Chris Walton

Las Flores Church 

• Contact: 1400 Las Flores Dr., Carlsbad 760-563-2847 www.lasfloreschurch.com
• Denomination: Church of the Nazarene
• Membership: 200
• Neighborhood: Carlsbad
• Pastor: Chris Walton  
• Age: 51
• Born: Pittsburg, PA
• Formation: MidAmerica Nazarene College (now University), Olathe, KS
• Years Ordained: 10

San Diego Reader: What is your main concern as a member of the clergy?

Pastor Chris Walton: There are a lot of people who have gone through the last couple of years with covid, teenagers and adults alike, who have come out depressed, searching more than ever. My job is to help people find the help they need. We’re fortunate to have a Christian counselor in our church. She’s not on staff, but she’s available for our church.

SDR: What is the mission of your church?

PW: To know the love of Christ and to make that love known. Every week we talk about that at our church. We start with our community of Carlsbad. We do that through outreach and partnering with other organizations in Carlsbad. We have become that place where people know they can turn to us. One outreach we started with the help of a close neighbor, Trey Munday, whose son Jack died in a car wreck in 2020. Jack was a big surfer, and this past November was our first event held in his honor. It’s called the Jack Munday Surf Foundation, focusing on kids with special needs and giving them an opportunity to surf. We have about 20 surfboards and a whole bunch of volunteers from the local high school, our church, and the surfing community. We partner with the families of these kids, who range from those with mild handicaps to autism, and we give these kids the experience of surfing.

SDR: What one book has had the most impact on your ministry?

PW: Sometime in the last five years I read The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth: Live Them and Reach Your Potential by John Maxwell, who was a pastor here in Southern California but now is in Florida. I was in the midst of depression at the time I read it, and it was a kickstart to help me get out of it. The author says we have to keep growing and keep moving forward. Goals, he says, will get you going, but growth keeps you going. The gist of the book is that you can’t stop growing; otherwise, you’ll start heading backwards.

SDR: Where do you go when you die?

PW: I don’t think we have the exact answers. The Bible gives us some insight, but a lot of the insight is explained in ways we don’t fully understand. I do believe we end up in a place like heaven and it’s a place that’s beautiful. Our bodies are transformed into exactly what they’re supposed to be in a perfect world, and we experience being in the presence of God all the time. The Bible is also clear that if you don’t accept Christ and become a believer in Jesus, you don’t get to experience heaven. At the same time, I think we’re going to be surprised when we get to heaven. As Christians, we tend to point the finger and say, “That person’s bad.” But we’re going to be surprised because God is a very forgiving and loving God. Look at the thief on the cross, who as soon as he defended Jesus was told, “This day you will be with me in paradise.” I am not the judge, but I do believe there is a heaven and there is a hell.