President Donald Trump announced on Thursday, April 10, 2025, his nomination of former Congressman Mark Walker of North Carolina to the office of the United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. Walker readily accepted the nomination, saying, “Religious expression is the foundation of human rights and, whether it’s a college campus in New York or Sub-Saharan Africa, I’ll be relentless in fighting for those targeted who dare to live out their faith. I’m grateful to my beautiful wife and family for their support. May God provide the path, and may we have the courage to follow. Let’s get to work, Mr. President!”

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Sam Brownback, a former Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, knows Walker very well. He praised President Trump’s choice of Walker for the position, hailing the nominee as an “excellent pick” due to his pastoral experience and years of commitment to religious freedom. Brownback said, “Mark has been a pastor, and he knows the issues, and it’s in his heart; it’s in his DNA. This is what he is; this is what he’s about.”

Mark Walker’s Background

Mark Walker began his professional career as a Financial Planner. His decision to attend Piedmont Baptist College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, now Carolina University, signaled a significant career change into ministry. He graduated with a B.A. in Biblical studies and was ordained in the Southern Baptist denomination. He then accepted pastoral positions in churches in Florida and North Carolina. His latest pastorate was at Lawndale Baptist Church in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he served as pastor of arts and worship. Throughout his ministry career, Walker embraced public service beyond the ordinary. As a pastor, Walker engaged congregations to reach their communities and participated in humanitarian outreaches to other nations.

During the 2016 general primary election for President, Walker distanced himself from Trump, citing objections to some openly derogatory remarks Trump made about women. Walker’s turning point from a non-supporter to an ardent supporter came after Trump’s landmark speech on September 23, 2019, at the United Nations. In the speech, President Trump, in defense of religious freedom, said, “No right is more fundamental to a peaceful, prosperous, and virtuous society than the right to follow one’s religious convictions – the religious freedom enjoyed by American citizens is rare in the world.” After Trump won the 2016 primary election, Walker supported Trump in his run against Hillary Clinton.

In his acceptance speech for the Ambassador-at-Large position for International Religious Freedom, Walker praised President Trump as “a defender of faith, evidenced by his bold statement on religious liberty at the United Nations.

Mark Walker, as a Congressman

In 2014, at 45, Mark Walker ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District. He would serve the district for three consecutive terms (2015-2021).

Once elected to the House of Representatives, Walker hit the ground running. He strongly advocated for religious freedom and worked on legislation and initiatives to protect individuals’ and communities’ rights to practice their faith freely.

He chaired the Republican Study Committee. He played a key role in shaping policies that supported faith-based organizations and religious liberties. As Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference, he was known for his focus on religious freedom and conservative values. His work to build bipartisan coalitions in support of religious freedom, human rights, and international engagement did not go unnoticed by President Trump, who would later mention Walker’s hard work and significant accomplishments while serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mark Walker’s Faith and Family Values

Born on May 20, 1969, in Dothan, Alabama, Mark Walker came to his newly appointed position committed to his Christian faith. For decades, Walker has served in multiple leadership positions where he championed religious freedom.

During his terms in Congress, Walker was a vocal advocate for pro-life policies. He supported legislation aimed at restricting abortion and protecting the rights of the unborn. He also worked closely with pro-life organizations and faith-based groups to advance these causes. Walker’s commitment to pro-life values aligns with his background as a pastor and his focus on religious freedom.

Mark Walker is married to Kelly Sears, a family nurse practitioner and flight trauma specialist. They have three children. Kelly has supported Mark strongly throughout his career as a pastor and a U.S. Congressman.

Why did President Trump choose Mark Walker as Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom?

Regardless of his differences with President Trump, Walker rolled up his sleeves and got to work when the President needed him on the campaign trail. He knew what needed to be done to win the election and proved his loyalty to the President and the President’s “Make America Great Again” agenda.

During the election campaign, President Trump noticed Walker’s unique ability to connect deeply with faith-based communities and champion their causes. Walker served as the Director of Outreach for Faith and Minority Communities during President Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign. Walker worked alongside Senator Tim Scott to organize meetings with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to foster dialogue between leaders and Republican lawmakers. Walker’s role also involved outreach to faith and minority communities during Trump’s campaign.

