(This week The Columbian-Progress spotlights Paul Walker, executive pastor of First Baptist Church)
Q: When and where were you born?
A: I was born in Southern California on Aug. 9, 1985.
Q: Where did you attend school?
A: I was homeschooled, but I played sports in the public school system. I played baseball and basketball.
Q: Where do you work? Tell us about your job/company.
A: I am the executive pastor at First Baptist Church in Columbia. It is a new position here. I have a background in the military. It’s a position I am very familiar with. There was an executive officer that is in charge of logistics of a unit that supports the commander. The commanding officer makes the decisions, but the executive officer makes it happen. I handle the staff, the programs, the ministries and providing directions. Basically taking the overall intent of the body of Christ and saying how do we make that happen on a ministry level? A couple of the things we’ve been doing is taking the outreach ministries and meshed them together and called them “Love First.” The idea is we loved because Christ love us first.
Q: What led you to your profession?
A: God led me to it. He has prepared me for His purpose so I am ready to do whatever He has for me to do. That has taken us from Hawaii to Texas to New York to here. It’s been a great journey. God laid a desire for us to work in the church. As we were praying we wanted to be closer to my wife’s parents as they were getting older, and they live in Pearl. God really made this one apparent in several ways. We applied and things just fell in place.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: I love to start things, to begin ministries, organizations and to come up with new ways to do things, to make things more efficient. All these things I love doing. I have a bachelor’s degree in operative research, which is mathematics driven efficiency and industrial engineering. I love that side of it. Teaching leaders God’s mission is my passion.
Q: What is the most challenging aspect of your job?
A: To get people to see God’s word not through the lens of culture but see culture through the lens of scriptures.
Q: What is the most important lesson you have learned in your career?
A: I love systems. The most important thing I learned is systems are only good because they help people and what really matters are the people. If you ever lose sight of the people and loving the people and caring for the people then you are completely wasting your time. You can create the best system ,but if you lose sight of the people, it is completely useless.
Q: When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: A baseball player or a politician.
Q: What was your first job?
A: I volunteered as a janitor. My first paid job was mowing lawns.
Q: Who is the person who has been most influential in your life?
A: My wife is the most influential person. I spend the most time with her, and I love her dearly. I respect everything she says in so many ways. My dad was also influential. I was one of five children and the only boy. My dad spent so much time with me.
Q: What is your spouse’s name?
A: Shannon.
Q: Do you have children?
A: Four: Riley, 7, Autumn, 5, Titus,3, Eliza, 1.
Q: If you could have anything for your last meal on earth, what would it be?
A: My wife’s chicken casserole.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: My wife always wanted to go to Paris. I would love to take her there.
Q: What hobbies do you like to do in your spare time?
A: When you have four little kids you do not have spare time. That is really all I do now. We will watch a lot of college football.
Q: What do you enjoy about Columbia and Marion County?
A: I really enjoy living in a smaller town where the lifestyle is a little bit slower. There is just a little more sense of calm. The people are friendly and welcoming. The biggest thing is God called me here.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone from your life or history, who would it be and why?
A: My wife. I have the most fun with her. I feel at home when I’m with her. We are one. That’s how we are.
Q: If you didn’t have to worry about money, what would you do all day?
A: Same thing. I would not change a thing.
Q: What moment in your life has had the biggest impact on who you are today?
A: At 7 years old I committed my life to following Christ. There was a time in college when I really discovered what it meant to disciple people and do ministry. That is when I really felt God’s call to go into full-time ministry.
Q: What is one thing you want to do that you’ve never tried?
A: The skeleton, a winter sliding sport.
Q: Using one word for each, what are your top three morals?
A: Love, joy and integrity.
Q: How would you like to be remembered?
A: I don’t; if they remember Jesus that is good enough for me.
— Susan Amundson
