Rev. John Burger
Missionary at Large
Metanoia Ministries
Adel, Iowa
About Rev. John Burger
Rev. John Burger is a pastor and missionary based in Adel, Iowa. He serves as Missionary at Large for Metanoia Ministries.
Burger graduated from Concordia University, Nebraska in 1986 with a major in Speech and Drama. He attended Concordia Seminary in St. Louis and completed a vicarage year at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Moore, Oklahoma. He received a Master of Divinity in 1990.
From 1990 to 1994, Burger served as a youth pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Giddings, Texas. From 1994 to 2003, he was the sole pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Marshfield, Missouri, during a period of growth that included a preschool start and a major building campaign. In 2003, he moved to Nebraska to serve St. Paul Lutheran Church in Utica, where he adopted presentation-based teaching tools and participated in mission travel to Vietnam through the Pastoral Leadership Institute.
In 2008, Burger moved to the Des Moines metro area. He worked under a donation giving arrangement with Iowa District West to explore a church plant in the Jordan Creek area and completed training through The Church Planter’s Institute. He later served as vacancy pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Adel and was called as senior pastor in 2009. He served at Faith Lutheran Church until 2020.
In 2018, Burger helped form Metanoia Ministries with other pastors and church members. In 2020, he transitioned from parish ministry to his current role as Missionary at Large.
Areas of Focus
Career Background
Education
Press
Finding Faith in Plain Sight: How Rev. John Burger of Iowa Identifies Gospel Handles in a Secular Age
Read the full article ›Licenses & Certifications
Pastoral Leadership Institute
The Church Planter’s Institute
Charities & Volunteering
A Christian Ministry in the National Parks, summer ministry participant at Glacier National Park
Mission teaching in Cambodia for Vietnamese Lutheran pastoral training
Boards & Memberships
Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, Pastor (30 years)
Metanoia Ministries, Missionary at Large (2020 – present)
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Rev. John Burger do?
Rev. John Burger is a pastor and missionary who serves as Missionary at Large for Metanoia Ministries. He previously spent three decades in parish ministry, including as senior pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Adel, Iowa.
What is Rev. John Burger known for?
Rev. John Burger is known for his long career in Lutheran pastoral ministry, church planting efforts, and mission work, including featured commentary in press pieces on faith and church participation trends. He also helped found Metanoia Ministries in 2018.
Where is Rev. John Burger based?
Rev. John Burger is based in Adel, Iowa.
Where did Rev. John Burger study?
Rev. John Burger earned a Master of Divinity from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis and studied Speech and Drama at Concordia University, Nebraska, graduating in 1986.
Who does Rev. John Burger work for?
Rev. John Burger works for Metanoia Ministries, where he serves as Missionary at Large.
Last updated February 20, 2026