Robert Alander Walker, Founder of Christian Life Missions & considered by many to be the “Pioneer of Christian Publishing,” passed away on March 1, 2008, at the age of 95. He was Editor Emeritus of Charisma and Christian Life (a Strang Communications publication) and spoke at various Christian writers conferences throughout his life.

 

Robert Walker was the first publisher to receive the prestigious Magazine Publishers Award from the Evangelical Christian Publisher Association in 1994.

 

"That's because he has been involved with so much over so many years," says Mark Sweeny, former President of ECPA.

 

Robert Walker published the first national cover story about Billy Graham and propelled Pat Boone's encounter with the Holy Spirit to best-seller status.

 

"He was one incredible man," said Boone, the popular entertainer whose 1970 book, A New Song, sold 2.5 million copies after Walker helped him shape his story. "There was an Old Testament quality to him, like I was talking to a modern Gideon or one of the patriarchs."

 

Robert Walker’s "involvements" during his ministry included the founding/editing of His magazine for students on secular college campuses, and of Sunday magazine (precursor of Christian Life)—the first pocketsize Christian publication. Time and Newsweek took note by featuring the event.

 

He also established the Christian Writers' institute, a correspondence school that has graduated almost 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. He also founded Christian Life Missions, a 501©(3) non-profit international missions organization, because he saw the need to help support missionaries and their cause.

 

Robert Walker was born April 30, 1912 to Lena (Orman) and Forrest Walker who, with his brother Willard, invented the electric dishwasher. After a year at the University of Illinois and another year at Wheaton (IL) College, Walker enrolled in the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (Evanston, IL).

 

The summer before his senior year he vacationed on the shore of Lake Superior. After reading a stack of philosophy books, he came to the bottom of the pile: a Bible.

 

"I had included it only because I thought journalists should have some knowledge of it," he says.

 

That reading changed his life. He wrote Northwestern's dean saying he would be going to seminary in the fall. The dean convinced him that the world needed writers with religious convictions.

 

Robert Walker received his B.S. from Northwestern in 1936 and an M.S. in 1941. He was given an honorary degree of Litt.D. by John Brown University in 1947, and an LL.D. by Taylor University in 1962. He also received an award from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1948, and was listed in Marquis Who's Who in America since 1972 many times.

 

Despite his decision to follow Christ, Walker did not immediately go into Christian journalism. His first job was as telegraph sports editor for the Menominee (Mich.) Herald Leader (1936). From 1937-1938 he was a copy editor for the Rosenow Company of Chicago. From 1941-1945 he was assistant to the president of Club Aluminum Products in Chicago.

 

He also served as general secretary of Herb Taylor's Christian Workers Foundation, and on the boards of numerous other Christian organizations such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

 

He was an assistant professor of journalism at Wheaton College from 1941 to 1951, and served in various capacities at Scripture Press Foundation (1945-1956).

 

Other notable accomplishments include the launching of an International Sunday School Contest, and the introduction of prefabricated church buildings to help struggling congregations. He also introduced personality profiles to the Christian reading public. He also established "Robert Walker Scholarship Fund" that helps young Christians whom God has called into the ministry of Christian journalism.