Pastors

  • Pastor Colby Whittaker

    Colby is the Senior Pastor here at Walnut Grove Baptist Church and has been serving with us since 2021. He grew up in KY, where he studied religion and philosophy at Georgetown College. He is also a graduate of the Divinity School at Duke University with an emphasis in Baptist Studies. He has been serving in ministry across KY, NC an MO for almost 20 years. He is married to Chelsey and dad to little Daisy.

    He is a self-avowed nerd and you can often find him running tabletop games, reading or catching up on TV shows. He will gladly tell you too much about any of those topics if you ask.

  • Pastor Kelly Anderson

    Kelly Anderson has been our Minister of Youth, Children and Families since 2024. He has a big heart for kids and their families and is always excited to share more about Jesus with them. He is a big sports fan and you can often find him watching golf or wrestling.

    He is married to Bailey and dad to little Ellison.

  • Pastor Craig Simpson

    Craig Simpson - Craig has been with Walnut Grove Baptist Church since 2004 serving as the Addiction Recovery and Outreach Director. In August of 2020, Craig became an ordained pastor. His path to addiction recovery started as a probation officer, serving as a clinician in a mental health center and working at a rehab center. All of these areas provided a great deal of addiction recovery training that has helped Craig understand and work with individuals and families who are struggling with addiction in all forms. Working in the world of addiction is his passion and calling. Serving in a church allows Craig to combine his knowledge and experience with the grace and love of Jesus Christ.

    Craig is married to Valarie and has three children and three grandchildren. In addition to serving at Walnut Grove Baptist Church, he owns and operates a Taekwondo School here in Mechanicsville.

Staff

  • Dack Axselle - Worship Leader

    Dack is an RVA native and a brilliant pianist with years of experience in both music ministry and professional music. He is an accomplished soloist and studio musician and brings a passion and vision for worship to our church family. When he’s not here you might find him playing with his dog, out fishing or teaching a variety of subjects to students at our local high school.

  • Laura Alford - Church Secretary

    Laura is the newest member of our staff and joined us in 2026. She keeps our office running in tip-top shape and is often the first face, voice or email you’ll encounter around the office.

  • Adam Boswell - Sextant

    Adam joined our staff in 2026 and he splits his time between the church and our wonderful CLC program. He is also a dedicated member of our congregation, serving as an usher, a properties team member and one of our worship stream techs.

    “Life rarely goes according to plan. After a life-altering accident forced me to rebuild everything from the ground up, I learned that when our plans fall apart, God’s plan takes over. Today, that journey shapes how I love and how I raise my son, Thomas—anchored in faith, rooted in the church, and trusting that every unexpected detour has a higher purpose.” - Adam