Founded Christian Life magazine, Christian Writers' Institute, HIS magazine, and Creation House
Robert A. Walker, a legendary figure among Christians in journalism, died on Saturday, March 1 in Carol Stream, Illinois. His staggering list of professional achievements easily places him among the giants of his generation in Christian media.
UPDATE: According to the current schedule, there will be a memorial service for Bob Walker, Friday, March 14, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM, to be held at Wheaton Bible Church
Assist News Service notes:
Robert Alander Walker, who received the first prestigious Magazine Publishers Award from the Evangelical Christian Publisher Association in 1994, is considered by many to be the pioneer of Christian Journalism.
"That's because he has been involved with so much over so many years," says Mark Sweeny, President of ECPA.
Those "involvements" include the founding/editing of His magazine for students on secular college campuses, and of Sunday magazine (precursor of Christian Life)—the first pocket-size Christian publication. Time and Newsweek took note by featuring the event.
Walker also established the Christian Writers' institute, a correspondence school which has graduated upwards of 25,000 students, and Creation House, a book publishing entity with such titles as A New Song, by Pat Boone, and Finger Lickin' Good, by Colonel Sanders.
Christian Bookseller magazine (later to become Christian Retailing) also was a brainchild of Walker, along with Christian Life Missions, a world-wide outreach.
Look here for the ANS obituary.
News of his passing is working its way out into the greater religious community. Walker served on the board of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. The IFCJ released a statement, saying:
The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ), its staff and supporters mourn the passing of a true friend - Robert A. Walker - on Saturday, March 1, 2008. An active part of The Fellowship since its inception in 1983, Mr. Walker, 95, was a founding member of the organization's board of directors and was dedicated to the cause of building bridges of understanding and cooperation between Christians and Jews. "Bob was a man of deep Christian belief whose faith spilled over into all aspects of life. His commitment to his faith was absolute and, yet, he was warm and tolerant toward those who did not necessarily share his views,” said Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, IFCJ President. "His devotion and guidance played a major role in our organization's development over the years. Israel and the Jewish people - and I, on a deep and personal level - have lost a dear friend.”
There is a Pat Boone connection ("A New Song"), as well as a Pat Robertson/CBN connection.
According to IFCJ:
"Bob Walker was one of the five founding board members of CBN and has been a close friend for almost 50 years. As publisher of Christian Life magazine, Bob was a very influential leader of evangelical Christianity and a highly-regarded member of our community. He lived a strong and full life, and we will sorely miss him," added Dr. Pat Robertson, Founder & Chairman of CBN.
On Pat Roberston's website, there is a fascinating account of Pat's first encounter with Bob Walker and Pat's introduction to being "baptized in the Holy Spirit."
Pat writes that during the late 1950s:
I was invited to the Presidential Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., to speak to the Senate prayer group of which my father was a member. At the end of a meeting, Bob Walker, the ruggedly handsome editor of Christian Life, came over to me, chatted a bit, and then asked, "Have you ever heard of the baptism in the Holy Spirit?"
"That's the experience I have been searching for," I replied, but before I could finish my sentence, we were interrupted, leaving me wondering why he would ask me such a question.
I returned to New York, and arriving at Penn Station went directly to the annual banquet of Christian Soldiers, Inc., on whose board I was a member. Seated at the head table with me was an ebullient young minister, Harald Bredesen, who, it turned out, was public-relations director for the Gospel Association for the Blind. I was drawn to him by his warmth of spirit and was delighted when we discovered at the conclusion of the banquet that we were taking the same subway home. We were no sooner seated than with an engaging smile he asked, "Do you know anything about the baptism in the Holy Spirit?"
"Funny you should ask," I replied. "Just today in Washington I met a fellow named Bob Walker, and he asked me the same question."
"Bob Walker!" he exclaimed. "He's one of my best friends. He's just received the baptism. That's why he wanted to share it with you." Harald was exuberant-I was awed by the providence of God.
Posted by Tim Morgan on March 4, 2008 6:10PM
Comments
I met Bob and Barbara Walker about 10 years ago after I got a call from a friend that a couple was moving up here from Florida and needed help moving into there new home at Windsor Park Manor. Bob was delightful and was so apprciative of my help. I spend many evenings in Bible study with Bob and Barbara in their living room soaking up the knowledge and experience of Jesus they had. I could alway count on Bob for an encouraging word and a hug. He was a great man and is will be sorely missed by me and all those at Church of the Resurrection that knew him. He was a spiritual father to many of us. See you in Heaven Bob.
