Christian Sarmiento was elected the 45th general superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene on 15 June 2023. Sarmiento was elected on the 40th ballot during the morning business session of the 30th General Assembly and Conventions in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. He currently serves as the director of the South America Region.

After his election, Sarmiento was welcomed by General Secretary Gary Hartke before taking the stage to embrace the Board of General Superintendents. He took the podium and greeted the assembly with a hearty "¡Buenos dias!"

"It's overwhelming," Sarmiento began. "It's a journey of grace that God has taken us on."

Sarmiento told of becoming a Christian at age 17 thanks to his wife of 47 years, Margit. After reading John chapter 8, where Jesus says the Holy Spirit is like the wind, he made that his prayer.

“I saw a paper on the floor, and I said, ‘Lord, blow however you want. We will just be a paper, and we are at your will,’” Sarmiento said.

Christian was elected director of the South America Region in September 2005. Prior to his election, he served as regional director for the Mexico, Central America, and Caribbean Region (now known as the Mesoamerica Region). Sarmiento has extensive educational experience, having served as regional education coordinator in three regions of the Church of the Nazarene. He was also the rector of the Nazarene seminaries in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Argentina. 

In addition to serving as an educator, Christian has been a church planter in three countries. He also served as superintendent in the Ecuador Sierra Norte District. Christian served as editor of Hispanic magazines for the Church of the Nazarene and was the associate editor of textbooks, including the Beacon Bible Commentary. He is the author of several books and articles in English and Spanish.

Christian earned his Doctor of Education in leadership and professional practice in 2019 from Trevecca Nazarene University. He was awarded a Doctor of Divinity degree from MidAmerica Nazarene University in 2002.

Christian and Margit were among the founding members of the Church of the Nazarene in Colombia in 1975. 

“We have been in eight different countries, 30 different houses, and the Lord is still blowing," Sarmiento said. "I want to praise Him because He's the Lord of my life."