He authored over 30 books, focusing primarily on eschatology and theology, including The Rapture Question, and was co-editor of The Bible Knowledge Commentary with Roy B. Zuck.
Walvoord was brought up in a Christian home but had little interest in the faith until he was fifteen, when his family moved to Racine after his father accepted a position as superintendent of the junior high.
They joined the Union Gospel Tabernacle, where Walvoord committed his life to Jesus Christ after attending a Bible study on Galatians.
During Walvoord's tenure, he also taught systematic theology at the seminary, and pastored the Rosen Heights Baptist Church in Fort Worth.
He played a prominent role in advocating the doctrine of a rapture of Christians from the earth prior to a time of great tribulation, followed by a literal thousand-year millennial reign of Christ, and a renewed focus of God on the nation of Israel (which he associated with modern-day Jews) as distinct from the Church.