Looking to impact the world

Professor leaving SPU to serve the global community

By HILLARY ISON, News Writer

Published: January 16, 2008

Missionary strategies, the opening of new mission fields and international politics were typical family discussions for Delia Nuesch-Olver at family reunions.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina to a Swiss missionary family of eight children, Nuesch-Olver and most of her siblings have served in missionary fields of Latin America and beyond.

"I have since lived in Europe and the U.S., choosing to live, work and minister in urban settings with large Latino populations," said Nuesch-Olver, an associate professor of theology and founder of the Global and Urban Ministries program.

Continuing with the family tradition, Nuesch-Olver has decided on a career move that will take her out of the classroom and into a direct part of Latin American ministry. As an area director of the Free Methodist Church, Nuesch-Olver will provide ministry in Latin America and wherever Latin Americans are located around the world. Not only will Nuesch-Olver be the first female area director, but she will also be the first non-American to hold the position.

"From a career development perspective, it's crazy, but as a cause for Christ, it is exciting," Nuesch-Olver said.

The opportunity to become the area director came during a gathering of the Free Methodist church leaders, which occurs every four years. Nuesch-Olver and her husband, Paul Olver, are both ordained pastors. Nuesch-Olver will be succeeding David Roller, who was elected to the office of bishop.

"I was praying for him, and I had this sense that whoever replaces him would need to be relational around the world," Nuesch-Olver said.

She believed that the job description required an expansion to include Latin Americans wherever they are located in the world, rather than exclusively in Latin America. The job was available immediately on Aug. 1, 2007. Nuesch-Olver was offered the position but was concerned about her students and SPU.

"I want to finish well here to honor SPU and my students," Nuesch-Olver said.

She will start Aug. 1, 2008 and retain the position for four years. Originally Nuesch-Olver asked for a leave of absence for four years, "But we are no longer exploring that, and I have resigned," Nuesch-Olver said.

"The max for a leave of absence is two years," said Robert Drovdahl, professor and department chair of Christian Ministries and Education. "The faculty are disappointed. We hate to lose her and she has done a fantastic job building the Global and Urban Ministries program since 1999."

The School of Theology is hoping to remain in contact with her, though, Drovdahl said.

"We thank God for what she's done for our students," said Douglas Strong, Dean of the School of Theology. "The School of Theology is so grateful for the years she's given."

In her years at SPU, Nuesch-Olver's commitment to students has extended beyond the classroom.

"One of the really neat things she does every quarter is to invite students over to her house and she makes them a meal," Katie King, a senior, said. "She is very intentional about praying for her students."

As Nuesch-Olver becomes the area director for Latin America and Latin Americans around the world, she believes that she sees things with the freshness of an insider and an outsider.

Nuesch-Olver said she has accumulated huge cultural capital over the past three decades, including a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology, involvement in several church plants and the supervision of numerous ethnic and multiethnic churches. She has also had the privilege of mentoring a significant number of Latin American women and men, Nuesch-Olver said.

"This combination gives me a multi-layered grid through which to interpret what is currently happening among Latin Americans and to move on with confidence to developing strategies," Nuesch-Olver said.

Nuesch-Olver said she looks forward to impacting many people throughout the world.

"I will be able to strategize, teach and train. As a visionary leader and communicator, I will be able to call people to see the world in new ways and to give themselves to the cause of Christ in global mission," Nuesch-Olver said.

Junior Rose Langer spent the past summer with Nuesch-Olver in India. "She inspired me a lot more about other cultures than what I was expecting," Langer said.

In her time as one of Nuesch-Olver's students, Langer has found her to be a very gracious and humble person.

Even though Nuesch-Olver is excited about being area director, she said she will greatly miss SPU.

"I will really, really miss preparing for and being in class with my students," Nuesch-Olver said. "I have the best students who are giving it all for the call of Christ. I believe my students will change the world."

© 2008-2010 The Falcon        Contact        Advertise        SPU.edu