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Election as General Superintendent
Dr. Carla D. Sunberg was elected as the 43rd General Superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene on June 27, 2017, during the 29th General Assembly.She was elected on the 11th ballot. At the time of her election, Dr.
Sunberg was president of Nazarene Theological Seminary, where she had been serving since January 2014. She was ordained on the Russia North District, where she and her husband, Chuck, served the Church of the Nazarene for 13 years as pioneer missionaries to the former Soviet Union. In 2005, the Sunbergs returned to the United States and
began pastoring at Grace Point Church of the Nazarene in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In 2011, she and her husband accepted a call to serve as co-district superintendents
of the East Ohio District Church of the Nazarene
Dr. Sunberg is the second woman ever elected as a General Superintendent in the Church of the Nazarene and the only daughter of Dr. Jerald Johnson, the 24th General Superintendent.
Early Life and Education
Dr. Sunberg was born on July 1, 1961, in Bad Homburg, West Germany, as the only daughter of Rev. Jerald DeWight Johnson and Alice Eva Schmidt. Her parents were pioneer missionaries in West Germany for the Church of the Nazarene. She spent much of her childhood in different locations as her father held various leadership roles within the church. She attended Shawnee Mission South High School and graduated in 1979.
Dr. Sunberg pursued higher education at:
- MidAmerica Nazarene University (B.S. in Nursing, 1983, cum laude)
- Nazarene Theological Seminary (M.A. in Theological Studies, 2004, cum laude)
- Nazarene Theological College, University of Manchester (Ph.D. in Historical Theology, 2012)
Her Ph.D. dissertation was titled “The Cappadocian Mothers: Deification Exemplified in the Writings of Basil, Gregory and Gregory.”
Career
Registered Nurse
After earning her nursing degree, Dr. Sunberg worked as a registered nurse in Kansas, Missouri, and Texas from 1983 to 1992. She continued nursing while her husband served in pastoral ministry.
Missionary to Russia (1992–2005)
From 1992 to 2005, Dr. Sunberg and her family served as pioneer missionaries for the Church of the Nazarene in the former Soviet Union. Her work included:
- Directing Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NAZCOM) in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) (1992–2002)
- Developing medical education programs for Russian healthcare workers
- Establishing a preventative dental care program for children
- Directing Theological Education for the CIS (2002–2005), overseeing ministerial training for 250 students
Pastoral Ministry (2005–2011)
From 2005 to 2011, Dr. Sunberg co-pastored Grace Point Church of the Nazarene in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She focused on evangelism and discipleship while her husband served as the senior pastor.
Educator and Administrator
Dr. Sunberg has served as:
- Adjunct professor of Church History at Northwest Nazarene University
- Adjunct faculty member at Nazarene Theological Seminary
- President of the Wesleyan-Holiness Women Clergy International (2009–2013)
- Inaugural Chair of the USA/Canada Nazarene Women Clergy Council (2007–2009)
District Superintendency (2011–2014)
In 2011, Dr. Sunberg and her husband were appointed co-District Superintendents of the East Ohio District, the first husband-and-wife team to hold this position.
President of Nazarene Theological Seminary (2014–2017)
Dr. Sunberg was elected as the 10th President of Nazarene Theological Seminary on January 3, 2014, becoming the first woman to hold the office. She served in this role until her election as General Superintendent in 2017.
Leadership as General Superintendent
As General Superintendent, Dr. Sunberg serves alongside:
- Dr. David A. Busic
- Dr. Gustavo A. Crocker
- Dr. Filimão M. Chambo
- Dr. Christian Sarmiento
- Dr. T. Scott Daniels
Together, they provide leadership to over 30,610 Nazarene churches worldwide, overseeing a denomination with more than 2.7 million members, 18,817 ordained elders, and 10,869 licensed ministers.
Works
Dissertation
- The Cappadocian Mothers: Deification Exemplified in the Writings of Basil, Gregory and Gregory. Ph.D. dissertation, Nazarene Theological College, University of Manchester, 2012.
Books
- Faxes From Russia (with Gene Van Note). Kansas City, MO: Nazarene Publishing House, 1996.
- Reclaiming Eve: The Identity and Calling of Women in the Kingdom of God (co-written with Suzanne Burden and Jamie Wright). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2014.
- God’s Intention for Diversity with Dr. Daniel GomisFaithful to the Call: Women in Ministry
- Why Holiness
- Teach Us to Pray
She currently resides in Canton, Ohio, USA
Dr. Carla Sunberg’s journey in ministry, education, and leadership has been instrumental in shaping the Church of the Nazarene. Her service as a missionary, pastor, educator, and administrator demonstrates her deep commitment to theological education, church leadership, and global ministry.
