Dr. Nestor was born on August 6, 1947, in Washington D.C. to his parents Alfred H. Nestor and Thelma D. Nestor. He graduated from Anacostia High School in 1965. He was married to his bride Belinda Nestor of 55 years on his birthday in August of 1966. Together they proceeded to prepare for full-time ministry at Southeastern Bible College in Lakeland, Florida. He graduated with a Bachelors of Arts degree with a double major in Bible and History from Southeastern in 1972. He also earned a Masters of Arts degree in Theology from Wheaton College and received a Doctor of Divinity from Reformed Episcopal Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Upon graduating from Southeastern in 1972, Dr. Nestor became the pastor of Triangle Assembly of God church in Triangle, Virginia, kickstarting a 30 plus year career in pastoral ministry. He eventually left there to further his education at Wheaton College’s masters program where he also worked closely with Robert Schmidgall, founding pastor of Calvary Temple in Naperville, Illinois.
Dr. Nestor left Wheaton to continue his pastoral ministry as the Senior Associate Pastor of Arlington Assembly of God under Pastor Claude Qualls’ leadership. He left Arlington to pastor First Assembly of God in Niagara Falls. After three years of growing ministry, Dr. Nestor returned to Illinois to become the Senior Associate pastor at Calvary Temple in Naperville under pastor Bob Schmidgall, which was one of the fastest growing churches in the nation that time.
Following his time on staff in Naperville, he held brief pastorates at Florida at Faith Assembly of God in Sarasota, Florida and at Bethel Temple in Oak Park, Illinois. Then in the summer of 1988, he became the senior pastor of Manassas Assembly of God in Manassas, Virginia (currently Chapel Springs Church). Under his leadership, Manassas Assembly of God grew from a growing church to a mega church where he lead the church’s relocation to a new 140 acre campus with over 100,000 square feet of facilities. Thousands came to hear Pastor Nestor expound the word of God in his powerful, expositional, and relational style. It was during this time that Dr. Nestor was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1991 after returning from a trip to Europe.
He and his wife Belinda retired from the ministry and the pastorate at Manassas Assembly of God in the spring of 2002 and moved to Florida to manage his disease and be closer to family.
Dr. Nestor served on the board of the Assembly of God Theological Seminary in Springfield, Missouri for many years. He chaired the Resolutions Committee for the General Council of the Assemblies of God and the Spiritual Life Committee of the of the Assemblies of God. He was named by colleagues and peers as a preacher’s preacher.
Dr. Nestor was predeceased by his parents, Alfred and Thelma Nestor and his sister, Martha Morris.
He is survived by his wife Belinda Nestor of Melbourne, Florida, his daughter Christine Lundberg and her husband David Lundberg of Melbourne, Florida and their children Rebbeca and Christian; his son Charles Nestor II and his wife Mary Jo of Melbourne, Florida and their 3 boys Trey (Charles III), Jacob, and Luke; and his daughter Amy Mount and her husband Jeremy Mount of O’Fallon, Missouri and their children Chloe and Ethan.
Services will be held at South Coast Church in Melbourne, Florida at 6:30 pm on Tuesday June 21, 2022, at 4645 US 1, Melbourne, Florida 32935.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rev. Dr. Charles Nestor Memorial Fund. Send donations payable to South Coast Church to Charles Nestor, 3048 Constellation Dr. Melbourne, Florida 32940.
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Rev. Dr. Charles Nestor Memorial Fund3048 Constellation Drive, Melbourne, Florida 32940
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