Gary V. Nelson

{{Infobox clergy

| name = Gary V. Nelson

| image =

| image_size = 175px

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| birth_date = {{birth date|1953|01|28}}

| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|01|22|1953|01|28}}

| death_place = Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

| church =

| other_names =

| education =Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena

| ordained =

| writings =

| congregations =

First Baptist Church, Edmonton

| offices_held =

| title =

| spouse = Dr. Carla Nelson

| children =

| parents =

| footnotes =

}}

Gary Vincent Nelson (January 28, 1953 – January 22, 2024) was a Canadian urban missiologist.{{cite web |title=Gary Vincent Nelson |url=https://www.arbormemorial.ca/en/southside/obituaries/gary-vincent-nelson/118417.html |website=Arbor Memorial |access-date=25 January 2024}}

Prior to 2010 Nelson served as General Secretary[http://www.cbmin.org/cbm/office Canadian Baptist Ministries, Office Staff.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105210131/http://www.cbmin.org/cbm/office |date=2009-01-05 }} Internet, accessed 14 December 2008. of the Canadian Baptist Ministries. Since 2004 Nelson has been one of the Vice-presidents[http://partners.guidestar.org/controller/searchResults.gs?action_gsReport=1&partner=networkforgood&ein=53-0204667 Network for Good]{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Internet, accessed 14 December 2008. of the Baptist World Alliance, of which his denomination is a member-body.

History

Nelson was born in Canada. He earned a degree in education (B.Ed.) from the University of British Columbia in 1976.Tyndale University, Toronto, Teaching Faculty. Internet, accessed 14 December 2008. [http://www.tyndale.ca/seminary/mtsmodular/viewpage.php?pid=9] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303112628/http://www.tyndale.ca/seminary/mtsmodular/viewpage.php?pid=9|date=2009-03-03}}

Nelson chose to pursue a calling to pastoral ministry and completed a Master of Divinity degree at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California in 1980. After graduation Nelson began work as a pastor in Canada, including First Baptist, Edmonton, Alberta.

In 1984, Nelson returned to Fuller Theological Seminary and enrolled in the Doctor of Ministry program. The doctoral dissertation submitted to the Seminary in 1987 was entitled "The pre-conditions necessary for evangelism in the urban context: a study on Toronto Baptist Churches."The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Centre for Research on Canadian Evangelicalism, Thesis Papers and Dissertations on Canadian Evangelicalism. Internet, accessed 14 December 2008. [http://www.evangelicalfellowship.ca/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=4109]

Nelson died in Edmonton on January 22, 2024, at the age of 70.

Contribution

=Leadership=

On February 2, 2010, it was announced that Nelson had been appointed the President and CEO of Tyndale University, Toronto, effective July 1, 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tyndale.ca/news/dr-gary-nelson-appointed-president-tyndale|title = Dr. Gary Nelson Appointed President of Tyndale | Tyndale University}}

On January 28, 2020, it was announced that Nelson would retire as president and Vice Chancellor of Tyndale University on June 30, 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tyndale.ca/news/president-to-retire-in-june-2020|title=President to Retire in June 2020 | Tyndale University}}

