Liberty alumnus and church planter reaches the nations, equips pastors through global ministry

Liberty University graduate Dr. David Nelson (’84, ’05), president and founder of Crossing Cultures International (CCI), says his classes and professors and Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell’s mission of Training Champions for Christ influenced his desire to spread the Gospel to the nations.

Crossing Cultures International, an organization that provides training through indigenous staff by offering practical ministry classes in their local language, is currently teaching more than 19,000 pastors and church leaders in over 40 countries around the globe. Nelson calls CCI’s missional efforts the creation of “discipleship relationships,” saying the organization seeks to guide local Christian leaders to become equipped in the Bible so they can be multipliers in their own countries and “participants in the Great Commission.”

“This is not a mass-marketing approach,” Nelson said. “It’s an intensive relationship that we see modeled by Jesus during his time with the 12 disciples. He intentionally invited them into His life, modeled for them ministry effectiveness and Christ-likeness, gave them the training that they needed, and sent them out.”

The ministry was founded less than 20 years ago, but Nelson credits much of its initial vision to his years as a student at Liberty University. He met his wife, Mindy (’84), during their first week of undergraduate studies at an event for freshman. While she pursued her bachelor’s degree in elementary education, Nelson attended classes that reflected his double major in mathematics and cross-cultural church planting. He said his courses prepared him to do the work he is involved in now, as they exposed him to new ideas, methodology, strategies, and a wealth of information that missionaries employ in the field.

“I had professors that really taught me how to dig into God’s Word, and it created in me a huge passion for studying and teaching others,” Nelson said. “It gave me the academic background and the hunger and thirst for the Word of God.”

One person who deepened Nelson’s passion for the Lord and heart for the nations was Dr. Jerry Falwell, whose faith and message of becoming a Champion for Christ resonated with Nelson and made him want to answer the call he felt toward missions.

“I have a picture with (Falwell) when I graduated from seminary,” he said. “His faith in what God can do through a person impacted me in such a way, it was like it was transferred to me.”

Nelson recalls the campus having only five small buildings when he was a student and finds it incredible that, years later, he is able to see Falwell’s vision come to fruition as the university continues to grow.

Another influential figure who shaped Nelson’s years at Liberty was Dr. C. Sumner Wemp, a former professor of pastoral theology and evangelism and vice president of Spiritual Affairs (now the Office of Spiritual Development) from 1973 to 1990. Wemp, who was also one of the founding professors of the university, taught Nelson’s evangelism and Christian life classes.

“(Wemp’s) joy in the Lord and his passion to reach people for Christ — that impacted me in a terrific way,” Nelson said.

In the summer of 1981, Nelson traveled with a group of 50 Liberty students, led by Liberty’s former Director of Missions Jim O’Neill, to spend 12 weeks in Philadelphia doing inner-city mission work. Nelson regards the trip as one of his favorite memories at Liberty, and one that excited him to launch his career as a missionary.

“My wife and I had an incredible time at Liberty,” he said. “They were some of the best years of our lives.”

After finishing their degrees, Nelson and Mindy moved to the Philippines in 1986 with the intention of facilitating international missions and planting churches. One year later, Nelson began training three men through evangelistic Bible studies, and before he knew it, there were eight men under his leadership. He prayed, “Lord, let me do this the rest of my life,” and in 1989, he left Asia and moved back to the United States, where he completed his Master of Divinity at Liberty, and the ministry of Crossing Cultures International began.

Determined to breach the cultural, financial, and language barriers that over 3 million national pastors face due to a lack of accessible theology training, Nelson founded CCI in 2006. Each class is taught by certified instructors from around the world who attend teacher training workshops and participate in various courses that allow them to teach CCI curriculum.

“Our vision is to bring the training to (the nations) in their language and where they live at an affordable cost,” Nelson said.

Since 2020, CCI has doubled its number of trainees, resulting in expert leaders reaching 130 different people groups with the message of the Gospel, making spiritual impacts on more than 1 million people on six continents. Nelson and his team regularly visit homes, churches, and businesses to share the global influence their ministry is having, including stories about the countless people who have come to know Christ and the pastors who teach CCI’s courses.

“What Liberty sowed into me is now having a global impact,” Nelson said. “Dr. Falwell’s faith, Sumner Wemp’s joy and passion for people, and the professors that gave me a passion for the Word of God are now influencing the lives of thousands of people all over the world.”

Nelson encourages Liberty students to remember that God can do, “abundantly more than (they) think…,” and if they step out in faith and say, “Use me,” the Holy Spirit will respond. Students can leave a powerful impression in the world no matter where they go.

Nelson has published several Bible commentaries. He and Mindy live in Tampa, Fla., where CCI is based, and they have six grandchildren. Both the Nelsons’ daughter and son-in-law are Liberty alumni.