Dr. Carla Sunberg was elected 43rd general superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene at the 29th General Assembly in Indianapolis, Indiana, in June 2017. 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.
Sunberg has a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree from MidAmerica Nazarene University, a Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS) degree from Nazarene Theological Seminary (NTS), and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Historical Theology from Nazarene Theological College and the University of Manchester, United Kingdom. In May 2012, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity (DD) degree from Olivet Nazarene University.
Dr. Sunberg has a long record of service to the Church of the Nazarene on various boards and committees. In addition, Sunberg also served as president of Wesleyan-Holiness Women Clergy, and chair of the Wesleyan-Holiness Connection.
She is the author of articles for various church publications, as well numerous books. Her dissertation, The Cappadocian Mothers is published by Pickwick. Her latest works include Color: God's Intention for Diversity, written together with Dr. Daniel Gomis; editor of Faithful to the Call: Women in Ministry, and Why Holiness, as well as her latest release, Teach Us to Pray, all from the Foundry Publishing.
Carla was born in Germany, the daughter of missionaries. She loves to teach and train leaders for the future of the church and has served as adjunct faculty for a number of institutions. Her heartfelt passion is a life of holiness and service for the Lord. Carla and Chuck are proud parents of two adult daughters, Christa, who along with her husband, Iain Maciver, lives in England with their two children, Theodore and Alana; and Cara, who with her husband, Justin Shonamon, and children Mackenzie, Alice, and Halston lives in Kansas City, Kansas.
JURISDICTIONAL ASSIGNMENTS
Board chair has no non-USA/Canada jurisdiction
Southwest USA - Point Loma Nazarene University
Board of Pensions and Benefits, USA
Global Ministry Center
Jesus Film/Harvest Partners
Nazarene Foundation
Nazarene Bible College
Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, Inc.
Nazarene Theological Seminary
The Foundry Publishing
