Introducing the Church of the Nazarene

Organized October 8, 1908, in Pilot Point, Texas, the Church of the Nazarene has made its home in Kansas City, Mo., since shortly after the birth of the denomination. The church's International Center is located at 6401 The Paseo at the intersection of 63rd Street and The Paseo. The Nazarene Publishing House is located at 2923 Troost Avenue, about five miles north of denominational headquarters.

The Nazarene International Center provides support services to more than 1.2 million members worshiping in more than 11,800 churches in the United States, Canada, and 114 other world areas. Services include maintaining ministerial credentials and church records, coordinating the support and sending of missionaries, developing Sunday School and discipleship curriculum, providing retirement support programs for pastors, encouraging the starting of new churches, developing satellite, Internet, and radio programs for outreach and education to all parts of the globe, and much more.

To make Christlike disciples in the nations
General Superintendents Move to Clarify Nazarene Mission The Goal is Christlikeness for Everyone—To Do All He Commands With the Church of the Nazarene facing some of the biggest generational and cultural changes in 60 years, the Board of General Superintendents voted unanimously in its December 2006 meeting to update language used to define the mission as it approaches its Centennial in 2008.

To make Christlike disciples in the nations is the new seven-word statement of mission for the 1.6 million member denomination. This mission is built on the Church of the Nazarene’s core values of being Christian, holiness, and missional. While the primary motive of the church is to glorify God, the Board believes the church is also called to actively participate in His mission of reconciling the world to himself. “The seven words in the statement of mission embody the historical essentials of Nazarene mission—evangelism, sanctification, discipleship, compassion, and equipping all who respond in faith,” noted Dr. Jerry Porter, current Board chair. “The essence of holiness is Christlikeness.” “The Church of the Nazarene is blessed with some of the most dedicated disciples of any denomination.

Our goal is to build on this strength,” Dr. Porter emphasized. Dr. Jesse Middendorf, vice chair of the Board added, “We’re also moving from a ‘sending’ to a ‘sent’ church. The responsibility is to be a witness, helping make Christlike disciples, in whatever nation we happen to be. And missionaries are now sent from all regions of the world.” The Board recognizes that thousands of statements have been created by Nazarene churches, districts, regions, and educational institutions since the denomination last revised the wording of its statement of mission in the early 1980s.

Dr. Nina Gunter, Board secretary, said the general superintendents believe now more than ever there is a reason to have a clear, overarching statement of mission. “Since the denomination has a presence in 151 world areas, the need is for something succinct and translatable. “After 10 years of review the decision was made in part to try to capture what is now taking place in the church—a renewed desire to lift up Christ and be more like the Savior. This is especially so among the church’s youth and young adults,” observed Dr. Gunter.

The Board’s decision was based on the following: • Timing. Going through major generational and cultural change is the time to clarify, renew, and revitalize something, including the mission. • Simplification. In a 24/7, over-communicated society, it's an over-simplified (but not simplistic) message that has the best chance of getting through. • Stewardship. The church, and especially the General Board, cannot attempt everything and remain viable. There must be focus and priorities of mission in order to properly allocate limited financial and human resources. Congregations and others are encouraged to use the new statement of mission. How and where the statement is used is a local decision. The Board of General Superintendents intends this statement to be complementary and compatible with what has already been developed in many churches and institutions. It underscores the common ground shared by Nazarenes everywhere. To help communicate this change, bookmarks and posters are being made available to congregations worldwide in different languages through district assemblies.

Publishing
The Nazarene Publishing House (NPH) is the largest publisher of Holiness (Wesleyan) literature in the world. Products include Sunday School curriculum, music, periodicals, and books. In addition, many kinds of merchandise items are carried for the convenience of churches in fulfilling their mission. NPH prints more than 500,000 books annually and also produces a wide variety of periodicals and other publications. It is the largest mailer of second-class materials in Kansas City.

