The Revd David Gardner: 1938–2024
As a Baptist minister, David was known for his creative approach, combining music, gospel magic, balloon animals, and fire-breathing to share his faith inside and outside the church
Born in Birkenhead on 24 November 1938, David grew up in Reading and had three sisters: Mary, who died shortly after birth; Anne, who was seven years younger; and Kathy, who was 20 years younger than David.
After a short time working as a clerk in an office, he signed up for National Service, quickly teaching himself the French Horn to join the Army REME Band. During this time, he met his wife, Sylvia, at the Reading Youth Orchestra, where he played the violin, and she played the oboe. Though he once declared he would “never set foot inside a church,” his faith journey began after attending church with Sylvia, and he felt called into ministry in 1962.
David trained at the Bible Training Institute in Glasgow from 1963 to 1965 and then at Spurgeon’s Baptist College in London from 1967 to 1970. He was a minister of several churches, starting at Wellington Square Baptist in Hastings, Sussex, from 1970-1974 before moving to Kingswood Baptist Church in Basildon, Essex, where he spent 19 years.
He then moved from the town of Basildon to a rural village in Cambridgeshire as minister of Burwell Baptist Church from 1993–1997. Responding to a call from the Methodist Church, which had a shortage of ministers at the time, he led a circuit of several churches for five years in Suffolk: Capel St Mary, Chelmondiston, Stutton, Brantham, Holbrook, Elmsett and Chantry.
His final church was as a part-time minister at Springfield Baptist Church in Chelmsford from 2003- 2008. In 2009, he retired to East Sussex where he became an active member of Battle Baptist Church.
David was known for his unconventional and memorable sermons, such as playing Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4 on a garden hosepipe to illustrate how God can transform anything into something beautiful or eating a daffodil on Easter Sunday. He also cut up his (old) tie during a sermon to illustrate that actions can become habits. His messages stuck, and just weeks before he passed away, a previous member of his congregation wrote to say they still used his teaching some 30+ years later.
Throughout his ministry, David was known for his creative approach, combining music, gospel magic, balloon animals, and fire-breathing to share his faith. A talented musician, he played the violin, guitar, French horn, and, of course, the famous hosepipe! He frequently led worship in church with the guitar and was known for introducing the latest worship songs. Later on, he played the violin as part of a music group.
He used his gifts to raise money for the homeless and appeared on Anglia News more than once, including a feature on Good News Club, a children’s ministry he established in several churches. His unique approach to ministry also caught media attention, earning headlines such as “Burning Ambition to Spread the Word”, “Belief is Not an Illusion”, and “Rev Rocks On” !
Beyond his ministry, David was a writer, regularly contributing to The Baptist Times, Evangelical Alliance, and The Methodist Recorder. One of his more memorable articles involved offering to send a copy of his sermon and the prop, a coconut named "Kevin" to any church leader in the UK, only for one of the coconuts to cause a security alert when mistakenly delivered to a magistrate’s court and suspected of being a bomb!
Evangelism was at the heart of who he was. He often quoted the Living Bible translation of 2 Corinthians 5:17 “When someone becomes a Christian, they become a brand-new person inside. A new life has begun.”
He carried this message into every corner of life, sharing the gospel at car boot sales and shopping centres, even dressing as a stick of rock in a carnival. He also once released 200 helium balloons, each carrying a message of faith and an offer of a free gift, a Christian book for those who contacted him. Some balloons travelled over 100 miles with subsequent requests for the book.
But beyond the creativity and teaching, David was deeply kind and pastoral and was always known in the local community. He never hesitated to stop and pray for someone in need, whether a member of his congregation or someone he might meet on the street. He led school assemblies and also served as a hospital chaplain during his time in Basildon.
David was a devoted husband to his beloved wife Sylvia, bringing warmth and humour to their 63 years of marriage. As a father, he was fun, kind and resourceful, joining in to support his children Andrew, Rachel, and Philip in whatever they loved to do, always ready to “have a go at anything” rooted in his deep faith that anything is possible in God.
To his grandchildren, Micah, Amelie, and Toby, he was “Magic Grandad”, someone who hosted their birthday parties with magic shows and taught them how to do tricks and create balloon animals. He was also a safe place, even when they got into mischief, he was there, showing kindness.
Above all, David was a follower of Jesus, and, as he once said in a newspaper interview, his greatest ambition was “to be the best he could be in his service for God and His Son, Jesus Christ.” He often spoke of death not as the end, but as the beginning of a new life in a world without pain or suffering.
The Revd David Gardner peacefully went to be with the Lord at home in Little Common, Bexhill-on-Sea, on 28 December 2024, at the age of 86. David lived a life filled with faith, kindness, and creativity, leaving a lasting impact on all who knew him. To use his own words, we know that he has now been "promoted to glory" and is at peace forevermore at home in Heaven.
The Thanksgiving Service for David can be found here.
Sylvia, Andrew, Rachel and Philip Gardner