Let the Children Come

Rev. Steve Burger served as director of children and family ministries for the Evangelical Covenant Church for more than twenty-five years. He was honored for his service this past weekend.

During the presentation at the NextGen Conference, Rev. Jessica Springer, current director of children and family ministries for the Covenant, said, “The words that come to mind for you are faithfulness and humility. You were faithful when you came to Covenant Offices in 1999, when there was nothing here, and you pioneered step by step, always asking, ‘What’s best for our church?’ And what’s best is empowering children and families to come together, to learn from one another, and to receive from one another.”

Springer continued, “You are also a man of deep humility. Whenever you are with people, you are constantly lifting others up.”

President Tammy Swanson-Draheim added, “Steve, on behalf of the whole Covenant Church, I am so grateful. Your love for children and youth, and for those who serve them, is unparalleled. The Covenant Church is deeply thankful for your ministry. I wonder how many children have been impacted by your fingerprints, how many young people have come to know Jesus, how many have been called into ministry—and how many will one day say, ‘I’m here because of Steve Burger.’”

Perhaps the person who understands Steve’s motivations best is his wife, Rev. Marti Burger, director of vocational and spiritual development for Serve Clergy. “Steve thinks deeply and cares profusely about people, especially children,” she said. “He is always asking who is present, who is engaged, and who has a voice. That has shaped everything he does in life and ministry.”

Those convictions were formed early. In high school, Steve was bullied by classmates, which was a deeply painful season. A Sunday school teacher noticed him and invited him to help in the church’s children’s ministry. There, he found not only a place to serve, but a place where he himself was ministered to. It was there that he first sensed a call to ministry.

After seminary, Steve and Marti joined Zion Covenant Church in Jamestown, New York, in 1988, where they served together in a shared role in children and youth ministry. From 1993 to 1999, they served at Salem Covenant Church in New Brighton, Minnesota, alongside Rev. Don Johnson, who encouraged them take on distinct but complementary roles and to teach others to do the same. There, Steve oversaw junior high and adult formation, and Marti led elementary and youth formation. This shared rhythm allowed them to invest deeply in the church while remaining present with their children, alternating weekends at home.

Steve and Marti were intentional about prioritizing their family. “We felt if we lost our kids and they didn’t love the church, how could we minister to others?” Marti reflected. Birthdays became meaningful events marked by time, attention, and care, so their children, Melissa and Paul, knew they were deeply loved. Today, both serve as Covenant pastors.

At the turn of the century, the Burgers received a call from Rev. Doreen Olson, then executive minister of Christian formation, inviting Steve and Marti to oversee children and family ministry and youth ministry for the denomination, respectively. “Our Christian formation team was enriched in many ways by Steve’s presence,” Olson said. “He brought a sustained focus on the inclusion of children and their families, along with a deep passion for justice and racial righteousness. Through both his words and actions, Steve embodies the best of Covenant life together.”

In conversations with other Covenant leaders, a consistent theme emerged: Steve listens intently, cares deeply for those without a voice, and carries a prophetic imagination that recognized the value of intergenerational ministry long before it became a buzzword.

Christal Green, children’s pastor at Newsong Church in Los Angeles, described Steve as a welcomer. “From the moment you enter a room, Steve is there. He models how to invite children and families into the presence of God without bias or judgment. When I was new to ministry, he welcomed me to his table. He gives voice to the voiceless—and in ministry, children are often those without voice. Because of the pathways Steve helped create, children are learning that their voices matter too.”

Rev. Nancy de Jong, a pastor, coach, and consultant in Kirkland, Washington, saw Steve’s attention to the spiritual health of leaders. “He hosted retreats that helped us step out of our busy lives and attend to our own formation. He cared more about our walk with Jesus than about doing more or producing more.”

De Jong also recalled watching Steve interact with children during a church visit. “While adults gathered around him, he stayed focused on the child telling a story. He lives what he believes—that children belong, and that they matter to God.”

Rev. Sara Sosa, director of children and family ministries for the Northwest Conference, described Steve as a visionary. “Steve’s attentiveness to the Spirit and his ability to truly see people—no matter their age—allowed him to blaze a trail many of us didn’t yet know we needed. Time and again, I’d hear a new idea in children’s ministry and think, ‘Steve’s been saying this for years.’”

Rev. Evelyn Johnson, retired superintendent of the Pacific Southwest Conference, placed Steve’s work in historical context. “To find a comparable focus on children’s ministry, you would have to go back to Albert Johansson and Sylvia Peterson,” she said. She also remembered Steve’s presence during her grief after her husband’s death. “He was a steady listener. He showed up with care.”

Rev. Debbie Blue, retired executive minister of Love Mercy Do Justice, recalled Steve’s posture as the Covenant engaged in working toward racial righteousness. “He was always a learner. Even with all his knowledge, he approached others with humility and a hunger to understand.”

Steve acknowledged that advocating for children was not always easy. “We had churches where children were barely welcome,” he said. “I’d hear things like, ‘There aren’t enough seats.’ And I’d think, didn’t Jesus say, ‘Let the children come to me’?”

He also recalled early challenges in launching what became Justice Journey for Kids. “I wanted to create justice materials for children, and it was hard to get approval.” In time, the project took shape through a partnership with Love Mercy Do Justice and Dominique Gilliard, director of racial righteousness and reconciliation.

At the heart of Steve’s ministry is a theology of the Spirit. “The Spirit is with us and dwells within us,” he said. “We often assume children can’t understand that. But part of our calling is to help them recognize the Spirit’s presence in their lives and how that shapes what they do, what they say, and how we live together.”

For decades, Steve Burger has helped the Covenant take seriously Jesus’s invitation to become like children. Through his life and ministry, he has helped the Covenant recognize children as full participants in the life of the Spirit and the church today.