Commencement Chapel - Dr. Gary Nelson

President Dr. Gary V. Nelson

Dr. Gary Nelson begins the 2018/2019 academic year and delivers its opening address. Dr. Nelson examines the Gospel of Mark and encourages all students to follow the command to love God with everything that they have and everything that they are.

Dr. Gary Nelson is a published author, dynamic speaker and recognized Christian leader in Canada and around the world. On July 1, 2010, Dr. Nelson began his term as the 12th President and Vice Chancellor of Tyndale University College & Seminary.

Prior to becoming president of Tyndale, Dr. Nelson served for 10 years as General Secretary of Canadian Baptist Ministries (CBM), the national and global working arm of Canadian Baptists. During those years, CBM experienced striking capacity growth, expanding the organization’s global impact in the areas of leadership development, theological education, sustainable community development and the development of key educational resources for congregations across Canada.

As a ministry leader, Dr. Nelson has served in a number of congregations both in staff and senior ministry roles. As Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church (Edmonton, Alberta) in the 1990s, Dr. Nelson was involved in the revitalizing and renewing of this historic downtown congregation into a creative and dynamic contemporary congregation.

Since becoming president of Tyndale, Dr. Nelson has nurtured change in positioning the university as a high quality Canadian academic institution.