A burner control apparatus for use with a furnace installation that has an operating control to produce a request for burner operation, a flame sensor to produce a signal when flame is present in the monitored combustion chamber, and one or more devices for control of ignition and/or fuel flow. The burner control apparatus comprises lockout apparatus for de-energizing the control apparatus, a control device for actuating the ignition and/or fuel control devices, and a timing circuit that provides four successive and partially overlapping timing intervals of precise relation, including a purge timing interval, a pilot ignition interval, and a main fuel ignition interval. The present invention further includes a burner control system which verifies the proper operation of certain sensors in a burner or furnace including particularly the air flow sensor. Additionally, the present system also prevents an attempt to ignite a burner if a condition is detected which indicates that the air flow sensor has been bypassed or wedged in the actuated position.