I Called Him Pastor

August 3, 2025

I always called him Pastor. 

For over 40 years, he was my spiritual mentor, my friend, my pastor. This morning, Dave Burnham peacefully entered the presence of God…just a few days shy of his 91st birthday and the 70th anniversary with his beloved wife, Sue.

I met Dave in a most providential way in the early 80s—after a funeral, in an airport, on my way to a piano recital, and a job interview. 

I knew who Dave Burnham was. He and his wife, Sue, had quietly helped lead and nurture The Chapel, in Akron, Ohio, into an almost 7,000-member church through his unique expository evangelistic preaching, vibrant youth programs and their powerful series of home Bible studies. Dave’s gift of unpacking scripture with engagement, clarity, and relevance was extraordinary. He had that rare combination of intelligence, creativity, charisma and athleticism. He had even passed on an opportunity to play in the NFL, choosing instead to work as a pastor with his father. 

 At O’Hare Airport that day, Dave said he was looking for someone like me… The rest is proverbial (and yes, providential) history. We worked and walked through a 40-year journey of ministry endeavors and life experiences together. 

Here are just a few things I learned from him:

True discipleship is not just finishing 12 lessons with a group—it’s walking with someone.

Your family is the most direct ministry God has given you. Give them quality time while you can—they are the ones who will be with you at the end when no one else has time for you.

Truth and time walk hand-in-hand.

For the past year, I have been working with the Burnhams on a video of Dave and Sue’s ministry. I’d frequently call Dave to verify details. Though his strength was fleeting and time was precious, he would ALWAYS ask me about MY family and MY life. He would remind me that the older you get, the more regularly you lose something; health, abilities…people. However, he would quickly add that God is faithful, He knows what we really need. But he was not preaching to me, he was walking with me. There was always love, appreciation, care and insight in his words…even on the final phone call.

And that’s why I always called him…Pastor.