It has been a year since we said good bye to Dave and I still miss him a lot…here are some thoughts I put together at the time.

A few days ago I had just arrived at work when I got a message to say that our pastor, Pastor Dave, had just experienced a massive heart attack and the paramedics were in attendance. You have to understand that Dave had prior near death experiences and often talked about how in that time the Lord had reminded him of his fragility, and God’s sovereignty over both life and death. Dave was no stranger to health challenges, so my first thought was to pray for his family. I prayed for peace and grace in a scary time.

Then I sent him a short message, I said:

“Praying for you my friend. 

“He’s God, I’m not.” One of my favourite Dave quotes.

May His peace and healing be all over you.

Much love”

A few minutes later, I was told that the paramedics had stopped their resuscitation attempts. He never read my message. He had joined our heavenly father in glory.

Dave was a pastor, called to the ministry as a young man in a dramatic way, and he gave his best to that calling. He loved people the way pastors should: being there for them in their pain, praying for them in hospital, celebrating with them in marriage and birth. He presided over countless weddings, funerals, and baby dedications. He was a lover of God and of people, and those who spoke to him even once, knew that. He taught the word of God, the love of our saviour Jesus, and the work of the Holy Spirit without compromise. He was my pastor, and I was grateful for his wisdom.

Dave was a leader. He had a remarkable ability to draw a team around him and then empower and encourage them to flourish in the potential God placed them. And those people were drawn to him, giving freely of their time and energy for the sake of service to the God of heaven, responding to the gift Jesus gave with their passion, time, and abilities. He was a leader to me, and he was easy to follow.

Dave was a visionary. When I met him, he was about to catch a call to ministry in Vanuatu as the pastor of the International Christian Church. At the time, the church was a small but dedicated group of mostly expatriate missionaries and pastors looking for Christian community and an english speaking Sunday service. Dave saw the vision of the Lord to grow that little church to reach out beyond the missionary community in Vanuatu, and minister intentionally to the not-churched expatriate community. He saw the opportunity and God’s vision to love and care for those in Vanuatu who weren’t being reached by other churches. He saw that we would need more space. He stretched to both increase the church’s giving, and to raise funds to build our own building. It was a vision far bigger than any of our individual skills, but he knew God had spoken. He challenged me often to believe God for much more than I dared.

Dave was a mentor. He was that kind of pastor who didn’t simply lead his team. He would sit with them and hear their hearts. He would speak truth in love, even when it was uncomfortable to hear. He would stand with people during their tough times, speaking life, calling out the good in people that they often couldn’t see themselves. He was a mentor to me: rebuking me when I needed it, encouraging and exhorting me to be who God called me to be. He showed the love of Jesus, showed what it was to love Jesus well, and what it looked like to love others that way.

Dave was a father and husband. He was a father to two wonderful, God honouring children who are a tribute to he and Julie’s parenting. He was a husband to one wife, Julie, who complimented him beautifully. He loved his children and wife with a passion which he was not afraid to show. His ability to recognise and honour the strengths and gifts they have was an example to those who spent time with him. Dave was a father figure to countless young men whose own fathers left gaps in their upbringing. He was a father to me, championing me when I needed it, boasting on me when he found a chance, and declaring the transition I was embarking on in important moments. He spoke fatherhood over me as I grappled with the arrival of my own daughter.

But the one thing which has repeated in my heart over and over since Dave went to be with the King?

Dave was my friend.

As a friend, Dave expressed an aspect of Jesus we rarely get to see worked out in life. When things weren’t good and I needed to share my heart, Dave showed Jesus’ heart, he listened and understood. Dave told stories to make me laugh and cry, stories which had a point. When Dave was convicted by the Lord or full of vision, when he was having a tough time, he shared his heart. Dave knew that he’d be loved and that I’d share what I could see, that I would see “Dave.” He saw Jared, and was seen by Jared.

Dave was a lot of good things, he was rightly referred to by many titles: reverend, minister, pastor, leader, visionary, father, and mentor. He was sometimes frustrating and exasperating. But on the last day of his life, amid all of the other good things, one title stood out the most to me.

Dave was my friend. I miss Dave.