Hi Friends and Loved Ones,

The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth of the hole and how long you plan to stay in it.

I have discovered that following Jesus is never boring. In October of 2018, after pastoring Calvary Chapel Napa (formerly Cornerstone Ministries Napa) for 27 years, I handed off the Senior Pastor position to Pastor Rob Rainey, and I have stayed on staff as an assisting pastor.

I was in my “groove” as senior pastor for 27 years. Before it started feeling like a rut, which can turn into a grave, I felt God nudging me to find my successor. The process took five years, and was challenging, but produced a ton of growth in me and in others.

The transition from Senior Pastor to staff pastor has been exciting and a bit scary. Exciting because of what’s ahead. Scary because I can’t be sure of what’s ahead.

Every Christian wants to (should want to) make a difference for the Kingdom of God. I sure do. As I have been moving forward with my new change in life, I have been slowly discovering what God is calling me to.

First and foremost, I am a husband, a dad, and a grandpa, but past that, I am a pastor/teacher, a short term missionary, and a singer/songwriter.

It has helped me tremendously to remember “who” God made me to be. That has helped me to target “what” God wants me to do. I need to stay in my lane(s).

As an assisting pastor, I have a bit more freedom to not have to be at Calvary Napa every Sunday and Wednesday. I have been able to teach at other Bay Area churches, and even internationally at Bible Colleges and Missionary Training Schools.

Since September of 2018, I have been able to teach classes and training sessions at…

1. La Huerta Missionary Training School, La Paz, Mexico. (twice, for one week visits)
2. Living Water Church, Mukachevo, Ukraine. (once, for a one week visit).
3. Calvary Chapel Bible College Cajamarca, Peru. (twice, for 2 1/2 week visits).
4. Besides teaching internationally, I have been able to teach at various San Francisco Bay Area churches.

I am scheduled to return to South America in the Fall of 2019, spending one week in Colombia (teaching on worship), and then two weeks in Peru, teaching the book of Ecclesiastes. In Colombia, I will not only be teaching in a classroom, but I will be recorded on video for future online teaching. In Peru, I will also have a one day class in Lima, teaching at a Bible School there. In November, I will return once again to La Huerta in La Paz, Mexico.

I share this with my home church Calvary Chapel Napa, so that if you don’t see me, you’ll know that I’m off somewhere, teaching the Bible. Calvary Napa is our home church, and I look forward to serving there whenever I am in Napa.

One other bit of news… I will be starting a non profit organization for the purposes of allowing people to donate to this new teaching ministry that I have. So far, these trips (plane tickets) have been (happily) paid for out of my own pocket, but the non-profit will be there if anyone wants to contribute to the work of God through this ministry. I’ll let everyone know when the non-profit is set up. More than anything, please pray! Thanks.

On the musical side of things… I love music! I love writing songs about life, death, faith, and all the emotions that we experience as people. I’ve got a ton of new songs, and I have started recording a new project with just me and my guitars. (Debbie asked for a bare bones recording). I’m happy to oblige. You can hear my previous album with Allie Hammond on Spotify, entitled “The Long Winter”.

Thanks for reading… By God’s grace, I have found my new groove. I pray that you are not in a spiritual rut, or getting close to anything that looks like a grave. If you feel like you’re in a rut, pray. Pray hard! God will lead you. He will lift you out of it and help you find the groove He has prepared for you.

Blessings in Jesus…

Bill Walden