Cornerstone Ministries Napa Valley
Staff & Leaders

Bill Walden

Bill Walden is the Pastor of Cornerstone Ministries of Napa Valley. Bill was born in San Francisco in 1955, but his family moved to Orange County in 1961. Bill attended grades K-12 in Placentia, CA, and later attended Fullerton Junior College, and then Cal State Fullerton, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts/Music. Bill’s first ministry involvement came in 1980, when he joined the Christian band Undercover, and was part of a music movement in Southern California. Playing to youth as a traveling music-missionary, Bill felt a calling upon his life to be involved in serving Jesus Christ. He first started teaching the Bible in 1984, and soon realized that teaching and pastoring was the first priority for his life. Bill went on to sing with two other Christian rock groups: The Fourth Watch, from 1984-87, and then he sang with The Mirrors, from 1988-1992. Both groups recorded a record during Bill’s time with them. Though he continues in worship ministry to the present, the highest calling on his life is the role of pastor/teacher. In 1989, Bill went on staff at Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, under the leadership of Pastor Chuck Smith. He served there for 2 1/2 years, as the College & Career Pastor, being ordained in 1990. In 1991, he was asked to consider starting a new church in Napa, a place he had visited while touring with Undercover in the 1980′s. He felt led of the Lord to accept the call, and he and his family moved to Napa in September of 1991. Bill has been married to his wife Debbie since 1982. They have three adult children: Sarah Schrader, who is married to Caleb, Chris, who is married to Melissa, and Jonathan Walden. They also have four grandchildfen: Isabella Schrader, Hadley Mae Walden, Judah Louis Schrader, and Eleanor Walden.