Dwight K. Nelson

Seventh-day Adventist Evangelist and Author

He has been the senior pastor of Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University since 1983. Before coming to Andrews he served as a pastor in Oregon for 10 years. He was the preacher for the Adventist satellite evangelistic series “The NeXt Millennium Seminar” in 1998. In 2004 he, along with former BBC News presenter Gillian Joseph, presented a discussion-style series called “Evidence: Through My Experience” held at Newbold College, Berkshire. Later that same year he hosted another discussion series at Newbold College called “Mind the Gap.” He currently hosts the television program “The Evidence.” Nelson serves as adjunct professor of homiletics at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary.

Born in Tokyo, Japan, of missionary parents, Nelson converses in Japanese. He attended Far Eastern Academy in Singapore and graduated from Southern Adventist University, Collegedale, Tenn., where he received a bachelor’s degree in 1973. He attended Andrews University where he received a master of divinity degree in 1976 and a doctor of ministry degree in 1986 from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. His books include Outrageous Grace, Countdown to the Showdown and Built to Last. In 1994, the Pioneer Memorial Church hosted ABC Television’s National Christmas Eve service. He is the speaker for a weekly radio and television program, “New Perceptions.” He is married to Karen Oswald Nelson, a registered nurse. They have a son, Kirk, and a daughter, Kristin. In 2010, Kirk graduated from Andrews with a bachelor’s degree in communication.