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Foursquare General Supervisor Tammy Dunahoo, President Glenn C. Burris Jr. and the board of directors are pleased to announce that pastor and former missionary Juan M. Vallejo has been named district supervisor for the new Southwest region Hispanic district. This district is being created to help further the growth of Foursquare’s thriving Hispanic ministry.

The executive pastor at La Iglesia en el Camino, the Hispanic ministry of The Church On The Way in Van Nuys, Calif., Juan was chosen for the role because of his “extensive experience,” says Foursquare General Supervisor Tammy Dunahoo.

“He is well prepared to lead and build bridges between generations and cultures,” Tammy affirms, announcing what she calls a “historic appointment” and referencing Juan’s service as a missionary, church planter and district supervisor in Latin America, plus pastoral ministry as well as board and cabinet service in the United States.

Coming into effect Jan. 1, 2015, the new Hispanic district—the official name of which is still to be decided—will be made up of Hispanic churches currently located in the Central Pacific, Southern California, and Southwest districts who choose to be part of the new grouping rather than remaining in their current districts.

The new district has been established as part of Foursquare’s Reimagine initiative intended to align the movement for maximum fruitfulness. The move acknowledges the continued growth of Hispanic ministries and churches—now accounting for one in seven across Foursquare.

A member of Foursquare’s board of directors, Juan, age 49, acknowledges his appointment by looking to the future and honoring the past.

“I truly sense we are on the verge of seeing a greater harvest of souls than we have ever experienced,” he says, inviting others in Foursquare to “dare to dream big, reap bountiful fruit and rejoice as God fulfills the dreams He places in our hearts.” He also pays tribute to “all those who have labored so diligently to help our movement arrive at this historic moment.” Without their efforts in helping to establish a “sold foundation,” he notes, “none of us would be where we are now.”

Born and raised in Southern California, Juan began serving as an assisting minister at Palabra de Vida (Hawaiian Gardens Foursquare Church) in Hawaiian Gardens, Calif., at 19. His U.S. ministry has also seen him serve on the Southwest District church multiplication team, plant two churches, teach at Life Pacific College (LPC, also known as LIFE Bible College), and serve as a divisional superintendent in the San Bernardino, Calif., area.

During 10 years as a Foursquare missionary in Bolivia, El Salvador and Paraguay, he worked alongside national leaders and was involved in establishing Bible institutes, church multiplication teams and leadership development.

Juan is a three-time LPC graduate, most recently earning a Master of Arts in Strategic Leadership. He and his wife, Graciela, married in 1991. They have three children: Juan Carlos, a recent LPC graduate; Mariela, who is a current student there; and Josué, a high school student.

Tammy Dunahoo shares that Juan’s new appointment was unanimously approved by the Foursquare board after “much prayer, deliberation and interviews by the personnel committee of the board,” including three members of Foursquare’s National Hispanic Commission.

“I cannot begin to tell you the excitement and anticipation we have about the future of the Hispanic movement in The Foursquare Church,” Tammy stated in her letter informing pastors of the decision. It was “the next step toward seeing communities transformed with the love of God through the multiplication of disciples, leaders, churches and movements,” she added.

Juan is due to be installed in his new role at the Southwest Region Hispanic Conference to be held Oct. 24–25, 2014, at La Iglesia en el Camino in Van Nuys, Calif. Sessions will be live-streamed at conferenciahispana.com.

UPDATE: The board of directors has determined the name of new Hispanic district in the southwest region. It is the Distrito Hispano del Suroeste (Southwestern Hispanic District). The district will launch as planned on Jan. 1, 2015.

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