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WHAT WE OFFER ..... |
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Group
Activities *
Counseling Services * What We Believe
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View the Core Values of the Church of the Nazarene |
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What is a Nazarene? The Name of the ChurchMathew 2:23 says "and he (Jesus) went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets; "He will be called a Nazarene." The name 'Nazarene' comes from a title given to define Jesus of Nazareth. Later his followers were called 'The Nazarenes.' Even the apostle Paul, while on trial, was accused of being the ringleader of that sect called 'the Nazarenes.' Of course Jesus did not form a specific denomination, but because the term 'Nazarene' is often related to Jesus it is held in reverence by those who are a part of the Nazarene Church. The supreme desire of Christianity is to exemplify the Christ in our entire lifestyle. This church holds to a deep commitment to be like the 'Nazarene' and to dedicate our lives to loving God and loving humankind. We realize that we are one part of the larger Body of Christ and join with other Christian Churches in spreading the good news of Jesus Christ to all people. The History of the ChurchOrganized October 8, 1908, in Pilot Point, Texas, the Church of the Nazarene has provided support services to more than 1.4 million members worshiping in more than 12,600 churches in the United States, Canada, and 143 other world areas. The theme of the denomination for the next four years is "Holiness ... The Message of Hope." This theme expresses the pressing desire of the denomination to share the good news that Jesus Christ is the source of hope for our lives. The Doctrine of the ChurchThe Wesleyan Revival that saved eighteenth century England from revolution reaffirmed the testimony and experience of the Early Church that God is able to forgive man’s sins and cleanse his heart from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). In keeping with this Wesleyan Evangelical heritage the Church of the Nazarene believes:
Nazarenes are passionate about making a difference in the world. Nazarenes believe that God calls Christians to a life of holy living that is marked by an act of God that cleanses the heart from original sin (Salvation Experience) and the infilling of the individual with love for God and all humankind (Sanctification Experience). This Sanctification 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 and others daily. Like salvation, sanctification is an act of God's grace, not of works. A believer's life is then filled with a deepening desire to know and reflect God. By the guidance of the Holy Spirit the believer continues, day by day, to experience God by pursuing after a life of holiness and offering themselves as living sacrifices to glorify God (Romans 12:1-2).
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About the Counselor
Presently attending NOVA Southeastern University for a Ed.D in Organizational Leadership
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For
more information:
http://www.nazarene.org
I. The Triune God
1.
We believe in one eternally existent, infinite
God, Sovereign of the universe; that He only is God, creative and
administrative, holy in nature, attributes, and purpose; that He, as God, is
Triune in essential being, revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1;
Leviticus 19:2; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Isaiah 5:16; 6:1-7; 40:18-31; Matthew
3:16-17; 28:19-20; John 14:6-27; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 13:14;
Galatians 4:4-6; Ephesians 2:13-18)1
II. Jesus
Christ
2.
We believe in Jesus Christ, the Second Person
of the Triune Godhead; that He was eternally one with the Father; that He became
incarnate by the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary, so that two whole
and perfect natures, that is to say the Godhead and manhood, are thus united in
one Person very God and very man, the God-man.
We believe that Jesus Christ
died for our sins, and that He truly arose from the dead and took again His
body, together with all things appertaining to the perfection of man’s nature,
wherewith He ascended into heaven and is there engaged in intercession for us.
(Matthew
1:20-25; 16:15-16; Luke 1:26-35; John 1:1-18; Acts 2:22-36; Romans 8:3, 32-34;
Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:12-22; 1 Timothy 6:14-16;
Hebrews 1:1-5; 7:22-28; 9:24-28; 1 John 1:1-3; 4:2-3, 15)
III. The
Holy Spirit
3. We believe
in the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Triune Godhead, that He is ever
present and efficiently active in and with the Church of Christ, convincing the
world of sin, regenerating those who repent and believe, sanctifying believers,
and guiding into all truth as it is in Jesus.
