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Rev. Dr. Bryan Burton
Senior Pastor 
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Email Pastor Burton
I was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and proud of it as a lifelong Green Packer and Wisconsin Badger fan. I came to faith in Jesus Christ in high school and entered the pastoral ministry in 1981, after graduating from Bethel University in the Twin Cities. I met my wife and life-long ministry partner, Caroline, doing ministry together in Southern California (she was working in children’s ministry and I was the youth pastor) and we got married in October 1982. She is originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland and we actually moved to Northern Ireland in 1986 right after our son Mark was born in Minneapolis. It was in Belfast where I pursued my PhD in theology at Queen’s University Belfast while serving in the university Presbyterian church and was where I was eventually ordained into the Presbyterian Church of Ireland. It was while in Northern Ireland that our daughter Claire was born. Since then, I have served several Presbyterian churches in a wide variety of contexts including metro NYC and Seattle before coming to Lakeland in 2013. Caroline and I have also engaged in global as well as local mission ministry including Mercy Ships, African Evangelistic Enterprise, World Vision, Union Gospel Mission, Inter-faith Council for the Homeless, Lighthouse Ministries, Anchor House Ministries and others. I have also served at many levels of the Presbyterian Church, currently within The Fellowship of Presbyterians and its Theology Task Force. Additionally, I have taught theology and ministry at Queen’s and Drew Universities, Princeton and Fuller Seminaries, Regent College, Carey Theological College and the Seattle School of Theology. I occasionally teach at Southeastern University here in Lakeland. My passion is for people to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and live out their calling by God wherever God may call them.
Favorite Food(s): Steak or Burger or Pizza or…honestly, anything! Favorite Movie(s): Shawshank Redemption; The Good, The Bad and The Ugly; The Lord of the Rings Trilogy; What about Bob? GroundHog Day… Favorite Music: U2; Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton, Mumford and Sons, Bob Marley, Mozart, Johnny Cash… Words to Live By: Carpe Deim (Seize the Day): Ephesians 5:15-21 and Romans 12:1-2 What I love about what God is doing at NLPC: I love to be part of a church that is open to how the Holy Spirit of God is leading people to follow Jesus Christ more deeply, to grow in maturity in Jesus Christ, to live a life of worship, ministry and mission that is pleasing to the Lord. |
