Rev. Vidal Cole appointed as District Superintendent of Sierra Leone, West Africa.
January 7, 2015. Although the country of Sierra Leone is experiencing challenging times, God’s Kingdom is still moving forward through revivals and the commitment of wonderful leaders. Rev. Vidal Cole is one of them.
Dr. Eugenio Duarte, Africa Regional Jurisdictional General Superintendent, has appointed Rev. Vidal Cole as District Superintendent of the Sierra Leone District. He is replacing Rev. Paul Martin.
Rev. Paul and Sharon Martin served as missionaries for the Church of the Nazarene in Sierra Leone, West Africa from March 2004 to March 2013. They mentored Rev. Vidal and Marie Cole and many others to build a strong holiness foundation in the country. They now serve in Accra, Ghana in the pastoral training and education for the Africa West Field.
Rev. Vidal Cole serves as senior pastor of the Overcomers Assembly Church of the Nazarene near downtown Freetown, Sierra Leone. A life-long resident of Freetown, Vidal was raised in an Anglican family; his father was a high-level manager as a career banker.
A graduate of Albert Academy Secondary School, an Evangelical United Brethren institution in Freetown, Vidal pursued accounting and worked in banking for several years. Following his conversion as a young man, he felt called to full-time ministry. In 1995 he founded the Overcomers Assembly Church.
In 2005, through the invitation of a friend, he attended pastoral training classes offered by the Church of the Nazarene. Through new awareness he pursued and experienced the grace of entire sanctification. As he continued Nazarene ministerial studies, through his careful and wise leadership, he led his independent church into official organization in the Church of the Nazarene (Centennial Sunday 5 October 2008).
Rev. Cole has continued his biblical, theological studies. He is a graduate of Nazarene Theological Institute (2009-diploma), Nazarene Theological College-SA (2012-BTh), and is completing his Masters degree through Africa Nazarene University (MAR-to graduate 2015). He was ordained in March 2011.
He served as administrative assistant to the district superintendent 2010 – 2012 and as assistant district superintendent 2012 – 2014. In these roles, he has carried many district leadership responsibilities. As a minister and teacher, he is an effective communicator and a strong advocate of “holiness of heart and life.”
