Manual 2017-2021
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MANUAL 2017-2021 • HISTORY CONSTITUTION GOVERNMENT SACRAMENTS AND RITUALS • NAZARENE PUBLISHING HOUSE Kansas City, Missouri, USA Copyright 2017 by Nazarene Publishing House Published by the authority of the Twenty-ninth General Assembly held in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA 25-29 June 2017 Editing Committee DEAN G. BLEVINS STANLEY J. RODES TERRY S. SOWDEN JAMES W. SPEAR DAVID P. WILSON ISBN 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 America All scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Ve r s i o n ® (NIV®). Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. The 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 prohibited. CHURCH 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) To use the thumb index, fan the pages with your right hand until mark appears APPENDIX opposite the section head. (900 Series) FOREWORD The Statement of Mission in the Church of the Nazarene is to make Christlike disciples in the nations. The Core Values of the Church of the Nazarene are that we are Christian, Holiness, and Missional. The 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.” “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 believers. Our 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. 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 lifestyle. This 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, 5 6 FOREWORD and 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 organization. The General Assembly is the supreme doctrine-formulat- ing and lawmaking body of the Church of the Nazarene. 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 officialstatement 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 Nazarenes. The government of the Church of the Nazarene is distinc- tive. 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 ministry. Commitment 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. 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 efforts. FOREWORD 7 With 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 Christ. The Board of General Superintendents EUGÉNIO R. DUARTE GUSTAVO A. CROCKER DAVID W. GRAVES FILIMÃO M. CHAMBO DAVID A. BUSIC CARLA D. SUNBERG CONTENTS Foreword 5 PART I Historical Statement 16 PART II CHURCH CONSTITUTION Preamble 26 Articles of Faith 26 The Church 36 Articles of Organization and Government 39 Amendments 43 PART III THE COVENANT OF CHRISTIAN CONDUCT A. The Christian Life 46 B. Sanctity of Human Life 51 C. Human Sexuality and Marriage 54 D. Christian Stewardship 58 E. Church Officers 61 F. Rules of Order 61 G. Amending the Covenant of Christian Conduct 61 PART IV CHURCH GOVERNMENT Preamble 64 I. LOCAL GOVERNMENT 65 A. Local Church Organization, Name, Incorporation, Property, Restrictions, Mergers, Disorganization 65 B. Local Church Membership 71 C. Local Church Evangelism and Church Membership Committee 73 D. Change of Local Church Membership 74 E. Termination of Local Church Membership 74 F. Local Church Meetings 75 G. The Local Church Year 79 H. Calling of a Pastor 79 I. The Local Church/Pastoral Relationship 84 J. Renewing the Local Church/Pastoral Relationship 84 K. The Local Church Board 88 L. The Stewards of the Local Church 96 M. The Trustees of the Local Church 97 N. The Local Church Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International Board 98 O. The Local Church Nazarene Youth International (NYI) 104 P. Nazarene Childcare/Schools (Birth through Secondary) of the Local Church 105 Q. The Local Church Nazarene Missions International 105 R. Prohibition of Financial Appeals for a Local Church 106 S. Use of the Local Church Name 107 T. Church-sponsored Corporation 107 U. Associates in the Local Church 108 II. DISTRICT GOVERNMENT 111 A. District Bounds and Name 111 B. Membership and Time of District Assembly 116 C. Business of the District Assembly 117 D. The District Assembly Journal 123 E. The District Superintendent 124 F. The District Secretary 132 G. The District Treasurer 133 H. The District Advisory Board 134 I. The District Ministerial Credentials Board 139 J. The District Ministerial Studies Board 141 K. The District Evangelism Board or Director of Evangelism 143 L. The District Church Properties Board 144 M. The District Assembly Finance Committee 145 N. The District Advisory Committee 145 O. The District Chaplaincy Director 146 P. The District Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International Board 146 Q. The District Nazarene Youth International 149 R. The District Nazarene Missions International 149 S. District Paid Assistants 150 T. Disorganization of a District 151 III. GENERAL GOVERNMENT 152 A. General Assembly Functions and Organization 152 B. Membership of the General Assembly 152 C. The Time and Place of General Assembly 154 D. Special Sessions of the General Assembly 154 E. General Assembly Arrangements Committee 155 F. Business of the General Assembly 155 G. The General Superintendents 157 H. General Superintendents Emeriti and Retired 159 I. The Board of General Superintendents 159 J. The General Secretary 162 K. The General Treasurer 163 L. The General Board 164 M. Pension Plans 173 N. Subsidiaries of The Church of the Nazarene, Inc. 174 O. Nazarene Publishing House 175 P. The General Christian Action Committee 175 Q. Committee on the Interests of the God-Called Evangelist 176 R. International Course of Study Advisory Committee 177 S. The Global Nazarene Youth International 177 T. The Global Council of the Global Nazarene Missions International 178 U. National Boards 179 V. The Region 180 PART V HIGHER EDUCATION I. CHURCH AND COllEGE/UNIVERSITY 186 II. GLOBAL NAZARENE EDUCATION CONSORTIUM 187 III. INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF EDUCATION 187 PART VI MINISTRY AND CHRISTIAN SERVICE I. CAll AND QUAliFICATIONS OF THE MINISTER 192 II. CATEGORIES OF MINISTRY 194 A. Ministry of Laypersons 194 B. Ministry of the Clergy 195 III. ROLES OF MINISTRY 196 IV. EDUCATION OF CLERGY 205 A. Educational Foundations for Ordained Ministry 205 B. Cultural Adaptations of Educational Foundations for Ordained Ministry 209 V. CREDENTIALS AND MINISTERIAL REGULATIONS 210 A. The Local Minister 210 B. The Licensed Minister 212 C. The Deacon 217 D.