Soon after Nelson become president a controversy erupted over Tyndale's plan to have former President of the United States, George W. Bush, speak at a breakfast hosted by Prem Watsa of Fairfax Financial Holdings on September 20, 2011.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2011/09/12/bush_to_make_promotional_appearance_in_toronto_for_christian_college.html|title=Bush to make promotional appearance in Toronto for Christian college {{!}} The Star|work=thestar.com|access-date=2018-06-26|language=en}} According to Tyndale professor Craig Carter, Bush "was to speak on the role of faith-based institutions in the world of higher education."{{Cite web|url=http://politicsofthecrossresurrected.blogspot.com/2011/09/george-w-bush-fiasco-at-tyndale-sad-and_17.html|title=The Politics of the Cross Resurrected: The George W. Bush Fiasco at Tyndale: A Sad and Shameful Episode in Our History|last=Carter|first=Craig|date=2011-09-17|website=The Politics of the Cross Resurrected|access-date=2018-06-26}} Upon learning of the scheduled event, a group of alumni launched a website protesting Tyndale's association with Bush. After two days of online protests, the event was canceled{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/will-braun/george-bush-tyndale-university_b_998778.html|title=Canadian Evangelical School Cancels George W. Bush Visit|last=Braun|first=Will|date=2011-10-13|website=Huffington Post|language=en-US|access-date=2018-06-26}} "due to a scheduling change" but no other explanation was given.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2011/09/14/bushs_toronto_appearance_cancelled.html|title=Bush's Toronto appearance cancelled {{!}} The Star|work=thestar.com|access-date=2018-06-26|language=en}} Following the cancellation, Nelson noted the need for Tyndale to "have clearer policies and guidelines in place so that diverse views can be expressed in a respectful and hospitable place."{{Cite web|url=https://www.tyndale.ca/news/message-from-the-president|title=Message from the President {{!}} Tyndale|website=www.tyndale.ca|language=en|access-date=2018-06-26}} He also expressed regret that Tyndale "did not have such a framework in place" and stated that "Tyndale will continue to host various people to speak on issues that matter." The cancellation of Bush's visit garnered widespread attention from media outlets across Canada like the Toronto Star, the CBC,{{Cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/bush-s-toronto-speech-abruptly-cancelled-1.991501|title=Bush's Toronto speech abruptly cancelled {{!}} CBC News|work=CBC|access-date=2018-06-26|language=en-US}} Maclean's.{{Cite news|url=https://www.macleans.ca/education/uniandcollege/bush-wont-speak-at-toronto-university/|title=Bush won't speak at Toronto university - Macleans.ca|date=2011-09-15|work=Macleans.ca|access-date=2018-06-26|language=en-US}} The decision to cancel also came under criticism from Michael Coren and Toronto pastor Joe Boot on Coren's show The Arena.{{Citation|last=Blazing Catfur|title=Michael Coren: Tyndale University Caves to Cultural Marxists Cancels George W. Bush Speech|date=2011-09-16|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GExAOw1YqT4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/GExAOw1YqT4 |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|access-date=2018-06-26}}{{cbignore}}

Nelson was the Speaker for the installation ceremony of the new President of the Acadia Divinity College, Wolfville on May 10, 2008.[http://adc.acadiau.ca/assets/installation_service_brochu.pdf Installation Service Brochure, Acadia Divinity College 2008]{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Internet, accessed December 14, 2008. Earlier in 2008, he delivered the Graduation Address at Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad in which his Church Society is a participating member.ACTC Graduation Brochure 2008.

=Educator=

Nelson lectured and taught courses at seminaries throughout Canada for more than two decades. He taught Church Ministry at the Edmonton Baptist Seminary, Edmonton and was also on the Doctoral Committee of St. Stephen's College, Edmonton.Wood Lake Publishing Incorporated, Kelowna, About Gary Nelson. Internet, accessed 14 December 2008. [http://www.woodlakebooks.com/about_mfg.taf?manufacturer_uid1=68&site_uid1=14958&hallway_uid1=14961&search_id=&catalog_uid1=85&link_type_uid1=&person_id=&u_currency_id=127] He oversaw programs at Carey Theological College, Vancouver.

Prior to his appointment as President of Tyndale University, Nelson had been a sessional lecturer and adjunct professor at Tyndale.

=Publications=

(With Donald C. Posterski) [https://books.google.com/books?id=w_tCvsxS228C&dq=Future%20Faith%20Churches%3A%20Reconnecting%20with%20the%20Power%20of%20the%20Gospel%20for%20the%2021st%20Century.&pg=PP1 Future Faith Churches: Reconnecting with the Power of the Gospel for the 21st Century]. Kelowna, BC: Wood Lake Pub., 1997. {{ISBN|978-1-55154-509-7}}.^{[http://www.woodlakebooks.com/product_detail.taf?site_uid1=14958&hallway_uid1=14961&search_id=&catalog_uid1=85&link_type_uid1=&person_id=&u_currency_id=127]}
[http://www.bwanet.org/media/documents/elstal%20paper-Nelson.pdf Everything Old is New Again: Emerging Church Ecclesiology]{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. A paper presented at the Symposium of the Baptist World Alliance, Elstal/Berlin, Germany, 2007.
[https://books.google.com/books?id=x0nTmKlZyG0C&dq=borderland%20churches%20nelson&pg=PP1 Borderland Churches: A Congregation's Introduction to Missional Living]. St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, St. Louis, 2008. {{ISBN|978-0-8272-0238-2}}.^{[http://www.cbp21.com/ProductDetail.asp?ProductID=3027]}
[https://www.amazon.com/Leading-DisOrienting-Times-Navigating-Organizational/dp/0827221762 Leading in DisOrienting Times: Navigating Church and Organizational Change] (with Peter Dickens). Puente Publications, May 2015{{cite book |title=Leading in disorienting times : navigating church and organizational change |date=May 2015 |publisher=Puente Publications |isbn=978-0827221765 }}

{{succession box | before=

| title=Vice President
Baptist World Alliance

|after=| years=2004–}}

{{succession box | before=

| title=General Secretary, Canadian Baptist Ministries

|after=| years=2000–2010}}