I was always into art. I did a lot of drawing as a kid. I remember making a lot of homemade greeting cards for my Mom to send to people. I remember in high school my art teacher wanted me to go to an art college. I just wanted to start working. I received the art award at my graduation and after painting houses for the Summer got a job at a large sign shop. It was the perfect mix for me. Art and work.
I worked there for 3+ years. It was a great place to learn the trade. I knew at some point I would want to open my own business. I started doing some jobs on the side. I was also involved in a singing group that traveled a good bit. To close out the two year commitment to that group we took a three month tour across the United States.
I had developed a pretty good relationship with the graphic design manager of a large local company that we did a lot of work for. Everything seemed to be lining up for me to start working in their graphic design department when I returned from the three month tour, so I quit my job at the sign shop, fully expecting that I would be starting a new job when I got back.
As the cross country tour was coming to a close, I called my friend to work out the details for when I would start my new job. He regretfully informed me that the position was no longer available. Not only was I flat broke after not working for three months, now I was unemployed as well.
My first business started out of necessity. I had just returned from a three month singing group tour and the job I thought I had was no longer available. Fortunately, a company that I had been doing side work for saved five box trucks for me to letter while I was away. That was the start of Landis Original Sign & Design. Technically, the business started in my bedroom. That’s where my drawing table was. One of my earliest logo designs was for Marcho Veal. Over the years we lettered a lot of vehicles and trailers for them. Recently my brother sent me a picture of a trailer that we lettered (yes, hand lettered) in 1999. After 20 years it still looked pretty good!
Things moved rather quickly at first since I didn’t have a place to letter trucks and it was the middle of winter. Fortunately my Franconia, PA neighbors and friends were very gracious. John Alderfer let me letter the first truck in his tractor shed. It was so cold we had a blower heater blasting the side of the truck to get the job done. I did the next few projects in the old Hagey Bus Garage. In the meantime a rental property was found in Hatfield, PA and I put up my first sign.
The early years were the same as any business would experience starting out. You did what you had to do. I remember needing a hand putting up a rather large sign for Bergey’s Tire. Well, the only available person was Mom. So off we went to do the install. Yes, Mom always wore a skirt. And yes, we had to be up on ladders. And yes, it was windy and cold. But we probably went back home for some pie and coffee, cause that’s what we did in those days.
My good friend Brian Leatherman and I spent a weekend in Vermont learning how to hand carve signs at a well-known sign carvers workshop. With Brian’s help we started offering hand carved and sandblasted redwood signs. Somewhere in these early years we also got our first decal cutting machine. It was the primitive forerunner of today’s graphic printing and cutting equipment but it did increase efficiency (and some would say unfortunately it decreased the amount of hand lettering we did).
At some point in those early years my brother Alvin started working with me. We spent many good years working together as the business continued to grow.
It’s hard to argue with the 90’s. They were good years in a lot of different ways. The business was growing, our family was growing, we bought our first house, and everything else that makes up the “American Dream.”
It was a very fulfilling time on many different levels, but the business definitely dominated life. We often had more work than we could handle. I’d work straight through the night if need be. There was little that I was afraid of saying yes to. Annual meetings with the accountant were like goal-setting sessions for me. “What should we shoot for this year?”, I’d ask.
Though I struggled with important family priorities, it was very satisfying for me to be able to help businesses upgrade their image through logo design, signage and vehicle lettering. Some of those signs are still standing, some 30 years later!
But a certain restlessness was setting in. Looking back I guess I would call it a holy discontent. God was preparing us for something, but we weren’t sure what. It was a time of uncertainty, but a series of spiritual experiences ultimately led me to ask my brother a question that would change the course of our family’s life.
We were lettering a concrete truck that day. I was on one side of the truck, and Alvin was on the other. Deep in thought, I finally stopped what I was doing and walked over to the other side of the truck. I started telling Alvin what I was thinking and feeling, then asked “Would you be willing to run the business for me if Deb and I and our family moved to a Bible College in OH for a few months?” In that season I had developed a deep hunger to know God and His Word more intimately.
Little did I know the extent of change that would come to the business, and our family, as we followed what we understood to be the will of God.
