Leadership comes in all forms and sizes, but the results are the same. Leaders influence behavior and make a difference in people’s lives. Profiling leaders reveals a diverse combination of traits, but changing lives is a common theme.

Leader Profile

Nelson Henderson

Leadership often comes from the right influences during the developmental years. “I feel tremendously blessed that I can trace my spiritual heritage back at least three generations on both sides of my parents,” said Nelson with a reflective smile. A fourth generation believer and a native of the Midwest, his great-great-grandfather was a Primitive Baptist minister in Newton County, Arkansas, and his great-grandfather led the music in the church he grew up in.

His dad, a bivocational pastor and employee at Boeing, was Nelson’s pastor through his youth. His dad, now retired, was bivocational by choice his entire ministry. Both parents made sure Nelson was in church, even though he admits that he drifted away from God as a teenager.

Only two churches have experienced Nelson’s pastoral leadership during his 30 years of ministry, the first a three-plus-year ministry in Oklahoma followed by 26 years at First FWB Church in Pocahontas, Arkansas. Nelson has great compassion for hurting people. His comforting and encouraging demeanor puts people at ease and opens the door for the counsel of Scripture. His heart beats continuously for people in need, which comes in part from his quiet time routine. For years, his morning has started with prayer and reading from the One-Year Bible.

Nelson admits feeling inadequate to mentor others, but he also realizes that God has positioned him to promote missions. He never even met a missionary until he was 25 years old, but Norman Richards made quite an impression. From that moment, Nelson has personally supported missions and missionaries, and he currently serves on the Board of International Missions.

Nelson, You are a great leader!

Get to Know Nelson...

Do you have kids?

Travis (and wife Susan) live in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and have two children. Rachel (and husband Dennis) live in Maumelle, Arkansas, also with two children. Nelson made me promise to include that his four grandchildren “are the pride of his life!”

What does your ideal date for you and Melba look like?

We like to get away to a cabin or bed and breakfast with no cell phone coverage, which does not happen often, so we try to protect our evenings.

What do people misunderstand about you? Feeling insecure or inadequate in ministry.

Who is your favorite author?

Bruce Wilkinson (First Hand Faith) and Phillip Yancey, but favorite books also include Wonder O’ the Wind by W. Phillip Keller and Brothers, We Are Not Professionals by John Piper.

What is your one indulgence? I am a collector, but my wife says I am a borderline hoarder.

Paper or Plastic

• Fiction or Non-Fiction? Non-Fiction
  

• Music or talk radio? Music
  

• Sushi or Burger? Burger
  

• Facebook, Email, Pinterest, Twitter, or texting? Facebook
  

• Tie or No Tie? Depends if it is Sunday morning or night, but no tie is more comfortable.
  

• Mac or PC? PC