Staff and Volunteers
Even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve... (Mark 10:45)
Mike Nielsen
Elder / Pastor
Mike grew up in Canada but ended up here in Colorado, graduating from Rampart High School and then CU Boulder where he met his wife of 21 years, Nicole. The Air Force took their family around the world, where Mike served as a Fighter Pilot, but he received the call to return to his family's roots and pursue ministry through church planting. In 2018, he graduated from the Reformed Baptist Seminary with a Master's Degree in Theological Studies, specializing in Exegesis (fancy way of saying "How to interpret the Bible").
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"Mine is a story of God's patience with a flawed and rebellious man. God used everyday-Christians with a love for Jesus and his word to change my life -- I pray Covenant Grace Church will do the same for you."
- Mike
Phil Wright
Elder
Phil accepted Christ as he finished a 3-year enlistment in the Army in 1975. He met his wife Julie through Campus Crusade for Christ at UCLA in 1980 and they married in 1983. Phil graduated from Talbot Theological Seminary in 1986 and went back into the US Army as an ordained EFCA Chaplain in 1987 and retired in 2015. After serving as the executive director of Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty (CALL) for 2 years advocating in Congress and Department of Defense for policy or legislation protecting military personnel’s religious liberty, the Wrights came to Colorado Springs in 2019 to help with care for Julie’s mother and have considered it their home since.
Richard Douglass
Elder
Dr. Rich is a retired Air Force F-16 pilot, an international strategic planner and insatiable learner with three Masters degrees and a Doctorate of Ministry in Global Leadership. For nearly 20 years, Rich has guided small groups, trained ministry leaders, conducted strategic planning seminars for churches and Christian organizations, spearheaded a statewide ministry for Fellowship of Christian Athletes and created a national evangelism training program. His main passion, however, remains personal discipleship, where he intentionally helps people take their next step toward discipling others who disciple others, who disciple others.
Brian Bivens
Music Director
Brian was born in Fountain Colorado and grew up in the Denver area. In his teenage years he had wandered about as far away from God as possible after being raised in the church, but God had other plans. Brian met his wife Stephanie in 2000, and in 2002 they moved to Philadelphia for work. In 2002 God saved them both, and in 2003 they were married and serving in ministry together, spending seven years doing inner city missions work in Philadelphia, including music, preaching and feeding the less fortunate. Since 2003 Brian has more than 18 years of experience serving as the music director for several churches in PA, NJ and Colorado. He has a passion for God-honoring, doctrinally sound music. Brian and Stephanie have four children and one granddaughter.
Julie Wright
Women's Ministry Director
Grace Toci
Children's Ministry Director
