MANUAL - Church of the Nazarene

1 M A N UA L2017-2021 HISTORYCONSTITUTIONGOVERNMENTSACRAMENTS AND RITUALS Nazarene PUBLISHING HOUSEK ansas City, Missouri, USAC opyright 2017by Nazarene Publishing HousePublished by the authority ofthe Twenty-ninth General Assemblyheld in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA25 -29 Ju ne 2017 Editing CommitteeDEAN G. BLEVINSSTANLEY J. RODESTERRY S. SOWDENJAMES W. SPEARDAVID P. WILSONISBN 978- 0 -8341-3711- 0 (Hardcover)ISBN 978- 0 -8341-3710 -3 (Softcover)ISBN 978-0-8341-3712-7 (Leather Cover)Printed in the United States of AmericaAll scripture quotations are taken from the Holy bible , New International Ve r s i o n (NIV ).

2 Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by the International bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights seal and logo of the Church of the Nazarene are registered trademarks of The Church of the Nazarene , Inc. Use or reproduction thereof, without the expressed, written consent of The Church of the Nazarene , Inc. is strictly CONSTITUTION AND THE COVENANT OF CHRISTIAN CONDUCT(1-99 Series)LOCAL GOVERNMENT(100 Series)DISTRICT GOVERNMENT(200 Series)GENERAL GOVERNMENT(300 Series)HIGHER EDUCATION(400 Series)MINISTRY AND CHRISTIAN SERVICE(500 Series)JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION(600 Series)SACRAMENTS AND RITUALS(700 Series) Nazarene YOUTH INTERNATIONAL, Nazarene MISSIONS INTERNATIONAL AND, SUNDAY SCHOOL AND DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL CHARTER & MINISTRY PLANS/ CONSTITUTION/BYLAWS(800 Series)FORMS(800 Series)APPENDIX(900 Series)

3 To use the thumb index, fan the pages with your right hand until mark appears opposite the section Statement of Mission in the Church of the Nazarene is to make Christlike disciples in the Core Values of the Church of the Nazarene are that we are Christian, Holiness, and seven Characteristics of the Church of the Nazarene are Meaningful Worship, Theological Coherence, Passionate Evangelism, Intentional Discipleship, Church Development, Transformational Leadership, and Purposeful Compassion. The primary objective of the Church of the Nazarene is to advance God s kingdom by the preservation and propagation of Christian holiness as set forth in the Scriptures.

4 The critical objectives of the Church of the Nazarene are holy Christian fellowship, the conversion of sinners, the en-tire sanctification of believers, their upbuilding in holiness, and the simplicity and spiritual power manifest in the primi-tive New Testament Church , together with the preaching of the gospel to every creature. (19)The Church of the Nazarene exists to serve as an instrument for advancing the kingdom of God through the preaching and teaching of the gospel throughout the world. Our well-de-fined commission is to preserve and propagate Christian holi-ness as set forth in the Scriptures, through the conversion of sinners, the reclamation of backsliders, and the entire sancti-fication of objective is a spiritual one, namely, to evangelize as a response to the Great Commission of our Lord to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19; cf.)

5 John 20:21; Mark 16:15). We believe that this aim can be realized through agreed-upon policies and procedures, including doctrinal tenets of faith and time-tested standards of morality and 2017-2021 edition of the MANUAL includes a brief his-torical statement of the Church ; the Church Constitution, which defines our Articles of Faith, our understanding of the Church , the Covenant of Christian Character for holy living, 6 FOREWORDand principles of organization and government; the Covenant of Christian Conduct, which addresses key issues of contem-porary society; and policies of Church government dealing with the local, district, and general Church General Assembly is the supreme doctrine-formulat-ing and lawmaking body of the Church of the Nazarene .

6 This MANUAL includes the decisions and judgments of ministeri-al and lay delegates of the Twenty-ninth General Assembly, which met in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, 25-29 June 2017, and is therefore authoritative as a guide for action. Because it is the official statement of the faith and practice of the Church and is consistent with the teachings of the Scriptures, we expect our people everywhere to accept the tenets of doctrine and the guides and helps to holy living contained in it. To fail to do so, after formally taking the membership vows of the Church of the Nazarene , injures the witness of the Church , violates her conscience, and dissipates the fellowship of the people called government of the Church of the Nazarene is distinc-tive.

7 In polity it is representative neither purely episcopal nor wholly congregational. Because the laity and the ministry have equal authority in the deliberative and lawmaking units of the Church , there is a desirable and effective balance of pow-er. We see this not only as an opportunity for participation and service in the Church but also as an obligation on the part of both laity and and clear purpose are important. But an intel-ligent and informed people following commonly agreed-upon practices and procedures advance the kingdom faster and en-hance their witness for Christ. Therefore, it is incumbent upon our members to acquaint themselves with this MANUAL the history of the Church and the doctrines and ethical practices of the ideal Nazarene .

8 Adherence to the injunctions of these pages will nurture loyalty and faithfulness both to God and the Church and will increase the effectiveness and efficiency of our spiritual the bible as our supreme Guide, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, and the MANUAL as our official agreed-upon state-ment of faith, practice, and polity, we look forward to the new quadrennium with joy and unswerving faith in Jesus Board of General SuperintendentsEUG NIO R. DUARTE GUSTAVO A. CROCKERDAVID W. GRAVES FILIM O M. CHAMBODAVID A. BUSIC CARLA D. SUNBERGCONTENTSF oreword 5PA RT IHistorical Statement 16PA RT I ICHURCH CONSTITUTIONP reamble 26 Articles of Faith 26 The Church 36 Articles of Organization and Government 39 Amendments 43 PART IIITHE COVENANT OF CHRISTIAN CONDUCTA.

9 The Christian Life 46B. Sanctity of Human Life 51C. Human Sexuality and Marriage 54D. Christian Stewardship 58E. Church Officers 61F. Rules of Order 61G. Amending the Covenant of Christian Conduct 61 PART IV Church GOVERNMENTP reamble 64 I. LocaL Government 65A. Local Church Organization, Name, Incorporation, Property, Restrictions, Mergers, Disorganization 65B. Local Church Membership 71C. Local Church Evangelism and Church Membership Committee 73D. Change of Local Church Membership of Local Church Church Local Church of a Local Church /Pastoral the Local Local Church Stewards of the Local Trustees of the Local Local Church Sunday School andDiscipleship Ministries International Local Church Nazarene YouthInternational (NYI) Childcare/Schools (Birth throughSecondary)

10 Of the Local Local Church Nazarene of Financial Appeals for a of the Local Church in the Local Bounds and and Time of District of the District District Assembly District District District District Advisory District Ministerial Credentials District Ministerial Studies District Evangelism Board or Director District Church Properties District Assembly Finance District Advisory District Chaplaincy District Sunday School and DiscipleshipMinistries International District Nazarene Youth District Nazarene Missions Paid of a Assembly Functions and Organization of the General Time and Place of General Sessions of the General Assembly Arrangements of the General General Superintendents Emeriti and Board of General General General General of The Church of the Nazarene , Inc.