Coming to APNTS in October 1989, Steve Walsh planned to study in the Philippines for a year and eventually transfer to Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. However, after a few months he decided to continue studying at APNTS as he was impressed with both the academic standards and the genuine Christian community he found.
Steve Walsh, who has served the Lord since the birth of the Australia North & West District of the Church of the Nazarene in January 2015 as the District Business Administrator, as a member of the Missional Superintendency Team, District Secretary, secretary of the Missional Leadership Team; and secretary of the District Board of Ministry, was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. His parents got divorced when he was a small boy, and his mother later separated from his stepfather when he started high school. As a teenager he started to live with his grandmother together with his younger sister and brother. When he was living with his grandmother he started attending the Church of the Nazarene. Although he grew up believing in God it was only at that time, the age of 14, that he became a Christian, and at the age of 17, a member of the Church of the Nazarene in April 1978.
Steve always had a passion for studying. In January 1979, responding to a call to proclaim the good news of Jesus, Steve enrolled at the Nazarene Theological College in Brisbane and graduated with Diploma in Biblical Studies in 1981 (summa cum laude). He also attended two NTS extension classes on future APNTS campus at Kaytikling in January 1982. Steve also completed Graduate Diploma of Ministry at NTC Thornlands in November 1983 (summa cum laude), before becoming an associate pastor in Melbourne for 12 months, and then becoming the Pastor of the Northmead Church of the Nazarene in Sydney in November 1984, where he served until he enrolled at APNTS in October 1989.
At APNTS Steve excelled in his studies, completing the Master of Divinity in two years and received the Latin honor, summa cum laude because of a perfect 4.0 GPA. Not only did Steve excel in academics but also left great contributions to the APNTS community. Steve wrote the SBO Constitution in the early 1990 and served as the SBO President from April 1990 until he finished his studies in November 1991. He was also one of those who introduced the monthly Culture Days in the seminary which allow the students to enjoy and learn more about each other’s cultures. He also served as the pastor of the English-speaking congregation in the Gethsemane Church of the Nazarene (now Taytay First Church of the Nazarene) to cater to students from overseas.
After the completion of his studies in APNTS, Steve served as the Lead Pastor in Capalaba Community Church of the Nazarene in Brisbane, Australia from December 1991 to January 1999. He also taught at Nazarene Theological College in Brisbane from 1992 to 2003 and also served as Registrar for 7 years, and has been a Director and member of the Board of Trustees of NTC since November 2013. Steve also taught at Melanesia Nazarene Bible College in Papua New Guinea for 6 months in 2003, and taught English in a senior high school in Zheijiang, China for 4 months at the end of 2003. He was a Pastor of the Spirit of Life Church of the Nazarene for 6 months, before becoming Lead Pastor of the Capalaba Church again, serving from December 2004 to January 2018.
From June 1993 to June 1997 Steve also served in the Global Nazarene Youth International Council as President of the Asia-Pacific NYI, and as the Chair of the NYI Commission on Internationalization, which rewrote the NYI Constitution to make it more inclusive, global, and flexible.
In January 1996 Steve was elected as the Australia-New Zealand Representative on the APNTS Board of Trustees and served until 2008, serving as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for almost 12 years. In April 2008 Steve was elected Vice-President of the APNTS Alumni Association and two years later he became the President. In May 2009 Steve started the APNTS Alumni Association Facebook group. Which has grown to over 1,000 members.
With all these experiences in his hand, Steve is thankful for APNTS because not only were his ministry skills enhanced but also the opportunities to serve in the global Church of the Nazarene were developed. He shared, “My two years studying at APNTS were among the very best years of my life. I made life-long friends from many countries, learned from amazing professors, and acquired cross-cultural knowledge and skills that revolutionized my ministry.” Through APNTS, doors opened for Steve Walsh to serve not just in his local community but on a global level. And during his time in the Philippines as a student, he left lasting a impact to people from all over the world.
