Investing in the Mission: A Southeastern Family’s Story of Faithful Support

Southeastern exists to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission.

It was this mission that first drew Harry and Pamela Nelson to partner with Southeastern in 2006.

“Our interim pastor at the time was on staff at Southeastern, and he introduced us to Southeastern’s mission,” recalled Harry “We were impressed by the Great Commission focus of the school and its commitment to encourage students’ investment in local church ministry.”

Eager to support these Great Commission efforts, Harry and Pamela joined Southeastern’s Board of Visitors (now called the Southeastern Society) — a community of generous donors who annually support Southeastern’s mission to train Great Commission students. Sharing Southeastern’s heart for rigorous theological education from a Great Commission perspective, the Nelsons have remained committed members of the Southeastern Society for now more than fifteen years.

Harry and Pamela attribute the longevity of their support to President Danny Akin’s leadership and to Southeastern’s single-minded focus on the Great Commission: “The Great Commission motivation of Southeastern has never wavered. Dr. Akin has been a true statesman during turbulent times in the Southern Baptist Convention, and his commitment to the gospel stays central to his message.”

“In addition, I believe the seminary is incredibly well run,” noted Harry, who also serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Eventide Asset Management, a Boston-based investment management firm. “It is amazing to me how much the school accomplishes with its budget.  Most others do a lot less with a lot more.”

“The Great Commission motivation of Southeastern has never wavered. Dr. Akin has been a true statesman during turbulent times in the Southern Baptist Convention, and his commitment to the gospel stays central to his message.”

Reflecting on her family’s partnership with Southeastern, Pamela shared that few experiences have been as encouraging as “meeting students headed to the mission field and learning how Southeastern had prepared them.”

Growing up with a strong connection to Southeastern, three of the Nelson’s daughters chose to attend The College at Southeastern. Corinne, their second eldest daughter, decided to attend The College in 2017 because of its vibrant community and Great Commission education. Graduating in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies, Corinne stayed at Southeastern to pursue her Master of Arts in Ethics, Theology, and Culture, having been mentored and encouraged by faculty to steward her academic gifts to bless others.

“My time at Southeastern has encouraged my desire to teach and research at the university level and to pursue a PhD in the Sociology of Religion,” commented Corinne. “I think college is a very influential time in an individual’s life, and I hope my research will inspire young people in their studies.”

Corinne and her sisters Celie and Carolyn each credit much of their formation as Great Commission students and leaders to the intentional spiritual community they experienced on Southeastern’s campus.

“Living in a community of people who are devoted to the Lord and want to hold each other accountable to grow closer to him is a unique and formative experience,” shared Celie, a senior in the Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics program. “It is the people you interact with every day who end up changing you, and at Southeastern, they change you for the better.”

“Gathering as a community for weekly chapel has been one of the greatest ways that Southeastern has shaped me,” noted Carolyn, a sophomore in the Bachelor of Arts in Theology program. “It is such a blessing to be able to worship and sit under God’s word together.”

Over the years, Harry and Pamela have watched their daughters develop the same values that motivated them to support Southeastern for the last 16 years. “During their time at Southeastern, we have seen them take discipleship seriously, seeking out mentors and choosing to invest in the lives of others,” shared Pamela. “They have each been influenced by Southeastern’s faculty who have taught, challenged, and encouraged them.”

“It is the people you interact with every day who end up changing you, and at Southeastern, they change you for the better.”

“Having the Great Commission ever before you shapes the way you see the world,” commented Harry. “That has certainly been the case for our daughters during their time at Southeastern. We are also grateful for Southeastern’s healthy view of the local church and are delighted each of our daughters connected with and joined a local church when they moved to Wake Forest. They have been regularly reminded of the critical importance of being an active, serving member of the local church.”

As longtime members of the Southeastern family, the Nelsons know the value of a Southeastern education and have seen how their investment helps to train thousands of Great Commission students — just like Corinne, Celie, and Carolyn.

Has God blessed you with resources to support Southeastern’s Great Commission efforts and invest in the lives of our students, staff, and faculty? To learn more about how you can give to support Southeastern, visit sebts.edu/give. Because you give, we go.