Steve Hafler - Senior Pastor
Pastor Hafler has been the senior pastor at Highlands since 2010. He leads the church in its mission to honor God by making and maturing disciples on the Front Range of Colorado and to the remotest parts of the earth. Biblical preaching and teaching comprise the focus of his ministry along with personal discipleship and pastoral care for church members. He and his wife, Toni, have been blessed with 6 children - 3 daughters and 3 sons: Emilee, Stephanie, Joshua, Annabelle, Micah and Isaiah.
My Road to Highlands:
Like most journeys in life my road to Highlands has been exciting and unexpected. I served with my wife and six children as a missionary to Africa since June 1998. We had no agenda to leave Africa so it came as quite a surprise when God began to lead us on an unexpected safari - out of Africa. While church planting and serving as Vice President of Central Africa Baptist College I began praying about other ministry options in Africa, but my wife and I sensed God was closing each door (Acts 16:6-7). This was different from our experience before when facing transition options. It was perplexing being a missionary in Africa amidst so many amazing opportunities yet finding no sense of settledness as to to the way forward. We continued to pray and wait on the Lord being confident that He would confirm His leading as our Good Shepherd. God in His faithfulness confirmed our move stateside by His Spirit through His Word in our heart (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Philippians 4:6-7), through specific providential circumstances (Daniel 4:35; Proverbs 16:1-3), through godly counsel (Proverbs 11:14), and by giving us a clear and sustained burden for ministry potential at Highlands (Nehemiah 2:12).
On Sunday, August 22, 2010 Highlands Baptist Church gave a vote of 99% to call me as their next pastor. We thanked the Lord for such a clear and decisive vote and we immediately accepted the call and began the exhausting but exciting transition. Leaving Africa was not without tears and great sorrow, but God’s leading was clear.
God has given a new burden fueled by a passion for His glory to equip Highland’s for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, the church, so that His likeness is displayed to our community and our efforts to spread the fame of Jesus Christ are coordinated to support and perpetuate evangelism, pastoral training, and church-planting beginning on the Front Range and extending to the remotest parts of the earth (Acts 1:8).
A Favorite Pastime:
I enjoy the outdoors - God’s creation. I have been privileged to hike mountains in Kenya, swim in the Indian ocean off the coast of Mombasa, tigerfish and hunt in Zambia, fly over the Sudd and Nile river in Sudan, and mountain bike in Colorado. I also enjoy reading, writing, travel, and photography. Most of all I enjoy spending time with my wife and six children.
Two Favorite Verses:
“as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” – Philippians 1:20-21
Shaun Walker - Associate Pastor
My Road to Highlands:
After trusting in Jesus to save me from my sin in Junior High it was during my senior year of high-school I surrendered to the call of God on my life to preach. I received an undergraduate degree in 2001 in Bible and then accepted the invitation of Highlands Baptist Church to serve as a full-time pastoral intern. I married Shannon in 2003 and entered the role of assistant pastor in 2004. God granted me the privilege of completing a Masters degree in Biblical Studies from Maranatha Baptist Bible College in 2011. God has blessed us with three children: Naomi, Esther, and Ethan. I am thrilled God has called me to serve at Highlands Baptist Church with this leadership team and with this people.
One Book I've Recently Read:
Bryan Chapell's "Holiness by Grace" was a joy to read. The book was both helpful and devotionally warm. I've appreciated Chapell's accessible handling of the various concepts surrounding sanctification by grace.
A Favorite Pastime:
I enjoy hiking, camping, and backpacking. Even though our children are young we already have wonderful camping memories as a family. I also enjoy going on backpacking trips with other men from the church into the beautiful Colorado wilderness.
A Favorite Verse:
“And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.” – Colossians 1:18
Eric Allamon – Youth and Children's Pastor
My Road to Highlands:
I was born into a Christian home and am the oldest of four boys. My elementary years were spent living at The Wilds of the Rockies in Colorado where my dad was the director. During that time, Dad also served as part time Assistant Pastor at Highlands for two years.
In 1997, God moved my family to Concord, New Hampshire where I attended Trinity Baptist Church. After high school, I attended Bob Jones University and graduated in 2009 with his Bachelor’s degree in Bible and a minor in Composite Speech. I then received a Master’s degree in Pastoral Studies in 2011 from Bob Jones Seminary. I married my wife, Cassie, in 2009. It was during graduate school that the Lord brought Highlands into our path and I accepted the call to serve as Assistant Pastor overseeing youth and children ministries. We began serving in May of 2011.
One Book I've Recently Read:
The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges
A Favorite Pastime:
I love spending time with my wonderful wife. I also love watching the New England Patriots, Boston Celtics and Boston Red Sox! Anything Boston!
A Favorite Verse:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, [5] who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” – 1 Peter 1:3–5