Crossway Times
Crossway in the Beginning
In the Path of the Storm
Colorado Women's Retreat
Pastor Profile: Willie O'Burke
Inside Look: Greeley
Joining Crossway
Nueva Vida (New Life)
Web Extra
Operation East Coast
Update from Vsetin
Printable Newsletters
July 2008 Issue
Willie O’Burke now serves as Teaching Pastor at Crossway Chapel of Greeley, Colorado
I was born in Beaumont, Texas and grew up in
Houston, Texas. I gave my life to Jesus Christ as a
young 15-year-old high school student, but backslid
in my faith when I went to college. I still
managed to meet my wife, Lisa, during that time
on campus, and after marrying in 1993, we
moved to Colorado so that I could pursue
graduate work in music at the University of
Northern Colorado.
As soon as we came to the northern Colorado
area, we were invited to Mountain View
Community church. After attending a few times,
Lisa received Jesus as her Lord and Savior, and I
re-committed my life to following the Lord. We
both loved Jesus and became actively involved in
the church, taking every opportunity we could to
learn and serve at MVC. As time went by, I
started a “musician’s Bible study” at UNC, and
began to feel the call of God for ministry. I
enrolled in the first class of MVC’s Pastors
Institute program and eventually became a
pastor at MVC. Later in 2001, I was part of the
leadership team of a group from MVC that
planted a new church in Windsor, CO. Windsor
Community Church steadily grew and became
well established in the community, seeing many
people’s lives touched and changed by the Lord
Jesus Christ.
In 2006, Lisa and I again felt that the Lord was
calling us to help plant another church, this time
in Greeley, CO. We, along with 33 other believers
from WCC and MVC, planted a work that is
currently reaching out to and serving the greater
Greeley area, including Eaton and Evans
communities - Crossway Chapel of Greeley.
The Interview
What is your full name?
Willard Sam O’Burke (but please…call me Willie)
Where and when did you get married?
Lisa and I got married in May 1993 in Ft. Worth, Texas.
When were you born-again?
I was saved way back in 1985 (wow…that’s more than
20 years ago!) I was young (14 years old) when I met a
guy in the high school band (we were both drummers)
…his name was Cory…and he was very different from
any kid I had ever met. The more I saw Cory’s genuine
love for the Lord, and the more I experienced his
patience with me and his willingness to be my friend
unconditionally, the more curious I became about
Jesus. It wasn’t hard for me to understand that I was a
man with a sinful heart. But I finally became willing to
understand that I couldn’t make myself better…that I
couldn’t take the sin away on my own.
What’s your favorite Bible passage?
Wow…that’s a tough question. I like Joshua and 1 and
2 Samuel in the Old Testament. I love how Joshua was
faithful to the Lord and not afraid to do what he said…even though the popular thing at the time was to bail
out. I also love the story of David…he was a man who
messed up a lot, but he still loved God with all he had,
and he had a shepherd’s heart. In the New Testament, I
really connect with anything the Apostle John wrote.
He also had a shepherd’s heart, and was all about
loving Jesus.
What’s your hiding place?
I love being with my family…it doesn’t matter where…I get refreshed just by being with Lisa and the boys.
What are some of your favorite hobbies?
I’m a football fan…I love to watch college and pro
football (go Dallas Cowboys!!!). I also collect pro
football helmets, and things with pro football helmets
on them. I’ve also gotten way into playing Texas Hold
‘Em lately. Several guys from the body and I love to
play together. And as I said before, I love being with my
family…and I love hanging out with people in the
church body. I think I get refreshed and re-charged by
being with people.
What game or sport are you good at playing?
I’m not too good at any game or sport...but I love to
play games (card games and dominos mostly). I like
throwing the football around, too.
Can you name two of your favorite movies?
Rocky and Batman Begins
What’s your favorite secular singer?
Sting
What’s your favorite Christian Singer?
David Crowder Band
Name a giftedness you have that only those that
know you closely would know about?
Not everybody knows that I have a knack for making
funny home movies. (is that a gift?)
What’s your pet peeve?
Being interrupted when I’m talking with someone (and
I have lots of experience, since I have 3 children).
If you had two hours of uninterrupted time to
yourself, what would you do?
Is there such a thing as two hours of uninterrupted
time? I’d probably be doing something church-related…or I would take a nap.
What’s your biggest human dream?
To invent an automatic back scratcher and to write and
publish a book about football.
What’s your biggest spiritual dream?
I want to see many, many more churches planted, and
watch many, many more souls saved. I long to see
churches that truly have the heart of Jesus go out and
love people like He did.
