Church of the Nazarene elects first non-North American among top leaders

(RNS) The Church of the Nazarene has elected three new members to its six-member leadership team, including its first born outside North America. The Rev. Eugenio Duarte, the regional director for Africa, and a native of the Cape Verde Islands, was chosen as one of the denomination’s general superintendents during its quadrennial General Assembly that […]

(RNS) The Church of the Nazarene has elected three new members to its six-member leadership team, including its first born outside North America.

The Rev. Eugenio Duarte, the regional director for Africa, and a native of the Cape Verde Islands, was chosen as one of the denomination’s general superintendents during its quadrennial General Assembly that ended on July 2 in Orlando, Fla.

“The last time we elected our first woman,” said the Rev. David Wilson, general secretary of the Church of the Nazarene. “This time, we elected our first non-North American. We’ve had two big breakthroughs in the last eight years.”


Joining Duarte as a general superintendent is the Rev. David W. Graves, pastor of College Church of the Nazarene in Olathe, Kansas; and the Rev. Stanley A. Toler, pastor of Trinity Church of the Nazarene in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Olivet Nazarene University president John Bowling had been elected a general superintendent during the meeting, but withdrew his name. He is the only individual to be elected twice — he was also chosen in 2005 — and to decline twice to hold the position.

“He was elected and accepted and then a day later could not find inner peace and chose to rescind his acceptance and remains as president of Olivet,” said Wilson.

The Wesleyan-Holiness denomination has about 1.8 million members and marked its 100th year in 2008.

Donate to Support Independent Journalism!

Donate Now!