Posted by: Clare Masters at March 14, 2008
We had the honor of meeting and sharing a short time with Mr.and Mrs. Bob Walker at a Pratner's meeting at CBN/Foundders Inn, and I shall tresure that short experience. I felt I was in the presence of one of God's special people and the Holy Spirit was there in a special way. As usual when I get these 'Holy Spirit presence' feelings words fail me; but to have had this experience will forever be a treaured time in my walk with the God.
Reading Charisma magaziners, seeing ""Editor Emeritus Robert Walker is always a time for remembering this momentts in his presence.
Ronnie and Martha Scheffler
Posted by: Mr. 7 Mrs.Ronnie Scheffler at March 17, 2008
I "met" Robert Walker in print some years before finally meeting him face to face.
As a Communications Specialist for InterVarsity USA in the 1990s, I had the privilege to "meet" Robert through his work as founding editor of HIS magazine, InterVarsity's magazine launched in the early post WWII era. Whether in a story trumpeting critical missions news, Bible exposition or a personality profile, Robert's passion for the Church, believers, missions and, first and foremost, Jesus Christ constituted a clarion call to true discipleship and service to the Lord, His kingdom and creation.
Not imagining that this stranger who was of the great generation that included such great saints as Bill Bright, Henrietta Mears, Christy Wilson, David Howard, Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, Billy Graham, David Adeney and so many more, and whose voice I had only "heard" ring forth from the printed page was still alive, I was quite shocked to have my boss walk into my office one day shortly after InterVarsity's URBANA 93 Student Missions Convention and hand me a sheet of paper. Much to my utter shock and pleasant surprise , I was humbled to receive and read -- and I have cherished ever since -- a completely hand written note in very distinct, bold and flowing script from Robert extending great praise for a personality profile I'd done on an InterVarsity student who'd become a rookie standout for an NFL team. When I got to Robert's distinct signature, I actually gasped. Having held him in such high regard for so long, I was humbled to red such kind thoughts, and to think that he had taken the time to write them long hand.
A few years later, while I was working as Regional media Director for a Promise Keepers event in Minneapolis (as I recall), I was standing on "Media Row" answering a question from a reporter when an elderly man entered the booth with a man about my age and a teenage boy beside him. The elderly man, who was as unassuming and pleasant in presence as he was commanding, with a sort of Mosaic or Graham-esque bearing, smiled widely and greeted me. When he spoke his name all I could do is ask whether he was the Robert Walker who was once the editor of HIS magazine. When he said that he was, I could hardly keep my breath. I have never been one for idol worship of any sort -- and didn't even have this feeling years before when I met and eventually worked for Billy Graham (though I hold him in equally high regard, to be sure) -- but I found myself beginning to weep, knowing that I was in the presence not only of one of the modern giants of the Christian faith but, from what I knew, a truly honorable man and journalist of the highest character and integrity; as well as a man who had taken time out of his busy schedule years before to encourage a comparatively young Christian journalist with such a thoughtful hand written letter.
Though a professional journalist and photographer myself, as with so many meetings like this, I relied on someone else at that Promise Keepers conference to take a picture of me with Robert, his son (I think it was Rob, but the son will certainly know better than I do) and his grandson. While, sadly, it is one of those far too many out of focus shots taken of me with one person or another from the missionary road, I cherish it highly as a wonderful memory of the man I met so long ago via the printed page alone -- first of HIS magazine and then an unexpected personal note -- and finally in person.
Most of all, I cherish the memories as I look forward to meeting Robert again in the air and, perhaps, finally with him, being among the crowds that stand in awe and gasp at the sight of Paul and Peter, Matthew and Mark, Luke and John, Daniel and Ezekiel, Ruth and James and all the others, far more noteworthy and memorable, who went before us to faithfully and effectively document the Words of God Himself and the history of the Church, to proclaim the gospel in word and deed, and to encourage, instruct and inspire the saints -- as Paul did to the churches and Robert did to me (and, I bet, hundreds of others) -- then turn and gasp in unending awe and worship at the one we all have tried to proclaim and lift up through the printed word as we have written and reported on and about Him and His eternal Word!
Thank you, Robert Alander Walker, "the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you"!*
Pastor Kris Potts
Founder, Director & Chief Chaplain
R.O.C.K. & S.H.I.E.L.D. & S.W.O.R.D.
Post Office Box 361
McFarland, WI 53558-0361 U.S.A.
ROCKandSHIELD@GMail.com
http://MediaFactotum.WordPress.com
* From Paul's Letter to Philemon
Posted by: Kris Potts at June 15, 2008
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