About
Dr. Jerry Nelson has served in ministry for over 50 years. He is senior pastor emeritus of Southern Gables Evangelical Free Church, Lakewood, CO (now “Southwest Community”) which he served from 1978-2009.
Dr. Jerry Nelson:
Doctor of Ministry – Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1994
Honorary Doctorate (DD) Trinity College and Seminary (India), 2004
Master of Arts – Denver Seminary, 1990
Marriage and Family Counseling – Northern Illinois University 1975-77
Bachelor of Arts – University of Minnesota, 1974
Bachelor of Arts – Moody Bible Institute, 1970; Diploma 1967
Ordained with the Evangelical Free Church of America
Board of Trustees, Colorado Christian University 2017-2023
Fellow of the Centennial Institute 2009 – 2012
Board member and chairman of Front Range Christian (K-12) School 2011-16
Senior Pastor Southern Gables Church (EFCA) 1978-2009
Assoc. Pastor for Adult Ministries Rockford, IL First Evangelical Covenant 1975-1978
Assoc. Pastor for Education & Youth Crystal EFCA (New Hope, MN) 1970-75
Youth Pastor Oxboro EFCA (MN) 1967-70
Ministries, programs, initiatives over 50-plus years of ministry:
- Youth pastor (8 years in two churches with youth groups as small as 30 and as large as 120)
- Adult Discipleship (3 years training teachers of adults)
- Lead Pastor (31 years) Church grew from 400+ to 1200+.
- Led five building programs (including a complete relocation) and the efforts to fund the programs.
- Led a staff of up to 8 full-time pastoral staff plus support and part-time staff.
- Conceived, promoted and facilitated a 240-person church plant out of our church and facilitated two other church plants with fewer people.
- Hosted and then assisted an ethnic Chinese church in its founding and relocation.
- Led in the development of the “Missionary Candidate Development Program” to identify, train, deploy and support our own home-grown missionaries (over 10 couples still deployed 15 years later)
- Assisted many church members in starting and serving in numerous social service organizations (food bank, shelters, adoption, counseling, international students, pregnancy center, ministry to the deaf and otherwise physically disadvantaged, etc).
- Formed and led the SW Denver-Metro Pastors’ Prayer Group (12-20 pastors)
- Gospel Light Publishers “International Center for Learning”– teaching Christian Education in churches across the U.S. (7 years)
- Curriculum writer for Billy Graham Evangelistic Crusade films department.
- Chairman of the Pastors’ Committee (900 churches) of the Denver Billy Graham Evangelistic Crusade.
- Original church sponsor of the Alternative Pregnancy Centers of Denver
- Host church and sponsor of the “In Jesus Name Shelter” providing overnight shelter for families in need.
- Co-founder (with two other Denver area churches) of the inner-city Mile High Ministries.
- Founder and Director of the Theological Education by Extension Courses in India (four weeks/year for lay pastors in NE India) (9 years)
- Pastors’ representative and speaker at the Columbine Memorial Event.
What we believe:
Dr. Nelson is “reformed” in his theology without being either “Covenant” or “Dispensational.” He would liken his theological position to that of Charles Spurgeon (and hopefully Spurgeon wouldn’t be embarrassed).
Dr. Nelson fully subscribes to the following doctrinal formulations:
The Soundliving Statement of Faith
The Apostles’ Creed
The NAE Statement of Faith
The Cambridge Declaration of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals
The Confessional Statment of the Gospel Coalition
What is a Christian:
According to the Bible a Christian is a person who has faced realistically the problem of his own personal sin.
A Bible Christian is one who has seriously considered the one divine remedy for sin.
A Bible Christian is one who has wholeheartedly complied with the divine terms for appropriating the divine provision
A Bible Christian is a person who manifests in his life that his claims to repentance and faith are real. (From Albert N. Martin)
For more information on what is a Christian click on this link: http://soundliving.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/A-True-Christian-is-a-Christ-follower-because-close-only-counts-in-horseshoes-and-hand-granades.pdf
How to Become a Christian, click on this link: http://soundliving.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/How-to-become-a-Christian.pdf
How to know I am a Christian, click on this link: http://soundliving.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/How-to-Know-I-am-a-Christian.pdf