Protestant Christians know what "PK" means—Preacher’s Kid. Yes, Tom Nelson is a Preacher’s Kid, or in Lutheran circles, a Pastor’s Kid. Raised in a parsonage, dragged along to every service and church activity, and yes, living in the spotlight.

PKs are notorious rebels, many choking on the expectations to be goody-goody children all the time. It’s hard being a PK. So hard that in my seminary class of 32 not one of us was the child of a pastor. It seems pastors’ children were taking a pass on following in their parents’ footsteps.

To his credit, Tom avoided the resentment and embraced the life of a pastor’s family. He went to church, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and was an active member of the youth group, going to church Bible camp and doing mission trips. But no, he wasn’t a perfect kid. You can ask him about some of his exploits!

I had a unique church assignment. I was called by the Church to be a Pastor Developer. I was trained and assigned to a specific community and given the charge to find people and create a congregation, from scratch. My territory was centered on the communities of Kaukauna, Kimberly, Combined Locks, and Little Chute, Wisconsin.

Finding people and organizing a congregation meant going door-to-door, up one side of a street and down the other, meeting people, and inviting them to help me grow a church.

Some days Tom came along with me as we canvassed the four communities. I’d knock on the door and he had a brochure ready. He logged names and addresses for follow-up visits. That summer we covered 3,000 homes.

When Tom ran for the State Assembly seat in our area 20 years later he did the same thing—knocking on doors, meeting people, listening to their needs and concerns, and building a database, just like we did starting Christ the King Lutheran Church. Except he made over 22,000 visits in his first Assembly campaign! To date, Tom has knocked on over 70,000 doors in his campaigns for public office.

Obviously, he cannot knock on every door in Wisconsin but his campaign for the US Senate remains very one-on-one, very personal, and real. He’s out meeting people any way he can.

He has to. He doesn’t have rich parents or corporate donors paying his way. What he has is a passion to serve people. He has the energy and commitment to see this campaign through. His eyes are on the Senate. He does not quit! And don’t bet against him.

But he cannot do it alone. Will you help him in his campaign? Click here to make a contribution to his campaign. And remember to vote for him in the Primary Election on August 9th! Thanks, and bless you.

Sincerely,

Steve, Dad, and if you read my diploma, The Rev. Dr. Steven M. Nelson