Burwell eventually attended seminary in Pittsburgh, served a church in Orangeburg for three years, then returned to Charleston and the Church of the Holy Cross.
“There was a struggling little place with very little future,” he says.
Burwell encountered a vestry averse to change. The church, itself, had been the same size for about 30 years.
Burwell wanted Holy Cross to grow, to seek out new members and create new services, and maintain tradition. The vestry saw matters differently.
One member told him, “Burwell, the only reason I’m on this vestry is to make sure you don’t get what you want.”
Burwell shakes his head. “Those were strange days.”
So he prayed, and eventually won over the church. Membership doubled in three years’ time. Old attitudes, hearts changed.
Holy Cross built a new parish hall, and the church added worship services and opened a branch on Daniel Island. Tent services are held in I’On in Mount Pleasant. Construction on a facility there is slated to begin before 2008.
In short, the church is thriving.
Now married for 31 years and the father of two daughters, Burwell still pulls from the old days. He dips into pop culture during his sermons, connecting with his parishioners just as he did with his listeners. Sometimes, he even finds time to pop into his home studio to record a few snippets.
“It’s been an amazing 20 years,” he says, “and I have a feeling we’re just getting started.”
What a wonderful story about a wonderful pastor! John Burwell sounds just like our current Dean and his predecessor, both of whom also had some roots in SC.
Who is your current dean #1? I don’t know where you parish is.
“Since then, he has shepherded its growth as the church has expanded from 75 members to 1,800, and added two branches.”
WOW!
Sorry, our current dean is Frank Limehouse, and our previous dean was Paul Zahl. Both are deeply rooted in the Gospel, preaching human sin and God’s grace. Both also use illustrations from popular culture to drive their points home in the sermons. God bless the Diocese of South Carolina for raising such wonderful Evangelical leaders for our church!
physician without health wrote: What a wonderful story about a wonderful pastor!
Spot on and so much more. John intoduced me to ordained parochial ministry and quickly became my mentor. I’ve served on the man’s staff twice for a total of nearly six years, so I can tell you, JBB is one of a kind and a man that I hugely respect. In my 14 years of ordained ministry I’ve never met someone who could stay so vision-clear and on task than JBB. Nor have I met a man (or woman) with a bigger gift of faith from God. Best of all–to this day–John always gives me grace.
Peter Mitchell
John,
Anything in this article you weren’t happy about? I guess we always have to ask that……
But in any case, what a great media-testimony and witness to God’s grace and power.
You know, I encouraged you last year to put together your own version of “Miracle in Darien.” I want to say to you again, and I believe this is the Lord speaking to you, it’s time to tell the story of you and Holy Cross and God.
Rob
Re: #4
The Diocese of S.C. also produced Henry Nutt Parsley.
John Wilson
As John’s next-door parish I have had 7 years to see up close the fruit of his ministry and the love he has for our Lord. This interview captured well the heart of a pastor – sadly, a very rare quality in the church today. Well done, John. It’s a blessing to serve along side you!