-pastor
Quite right, Levi, how dare David write all about himself in his own bio! David, you narcissistic bastard!
Oh, I see now that his comment was rather lame compared to others…. and I thought I had it bad with such folk!
Anyway, I’m new to your blog, just having a rummage round. My first impression is that I find your honesty and openness refreshing.
All the best,
Chris
found your blog a few days ago, really appreciate your humor and artistry. thanks
Dave,
What a great site! I am knocked out by how open you are here. Not many are willing to express their doubts and inadequacies out loud, let alone put them out for all the world to comment upon. Thanks for having the boldness to be simple when life all around us is so complex. Love from out west!
Hi
You live like my family who are not converted with the exception of being in church a bit more…..it was Bonhoeffer who taught a grace that saves without transforming the way we live is a bit cheap….hey but you will label me a old fundamentalist who likes to quote the hard hitting stuff…wrong ..I am all for being relavent, modern etc and yes open but lets give them something with a bit more radical !!!!.
God Bless you
I’m a questioning pastor also. thanks for being honest, we are all questioning the systems we are in. I guess my worry is , being a child of the 60′s, that we will bring down the status quo but have nothing substantial to replace it with.
And yet the BS does wear on us.
Thanks
Don
note to John Plummer….you’re right…there is not one of us righteous. I’m not holding on to a tag…I’m holding on to Christ…not a beer, not some tobacco, not some nude pix advertised as “art”….Jesus…and the more I hold on to Him and walk with Him and dwell with Him in the secret place the more this old world just loses it’s appeal. Drop the denominational labels. I do not use them. I walk with God. And if it makes me a “perfect” person in your estimation, maybe my longing for holiness and the beauty and purity of the Lord in my daily life, convicts your lack of that longing. But I’m not perfect….ask my husband, Or my sons. But please do not lump those of us who are truly following Christ on the narrow road, carrying our cross, and loving HIM more than the world as “self righteous:. We are humbled daily and as He shows us more of Him…we see clearly just how depraved and deluded most American Christians are.
I dare say you’ve already discovered it if you’re a connoisseur of scotch, but may I recommend Laphroaig, a rather fine single Islay malt, taken with ice? My favourite…
Why will you never see your Christian buddy at the liquor store?
Because he’s hiding from you in the other aisle!
I, for one, find David’s transparency to be inspiring. What a brave man. What a rebel. I believe Jesus was the ultimate rebel against this fallen world and he actually gave wine to people! Good wine too.
David’s honesty actually makes me want to show and live Christ in a more real way. Thank you for being “naked”.
I came to the Lord later in life from a background of sin including drinking to excess and smoking. Those things and others, fell away when I embraced Christ. Jesus forgave me of all my sins. The new life in Christ is filled with joy even in the midst of crisis. Should I go back to the “pleasures” of drinking and smoking? Will that enhance my Christian life and spiritual growth?
RL.
I admire the way that you share of yourself on your blog David… I’m a daily reader and hate to hear of the pain that your experiencing through the loss of your friends in your church, and the wounds from the Pharisees who can’t seem to resist attacking you here. As a fellow idealist and artist, I have learned that it’s a lonely road and it really doesn’t get any better (sorry). Try to take comfort that you have many, many friends that you have never met, and that your unique and impassioned spirit brings glory to God and inspiration to those of us struggling along side you.
Hi David,
Just checking in from Australia for the first time. Enjoy your thoughts and glimpses of your personality through the writings on this blog. It’s wonderful to enjoy life in all of its diversity – thanks for sharing about some of your favourite people and pleasures in life.
Cheers,
Ian
Hi David,
John Wesley, one of the patriarchs or the evangelical church is reputed to have said, “Wine is the noblest cordial in nature”. Evidently John had not discovered single malt Scotch!
We appreciate your honesty and transparency. Wish that all pastors could be so open and free in themselves.
John and Carolyn
And you’re from NB? I wonder if we’ve met before. I’ve lived in St. Stephen off and on for the past five years, attending SSU. I’m now in Minneapolis. How do you know my Dad?
Dear David,
I took some time to read the entries and they’re a gas. Your self-disclosure is obviously thought provoking…and edifying to me.
Thanks
JCB
It always amazes me when people are corrected they are so quick to holler out “your judging!” or “I guess your perfect!” or call you “self-righteous” it is true that Jesus hung with the low and the sinners BUT he told them to stop sinning (John 8:11) and when people advocate sin they’re not loving you its actually the opposite when I try and correct a fellow Christian Prov 27:5 & James 5:20 it is in LOVE this done! I see that in all the studying and going this way and that you found something that “pleased” you and became content with it. Of course you know what the Bible says so what about Rom 12:1-2? I don’t need theology or any other studies to tell me what the Bible actually means it’s written so that it can be understood not to pick and choose whats meant for me.