Foursquare President Glenn Burris Jr., General Supervisor Tammy Dunahoo and the board of directors are pleased to announce that Wendy Nolasco, an ordained Foursquare minister, has been named district supervisor of the MidSouth District.
The appointment of Wendy, who is bilingual and bicultural, is being welcomed as a prophetic and future-looking move that further aligns Foursquare with God’s direction for the movement.
Currently campus and executive pastor for New Life Church (Bakersfield Southwest Foursquare Church) in Bakersfield, Calif., helping oversee a staff of almost 60 on five campuses, Wendy steps into her new position effective Jan. 1, 2018. She will succeed David Coffey, who is retiring after nearly nine years as district supervisor of the MidSouth District’s 117 churches and congregations.
A licensed minister since 2009, Wendy and her husband, Sal, have been married for 15 years and have three children: Lola, Diego and Phoenix. Her decade-plus service at New Life includes nine months as senior pastor while other senior leaders there were on extended leaves of medical absence. The total average attendance of all New Life campuses is now 3,500, and the Northwest Campus, where Wendy leads, has grown from around 250 to approximately 1,000.
As a featured speaker at this year’s Foursquare Connection, in Washington, D.C., Wendy told of growing up as “an outsider” born to Cuban political immigrant refugees, and how that experience had shaped her passion for ensuring that visitors to New Life feel welcome and accepted.
Looking ahead to her new role, Wendy says: “We are full of hope and anticipation about the opportunity to advance our objectives as a Foursquare family, and build a culture of leadership, transformation and multiplication. We anticipate leaning into the whispers of the Holy Spirit as we navigate form and flow. The entrustment and belief by our Foursquare leadership will be our driving force as we embark into our collective future.”
Announcing the appointment to MidSouth pastors and leaders in a video greeting, Tammy detailed how what those responsible believed to be the “creative, prophetic and future-focused” decision came about. Though other strong candidates had been interviewed, the selection committee had not sensed God’s confirmation of any of them.
During a time of prayer and reflection in which the 1 Samuel account of Samuel’s anointing of David as king, over his older brothers, was shared, it became clear that God was leading in a new “out of the box” direction, Tammy said. In due course, Wendy and Sal were interviewed, and their recommendation unanimously approved by the board.
“We believe that this decision is not only for the future of MidSouth, but that it is also prophetic for the entire Foursquare movement,” said Tammy. “This is the vanguard of something fresh and bold that God is doing. Please join us in prayer so, together, we are all ready to be used by God in this new day.”
Glenn Burris Jr. echoes that, welcoming the appointment as an example of how the Reimagine realignment process Foursquare has been through recently is enabling the release of the “catalytic” leaders needed for the future. “We sensed God’s clear leading and hand through the process, and we want to be obedient to His direction,” says Glenn. “The Lord has mapped out a future that will bring a great harvest. I sense the Lord saying, ‘The seed is already in the ground.'”
A former pastor and previously district administrator for the South Central District, David Coffey says that he felt it was time to step down and make room “for someone who can help launch the future, and champion and support the next generation.” Part of Foursquare’s cabinet since 2003, David and his wife, Diane, celebrate their golden wedding anniversary next year and have two married adult children, Amber and Ryan, both serving in Foursquare ministry.
