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After 30 Years, James Nelson Fulfills Dream of Entering the Ministry

James Nelson considered going into the ministry once before – over 30 years ago, when he was a senior in college. To help him prepare for that next step, he took Greek. He lasted about two weeks before he dropped out because he could not keep up.

“I had never taken a foreign language before that time and the Greek was not coming. So I dropped it and felt God was closing a door in my life, that he didn’t want me going into the ministry,” James recalls. Instead, James went to work for the Red Cross, and he and his wife, Judy, raised three children: Jason, 32; Jeffrey, 29; and Jennifer, 26. For the past 20 years they lived quietly in the Monterey Peninsula area.

In 1999, James’ son Jeffrey enrolled at Fuller Seminary and aced his Greek class that first year. When James saw how his son fared, he decided to reconsider the ministry and joined his son at Fuller. This September, James – now a grandfather – expects to graduate with his M.Div.

It certainly hasn't been easy, and at times his experience proved a little intimidating, especially when he had to face his old nemesis: Greek. But James passed the class with a B+ . He also tackled Hebrew, though he experienced a bit of pain in the process.

“I have a minor case of dyslexia, so the Hebrew did not come easy. I found it harder than the Greek,” James says. I had some good teammates to study with and I put in countless hours of study to keep up with the class, but midway through the second quarter I still came down with an irregular heartbeat because of Hebrew. Shortly after finishing the class, my irregular heart beat went away. It was the just stress of the class and lack of exercise because I was studying all the time.”

Now James looks forward to receiving his call to the Presbyterian church as either a solo pastor or assistant pastor, and he says he’s well prepared.

“Fuller gave me a very wide background of knowledge in systematic theology, church history, the Old and New Testaments. Now I know how to research Bible passages in their original languages and to use exegetical methods to uncover their true meaning. I have also received some good practical experience in my field education,” James says.

James also credits his previous career in the Red Cross for preparing him for this new stage of his life. “I have found there are many similarities between the American Red Cross and the ministry: both involve working with volunteers, holding committee meetings, raising funds, and delegating authority, and both are very multifaceted,” James says. “But I had come to a place in my life where I no longer had the same burn for the Red Cross as I once had. Now my calling and burn is for ministry.”