The following resources about the Church of the Nazarene are available for sale from the Nazarene Publishing House, toll-free at 800-877-0700

What is the Church of the Nazarene?
083-410-4334

Church of the Nazarene Manual (2005-2009)
MG083-412-2529

What is a Nazarene? Understanding our Place in the Religious Community
083-411-5999


Education
Nazarenes support 10 liberal arts institutions in the United States, Canada, and Africa, as well as 2 graduate seminaries and 43 undergraduate Bible/theological colleges worldwide. The church operates 2 hospitals, 38 medical clinics, 3 nurses training colleges, 1 teacher training college, 1 junior college, and more than 430 primary and secondary schools, serving 51,000 children, outside the United States and Canada.


World Outreach
Nazarenes are passionate about making a difference in the world. This means taking the good news of Jesus Christ around the globe. We currently have 665 missionaries and volunteers serving in 116 areas around the world. This missionary enterprise is made possible by the contributions of the global Nazarene family through free will offerings. Nazarenes are also engaged in starting new churches and in making their communities better places in which to live.


Theology
The Church of the Nazarene is the largest denomination in the Wesleyan-Arminian theological tradition. The doctrine that distinguishes the Church of the Nazarene and other Wesleyan denominations from most other Christian denominations is that of entire sanctification. Nazarenes believe that God calls Christians to a life of holy living that is marked by an act of God, cleansing the heart from original sin and filling the individual with love for God and humankind. This experience is marked by entire consecration of the believer to do God's will and is followed by a life of seeking to serve God through service to others. Like salvation, entire sanctification is an act of God's grace, not of works. Our pursuant service to God is an act of love whereby we show our appreciation for the grace that has been extended to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.


Government
The government of the Church of the Nazarene is a combination of episcopacy and congregationalism. Six elected representatives serve on the Board of General Superintendents. This board is charged with the responsibility of administering the worldwide work of the Church of the Nazarene. They also serve as the interpreters of the denomination's book of polity, the Manual of the Church of the Nazarene.

The General Assembly of the church serves as the supreme doctrine-formulating, lawmaking, and elective authority of the Church of the Nazarene, subject to the provisions of the church constitution. Comprised of elected representatives from all of the denomination's regular districts, the General Assembly meets quadrennially.

Besides the responsibilities listed above, the General Assembly elects the members of the Board of General Superintendents. It also considers legislative proposals from the church's 340 districts. Topics under consideration may range from the method of calling a pastor to bioethics.

The General Assembly also elects representatives to the General Board of the Church of the Nazarene. The General Board carries out the corporate business of the denomination.


A Tradition of Service
Nazarenes are a compassionate people. We believe in serving others! This is expressed locally through the services of members to their communities. Contributions from Nazarenes make possible the administration of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in the U.S. and around the world. This ministry provides assistance to persons in communities hard hit by disaster or famine. In recent years, Nazarenes have been instrumental in assisting hurting people in every part of the globe. From war and famine relief in Rwanda and Zaire, to health care training in India, to serving orphaned children in Guatemala, to rebuilding homes and churches in the Ohio River Valley-Nazarenes are there through more than 170 full-time compassionate ministry centers and various other special projects.

The worldwide network of Nazarene churches makes it possible for the denomination to serve as a conduit of assistance to hurting nations. Nazarenes provide money for food, medical supplies, clothing, and other items to persons in a number of countries where there are pressing needs. In addition, the denomination's missionary infrastructure is often used by World Relief and similar agencies when they need assistance in getting supplies to people of countries in remote or troubled areas.

Nazarenes also offer their time and services on volunteer Work and Witness teams and Youth In Mission teams to build churches, schools, clinics, and to reach others for Christ.

The denomination is now involved in reaching out to persons around the globe through the power of technology. Satellite, Internet, and radio broadcasts in 43 languages are produced regularly to educate people about the gospel of Jesus Christ and to inform constituents and interested parties about people, programs, news, and events of interest in the life of the church.