So one night, while looking into the stars, he decided to ask God for a sign that confirmed he was charting the right course. “I requested to see a shooting star,” Buursma said. “Instead, a big bug flew into my mouth and lodged in my throat.

The Rev. Randy Buursma’s journey to becoming a pastor is paved with humble pie.

His experience with humility reached its zenith when he was a student at Calvin Theological Seminary. Buursma needed a little extra help with his Greek and Hebrew classes from a fellow student who was about the same age as his 20-something son.

“It was a breaking experience,” said Buursma, 54, who already had earned a doctorate in teacher education by the time he enrolled in the seminary. “I needed about five years of reminding myself I’m not the center of the story.”

It’s that self-effacing stance Buursma believes will make him a better minister.

Leader at First Church

Late last year, Buursma assumed the pastoral helm at First Christian Reformed Church on the Southeast Side that goes by the truncated name, First Church. The 400-member congregation was founded in 1857 and has been at its current location, 650 Bates St. SE, since 1912.

Buursma is no stranger to the First CRC congregation. He and his wife, Debra, became members when they were married at the church 31 years ago.

But his journey to the pastorate wasn’t exactly because Buursma heard from on high. Rather, he credits a bug flying inside his mouth for that dose of revelation.

Buursma started his career in education, first as an elementary teacher in the 1980s at the former Sylvan Christian School (now Grand Rapids Christian Middle School), then moving on to Calvin College in the 1990s, teaching elementary education and later student academic support.

He loved teaching. He was adept at working a classroom full of students.

“But there were things happening in church that kept pulling me,” Buursma said.

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