ABOUT PASTOR PAUL WALKER

I grew up on a farm in Iowa attending an independent Baptist church. Like many Evangelicals, I was encouraged at a young age (7 years old in my case) to "ask Jesus into my heart". For me it was my older brother acting from what he had been taught. So, to keep out of Hell, I prayed "the sinner's prayer".  Our pastor assured me I was saved and I was soon baptized and became a member of our Baptist church. I have come to describe my life after this as "bi-polar Christianity". My life was a round of worldly living and numerous "re-dedications". Following one of these re-dedications, I enrolled in Bible institute to prepare for the mission field. Surely this was the most spiritual place I could be.

In my first year, I met my wife, Becky, and we transferred to Rio Grande Bible Institute. It was there through the ministry of Professor Bill Hueston that I was confronted with my non-biblical understanding of grace. I had a dilemma. I discovered that I did not believe the Book we were studying. As a product of the public school system, I believed in evolution, albeit for me, "theistic". When I was confronted with the Sovereignty of God, I was literally driven to my knees in February of 1975 and I surrendered to the God of the universe and immediately I BELIEVED! The Word of God came alive as I studied and the doctrine of salvation thrilled me.

Our plan was to go to the mission field, but God had other plans. In submission to His will we served as laymen in various churches in Minnesota and Colorado. I continued to preach as a pulpit supply and interim pastor and led home Bible studies. To support my family, I worked in the building trades and metal work.

In order to be closer to our kids (3) in their growing up years, I took a job as a ranch-hand for about 7 years. When the kids were grown, I went back into construction management. In 2001, I was asked to help out with pulpit supply at a small Southern Baptist Church (now known as Elm Avenue Baptist).  After 9/11, I began realizing that God was calling us into a more worthwhile and lasting job and surrendered to full-time ministry in April 2002.

    In November of 2006, after the loss of our grandson, Isaac, God began a work of renewal and revival in both our lives. This website is an outgrowth of that movement of God in us and Elm Avenue Baptist Church.

"And we will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word." Acts 6:4
Elm Avenue Baptist Church
1510 N. 17th St, Grand Junction, Colorado 81501
Pastor: Paul Walker
970-243-8541
pastorpaul@elmavenuebaptist.org
se habla espanol
The following is a statement of commitment made by Pastor Paul Walker in 2006.....

As many of you know, recently we suffered the loss of our first grandson (second grandchild), Isaac, after 8 days here on earth. Any who have lost a child truly understand the depth of this grief.
This has also been a time of renewal in my own life. In times like these as God winnows away the chaff, He makes clear what He regards as important. My temporal happiness is not of great importance to Him, but holiness is. As a result, I'm letting all of you know that I've been working on a list of what is important to me and, I believe, to my God. It's a very short list. The list of the unimportant is growing longer very quickly.
I find that my short list reflects the list of the great Reformers.

1. Sola scriptura (only scripture). Translation: Don't bore me with the latest Church Growth/Self-help/Goal setting manual. Not interested,won't read it. Only clear Biblical doctine is important to my faith.
2. Solus Christus (only Christ). Translation: Salvation is in Christ alone, the Christ of Scripture. No social gospel, no works based "servant evangelism", just the genuine Jesus of the Bible,period.
3. Sola Fide (faith alone). Translation: I'm not interested in methodologies, only the one given by Christ, "go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature."
4. Sola gratia (grace alone). Translation: Salvation is only by His grace, not new-age meditation, not purpose-driven works, not numbers based strategies. Just God's grace.
5. Soli Deo Gloria (only for God's glory) Translation: Don't bother me with politics, church or secular. If you want to wield authority, if you want to "build the kingdom", if you want to play church, if you want to discuss modern culture, I'm simply not interested because God's Word is timeless and unaffected by all these things. He will establish His kingdom and it is not of this earth. And all things exist solely for His glory.

From now on, all that matters to me is in the preceding list.

My decisions will be based on whether any issue is compatible with these.

I will no longer waste time worrying about numbers, whatever is being counted, whether money, members, success,or whatever.  I will no longer fret about hurting feelings. Whether or not this hurts some is of no great consequence. I must obey my God, not "the tyrrany of the urgent". I have heard a higher call and I must follow Him.

SOLI DEO GLORIA!