Dr. Jesse L. Nelson, a native of Dothan, AL, is married to his high school sweetheart (Catesha) with two children. Dr. Nelson and his wife are small business owners and REALTORS®.
 
Dr. Nelson has served in ministry leadership for twenty-five plus years and is currently the Senior Pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, Panama City, FL. Since 2014, Macedonia has contributed nearly $500,000 to local and global mission efforts and sent Dr. Nelson to Haiti and the Dominican Republican as a short-term missionary to train pastors.
 
As a proponent of racial harmony and reconciliation, he founded Pastors United of Bay County, Inc. This group is a diverse network of kingdom-minded leaders building bridges of unity in the local Christian community through prayer, partnerships, fellowship, and love.


He has received numerous awards and recognitions for his pastoral ministry and community leadership including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hawk-Houston Youth Enrichment Center in Dothan, AL.
 
Dr. Nelson is a notable scholar in practical theology and homiletics. He is a graduate of Selma University (BA) and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv and DMin). He also completed courses at Alabama State University, Auburn University, and Regent’s Park College of Oxford University (Oxford, England). He is completing research for the PhD in Practical Theology at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. Dr. Nelson has published several books: We Survived Hurricane Michael, My Prayer Book, Spiritual Victory, and Preaching-Life Changing Sermons. He has also has delivered lectures and presented papers at numerous colleges and conferences, for example, the Lifeway’s Black Church Leadership and Family Conference, Gulf Coast State College, Florida State University (Panama City Campus), Selma University, Stellenbosch University, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and the University of Cambridge.

Dr. Nelson serves as Board Member of Anchorage Children’s Home, Cornerstone Trust, Pastors United of Bay County, Hawk-Houston Youth Enrichment Center and Salvation Army. He also serves as an Ambassador for the Bay County Chamber of Commerce, police chaplain for Panama City Police Department, mentor at Mosley High School, and member of the Circuit 14 Human Trafficking Task Force. He is also a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity, Panama Country Club, and the NAACP.

Most recently, Dr. Nelson was elected as mayor of Lynn Haven on May 18, 2021 and re-elected with a historic victory for a four year term on April 18, 2023. He is the second Black American to serve as mayor of Lynn Haven, and the first Black American elected to this position. As Mayor, He is a member of the legislative team for the Florida League of Mayors, received the Home Rule Hero award for his advocacy for local municipalities, education, equality, and justice during the 2022 & 2023 Florida legislative sessions, and initiated the Mayor Sharon Sheffield Youth Council to provide local high school students an opportunity for civic engagement.
 

Dr. Nelson enjoys golf, hunting, fishing, writing, martial arts training, and time with his family. He is a black belt in Martial Arts and continues to train with Grandmasters Henry Graves, Victor Moore, and Manny Sosa. He is the founder and Chief Instructor of Last Dragon Martial Arts in Lynn Haven, which provides an afterschool training for students ages 4-18. Dr. Nelson’s life mission is to advance God’s kingdom by encouraging people to live what they learn.