1999 was certainly a pivotal year in the life of our family. After spending several terms at Rosedale Bible College (OH) in the Fall of ‘98, I was invited to participate in a one-week prison crusade in Alabama. I had never even heard of We Care Program. But in God’s providence my first teacher at Rosedale was Phil Weber, then President of the organization.
During that week in AL I felt God’s call to prison ministry. Six months later, after selling our house in PA, we found ourselves situated in a rented, single wide, mobile home in Atmore, AL. I was to begin my one-year commitment as an assistant chaplain to 400 men at JO Davis Correctional Center.
I have to give credit to my brother Alvin and his wife Dawn. They graciously agreed to run the business for one year while Deb and I and our family served with We Care. At least that was our initial thought. God had other plans. One year later we had bought a house in Atmore and sold the business to Alvin and Dawn so I could continue in ministry.
Their business continues today as Landis Graphics.
That’s not all that happened in ‘99. Debbie was pregnant with our 4th when we moved to AL, and Darla was born soon after we arrived. Her life and story was one that would grip and mold and challenge us for the next 12 years. I have recounted that journey in my book “Daddy Hold” so will not get into detail here.
For the next 15 years I served full time with We Care, the majority of that time as President. I would not trade our experiences in these years for anything in the world. During this time I had the opportunity to use my artistic gifts in helping to create and develop an updated “image” and branding for We Care and its related projects and promotions. I also took care of their lettering projects with some help from my brother.
After a while Alvin gave me an old plotter he wasn’t using any more so I could cut decals in-house. I began to help my church and friends with various projects. Later I worked together with the boys on creating a small business. They both moved on to bigger and better things while I continued working on various projects on the side in what I called “hobby” mode.
It was during my latter years as President of We Care that another “stirring” began to develop. In 2014, I stepped down from leadership at We Care to accept a call as an overseer of churches. I was also ordained as a Minister of the Gospel at that time. Part of the challenge of accepting this role was that it was not a fully supported position so I would have to come up with another means of support. I continued on with We Care as a part time prison chaplain and teacher to fill this void, but always thought that something else would eventually take its place.
Deb and I had quite a few conversations about what this “other” thing might be. We talked about a number of ideas, but none as much as getting back into graphics. The main question was “How could I merge my calling to ministry with a business?”
I have to give Debbie a lot of credit for Landis Design Co. becoming a reality. As mentioned earlier, we’d been thinking of doing something different for quite a while. But she’s the one that pushed me over the edge, not only with her support and encouragement, but with her willingness to step out into a new adventure with me.
Without question I wanted my ministry as an overseer and Minister of the Gospel to be the number one priority in my (and our) lives. Yet it seemed that God was giving me the desire to use my artistic gifts in a more intentional way. That’s where tentmaking comes in.
The Apostle Paul was a tentmaker. Whereas the other Apostles left their occupations to follow Jesus and were then later supported by the church, Paul chose at various times in his ministry to make tents. This was an important occupation in those days and something that Paul was obviously gifted in. There are a number of reasons Paul chose this route.
As I’ve served the churches that make up Good News Fellowship I’ve been keenly aware that most of our leaders are leading churches that are not capable of providing full time pastoral support. I’ve been humbled by the example of those who work full-time jobs and give everything else they have to the Church.
Many of the churches in GNF are small, rural, inner-city, or financially challenged in other ways. Actually, this is a reality for the majority of churches around the world.
Though I’ve been incredibly privileged and blessed to have had the opportunity to serve in full-time ministry, it’s become clear that God now has me in a season of bi-vocational ministry.
I know that bi-vocational ministry can have its challenges, but I believe “tentmaking” will allow me the flexibility to do both ministry and graphics. Ultimately, my goal for the business – and my life in general – is to see the Gospel advanced and the Church of Jesus Christ strengthened.
David R. & Deborah A. Landis, Owners
Dave and Debbie moved from PA to AL in 1999 to serve with We Care Prison Ministry.
They have three married children.
Dave serves as an overseer of churches with Good News Fellowship.
Having formerly owned a graphics business in PA, Dave and Debbie are pleased to again serve their community and surrounding area with quality graphics.