Craig Walls has accepted the call to join Disciples Church Extension Fund, as a Building and Capital Services Advisor for the ministry. He will begin serving as a deployed staff member for DCEF on May 1.
Walls’ responsibilities will include relationship management in an assigned zone to listen to congregational needs and offer DCEF services for assistance with Holy Place, building and capital challenges; proactively provide educational and promotional events in regions to promote DCEF and Hope Partnership’s full menu of services to congregations and monitor loan performance for congregations.
According to Rick Reisinger, president of DCEF, Walls has a great relationship with both DCEF and Hope Partnership for Missional Transformation ministries. As a new church planter, he is the founding pastor of SouthPointe Christian Church in Lincoln, Neb.
“It was during Walls’ tenure as pastor of SouthPointe, that he worked with Church Extension to conduct a fundraising campaign, secure a loan and move the congregation through a building process to acquire a church facility,” said Reisinger.
In addition to serving as a new church ministry coach, chair of the New Church Establishment Commission and Chair-Elect of the Regional Board while in Nebraska, Walls has also been involved in two building projects and a land lease arrangement.
“Walls has a wealth of knowledge and experience in helping congregations create and utilize Holy Place and I know that he will be a great asset to our ministry in furthering our mission to serve congregations,” says Reisinger.
Walls earned a Bachelor of Arts from Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio. He has a Master of Divinity from Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas and a Doctorate of Ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, Ill. A passion for leadership led him to found the Emmaus Road Discipleship School (ERDS), a three-year program in spiritual formation for laypeople in the Church.
“As a visionary and self-starter, Walls knows how to engage individuals strategically,” says Ellen Mitchell, chief operating officer and corporate secretary for DCEF and Hope Partnership.
“The board of directors and staff of DCEF are excited that he will join us, as we move forward proactively together,” says Reisinger.
Walls resides in Liberty, Mo. with his wife and two children.