Senior Professor, Practical Theology
Director of Placement, Placement
Director of Certification, Ministerial Formation
Dr. Glenn Nielsen is director of Placement, director of certification and professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
Nielsen has been a faculty member and the director of Vicarage since 1990. In 2007 he assumed responsibilities for the internship program for the Seminary’s Deaconess Studies Program. In 2017 he became the director of Placement and in 2021 the director of certification. In 2023, he stepped down as the director of vicarage and internships when he became senior professor.
His areas of interest and expertise include communication, rhetoric and homiletics. Particularly, Nielsen has studied the use of creative means within a sermon.
Nielsen received his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) from Concordia Seminary (1981, 1987). He also holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Ind. (1977), and a Master of Arts (M.A.) and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Northwestern University in Chicago, Ill. (1989, 1993).
He produced a module on sermon application for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s (LCMS) “Preach the Word” series. He also contributed a chapter to “Let the Gospel Lead: Essays and Sermons in Honor of Dale A. Meyer,” performing an anatomy of one of Meyer’s sermons (Concordia Publishing House, 2020). Nielsen published the Bible Study “LifeLight™ Foundations: Miracles” and study notes for Psalms 90–105 in The Lutheran Study Bible, both with Concordia Publishing House. He published “A Living, Daring Confidence: A Worship Series on Romans,” a worship and preaching CD through Creative Communications for the Parish. He contributed the chapter “Evaluating and Extending the Research Implications” in “The Pastor’s Brain Manual: A Fascinating Work in Progress” (Lutheran University Press, 2016).
Nielsen has authored several articles, including pieces focused on preaching for the modern era and engaging worshipers. He has submitted several items for “Concordia Pulpit Resources,” including one article on sermon delivery and one on preaching in a series. He also has contributed several long-form articles to “Concordia Theology” on medicine, habitus, preaching and the Comfort Dog ministry.
Nielsen and his wife, Sue, are handlers for Noah, a Lutheran Church Charities’ K-9 Comfort Dog. Noah travels to churches, schools, nursing homes, hospitals and events in the St. Louis area. He also can be deployed in disaster response situations.
The Nielsens have four children — one of whom is in eternal rest with our Lord — and four grandchildren. Nielsen enjoys caring for his yard and garden, doing crossword puzzles, taking Noah for daily walks and spending time with his family.
Communication
Rhetoric
Homiletics