In his announcement on X (formerly Twitter), President Trump mentioned Walker’s hard work in Congress and pastoral background as reasons for the nomination. He said, “As a former pastor, Mark was elected unanimously to House Leadership and did an incredible job as Ranking Member on the House Homeland Security’s Counter Terrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee. As Chairman of the Republican Study Committee, Mark helped us secure many Victories.”

What duties will Mark Walker perform as Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom?

In 1989, Congress passed the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, creating two distinct reporting agencies for reporting religious freedom abuses. The first agency is the Office of International Religious Freedom (IRF), which operates within the U.S. Department of State. AS head of this office, Walker will monitor religious freedom worldwide and advise the President and the Secretary of State. The second office, created by the 1998 Act, is the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent

bipartisan commission that makes direct policy recommendations, i.e., imposing sanctions on rogue nations. The USCIRF reports directly to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress.

As Ambassador-at-Large for the Office of International Religious Freedom (IRF), Walker will work directly with the U.S. Department of State to promote religious freedom as a core objective of U.S. foreign policy. He is responsible for preparing an Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, which documents the status of religious freedom in countries worldwide and informs U.S. diplomatic efforts.

According to the IRF website,” The Office of International Religious Freedom promotes universal respect for freedom of religion or belief for all as a core objective of U.S. foreign policy. We monitor religiously motivated abuses, harassment, and discrimination worldwide, and recommend, develop, and implement policies and programs to address these concerns.”

As President Trump and Walker know, the tide of religious freedom raises all necessary components of human rights policy: freedom of speech, the right to assemble peacefully, the right to a fair and speedy trial, etc. The Ambassador-at-Large of International Religious Freedom is critical in promoting religious freedom as the cornerstone of all other human rights issues.

As U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Walker’s duties include:

• Advocating for Religious Freedom at home and abroad
• Monitoring Religious Persecution Worldwide
• Engaging with Global Leaders to address religious freedom in their respective countries
• Supporting Persecuted Communities around the world
• Shaping U.S. Foreign Policy around Religious Freedom

Prayers for Mark Walker

1. Father, we pray that Mark Walker will be the voice of deliverance for those worldwide who are being denied freedom of religion and those who are persecuted for their faith. May he advocate for religious freedom at home and abroad.
2. Father, we ask for strong, spiritually aware believers who will faithfully pray for Mark Walker’s success as he promotes religious freedom as a fundamental human right worldwide.
3. Father, we ask for faithful and loyal workers who will faithfully work alongside Ambassador-at-Large Mark Walker in the Office of International Religious Freedom.  May their accomplishments be many and the work of their hands rewarded.
4. Father, we thank you for the freedom of religion our forefathers gave us as individuals in our Constitution. Give us, as a nation, the courage to boldly stand to protect that right to freedom of religion.
5. Father, we ask You to enable Mark Walker to engage with Global Leaders to address religious freedom in their respective countries.
6. Father, we ask that You give Mark Walker the ways and means to free those imprisoned for their faith.
7. Father, we pray for the top ten countries without religious freedom: Myanmar, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. We ask for open doors for Mark Walker to speak the truth to these nations’ leaders. May he compel those leaders to grant their citizens freedom of religion.
8. Father, as Mark Walker, called President Trump, a Defender of the Faith and a Champion for the Persecuted. May America also be known as a Defender of the Faith and a Champion for the Persecuted.
9. Father, we ask that Mark Walker establish Religious Freedom Roundtables worldwide where leaders can unite to expose the suppression of religious freedom.
10. Father, we ask that the U.S. government embrace Religious Freedom as a hallmark of all our nation’s foreign policy.

Add your own prayers for Ambassador Walker in the comments!

Nancy Huff is an educator with a mission to equip believers to pray strategically for the Cultural Mountain of Education. She has authored Taking the Mountain of Education: A Strategic Prayer Guide to Transform America’s Schools, Safety Zone: Scriptural Prayers to Revolutionize Your School, and Decrees for Your School. She leads prayer groups to pray at key educational locations across the US. For additional information, go to https://takingthemountainofeducation.com. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America – Mark Walker, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56673133.