Contact: Brad Abare, Foursquare Communications Office, 213-989-4230, comm@foursquare.org
LOS ANGELES, June 28 /Christian Newswire/ -- On June 22, the board of directors of The Foursquare Church made a groundbreaking decision to appoint Rev. Tammy Dunahoo to the office of general supervisor. Dunahoo is the first woman to serve the U.S. Foursquare churches in that role.
The Foursquare Church is a Pentecostal church that was founded in the 1920s by the world-renowned evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson, who served as the president of the denomination until her death in 1944. The church also had a female vice president and a female corporate secretary in its early years, but this is the most significant female executive appointment since 1950.
In 2007, The Foursquare Church publicly demonstrated a renewed commitment to women in releasing Women in Leadership Ministry (Foursquare Media), which is a summary of the biblical position of The Foursquare Church concerning God's grace and a woman's potential under His sovereignty and call. Shortly thereafter, Dunahoo brought women from around the world together in Atlanta for the Foursquare Women's National Gathering.
Today the Foursquare board of directors is made up of 20 percent women; of the church's 14 district supervisors, 2 are female. Of the more than 6,000 credentialed Foursquare ministers in the U.S., 36 percent of them are women; 7 percent serve as senior pastors.
"I am humbled by the trust and support I've been given by The Foursquare Church," noted Dunahoo. "I believe this is a season with greater opportunity than any other time in the life of the Church. This generation is focused on being Christ-centered Spirit–empowered, actively and compassionately taking the gospel to their 'Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth.' The global need requires everyone called by God, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity, to be equipped and sent in partnership with God in His mission. There is much to do, and I look forward to partnering with leaders across the body of Christ."
Dunahoo had served since September 2009 as interim general supervisor of U.S. Foursquare churches. Before that time, she served as vice president of Women in Leadership Ministry; she had also previously served as director of Foursquare Women, as a district supervisor, as a member of the church health team, the National Church Council and the Foursquare Cabinet. For their more than 30 years of marriage and ministry, Dunahoo and her husband, Gary, have been lead pastors, church planters, associate pastors, marriage and family ministers, and district youth directors. Her accomplishments during the last months have been remarkable, and Dunahoo quickly won the favor of the supervisors who lead the 14 regions around the U.S., with whom she served very closely.
Dr. Glenn C. Burris Jr., Foursquare's president-elect, was quick to add his endorsement of Dunahoo: "Tammy served our church with distinction in the role of interim general supervisor, and I have every reason to believe that she will continue to help lead our church into a fruitful future, passionate for the harvest, committed to an emerging generation of leaders and dedicated to the health and training of our ministers. She is an excellent leader whose commitment to the Lord and to people is evident in all that she does. I could not be happier with the board's choice."
For media inquiries, please contact the Foursquare Communications Office at 213.989.4230, or e-mail comm@foursquare.org.
