NEWS RELEASE: Liberty University President Jerry Prevo announced on Thursday that he has named Thomas Road Baptist Church Senior Pastor Jonathan Falwell as the university’s new Campus Pastor.
Falwell will replace David Nasser, who announced on Wednesday that he is resigning from his position as senior vice president for spiritual development and will be leaving at the end of the semester.
Nasser formally announced his resignation to students on Wednesday in a social media post.
“After seven years of being a part of this staff as campus pastor, the Lord is transitioning me out of this role and this will be my last semester here,” Nasser said in a video with his wife, Jennifer. The couple explained that their family feels led by God to continue their work in ministry by serving with a nonprofit in Nashville, Tenn. “This has been one of the most difficult decisions we’ve ever had to make, but we do feel affirmed that God is asking for our obedience to step out of this role in ministry and into a whole new role in ministry elsewhere. As your campus pastor, I can’t ask you week after week to be obedient and to go wherever (God) leads and then not model that very same thing in our own lives.”
Nasser was hired at Liberty in August 2014.
“He has done an amazing job with helping our students to develop a closer walk with the Lord,” President Prevo said. “He will be missed.”
On Wednesday, Nasser told students that the different areas of Liberty’s senior leadership will be working together through the transition process.
“President (Jerry) Prevo, Pastor Jonathan Falwell, the spiritual subcommittee of the (Board of Trustees), and our (Office of Spiritual Development) directors and team are working side by side to make this transition as smooth as possible,” Nasser said. “These people love God, they love you, and they are committed to making sure we all keep growing in Christ’s likeness.”
The university issued this statement after the announcement:
“David Nasser is moving onto the next opportunities the Lord provided, using his voice on behalf of the most vulnerable, ministering on behalf of orphans and foster children. The programs of our Office of Spiritual Development are of vital importance to our mission, and the university appreciates his service to the students and staff and wishes him well. The parting is amicable and on good terms.”