(John 7:39;
14:15-18, 26; 16:7-15; Acts 2:33; 15:8-9; Romans 8:1-27; Galatians 3:1-14; 4:6;
Ephesians 3:14-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2; 1
John 3:24; 4:13)
IV. The
Holy Scriptures 4. We believe in the plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, by which we understand the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, given by divine inspiration, inerrantly revealing the will of God concerning us in all things necessary to our salvation, so that whatever is not contained therein is not to be enjoined as an article of faith. (Luke 24:44-47; John 10:35; 1
Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Peter 1:10-12; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
V. Sin,
Original and Personal 5. We believe that sin came into the world through the disobedience of our first parents, and death by sin. We believe that sin is of two kinds: original sin or depravity, and actual or personal sin. 5.1. We believe that original sin, or depravity, is that corruption of the nature of all the offspring of Adam by reason of which everyone is very far gone from original righteousness or the pure state of our first parents at the time of their creation, is averse to God, is without spiritual life, and inclined to evil, and that continually. We further believe that original sin continues to exist with the new life of the regenerate, until eradicated by the baptism with the Holy Spirit. 5.2. We believe that original sin differs from actual sin in that it constitutes an inherited propensity to actual sin for which no one is accountable until its divinely provided remedy is neglected or rejected. 5.3. We believe that actual or personal sin is a voluntary violation of a known law of God by a morally responsible person. It is therefore not to be confused with involuntary and inescapable shortcomings, infirmities, faults, mistakes, failures, or other deviations from a standard of perfect conduct that are the residual effects of the Fall. However, such innocent effects do not include attitudes or responses contrary to the spirit of Christ, which may properly be called sins of the spirit. We believe that personal sin is primarily and essentially a violation of the law of love; and that in relation to Christ sin may be defined as unbelief. (Original sin: Genesis 3; 6:5;
Job 15:14; Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Mark 7:21-23; Romans 1:18-25; 5:12-14;
7:1—8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:1-4; Galatians 5:16-25; 1 John 1:7-8) (Personal sin: Matthew 22:36-40
{with 1 John 3:4}; John 8:34-36; 16:8-9; Romans 3:23; 6:15-23; 8:18-24; 14:23; 1
John 1:9‑2:4; 3:7-10)
VI. Atonement 6. We believe that Jesus Christ, by His sufferings, by the shedding of His own blood, and by His meritorious death on the Cross, made a full atonement for all human sin, and that this Atonement is the only ground of salvation, and that it is sufficient for every individual of Adam’s race. The Atonement is graciously efficacious for the salvation of the irresponsible and for the children in innocency but is efficacious for the salvation of those who reach the age of responsibility only when they repent and believe. (Isaiah 53:5-6, 11; Mark 10:45;
Luke 24:46-48; John 1:29; 3:14-17; Acts 4:10-12; Romans 3:21-26; 4:17-25;
5:6-21; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Galatians 1:3-4; 3:13-14;
Colossians 1:19-23; 1 Timothy 2:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:9; 9:11-14; 13:12;
1 Peter 1:18-21; 2:19-25; 1 John 2:1-2)
VII. Free
Agency 7. We believe that the human race’s creation in Godlikeness included ability to choose between right and wrong, and that thus human beings were made morally responsible; that through the fall of Adam they became depraved so that they cannot now turn and prepare themselves by their own natural strength and works to faith and calling upon God. But we also believe that the grace of God through Jesus Christ is freely bestowed upon all people, enabling all who will to turn from sin to righteousness, believe on Jesus Christ for pardon and cleansing from sin, and follow good works pleasing and acceptable in His sight. We believe that all persons, though in the possession of the experience of regeneration and entire sanctification, may fall from grace and apostatize and, unless they repent of their sins, be hopelessly and eternally lost. (Godlikeness and moral
responsibility: Genesis 1:26-27; 2:16-17; Deuteronomy 28:1-2; 30:19; Joshua
24:15; Psalm 8:3-5; Isaiah 1:8-10; Jeremiah 31:29-30; Ezekiel 18:1-4; Micah 6:8;
Romans 1:19-20; 2:1-16; 14:7-12; Galatians 6:7-8) (Natural inability: Job 14:4;
15:14; Psalms 14:1-4; 51:5; John 3:6a; Romans 3:10-12; 5:12-14, 20a;
7:14-25) (Free grace and works of faith:
Ezekiel 18:25-26; John 1:12-13; 3:6b; Acts 5:31; Romans 5:6-8, 18;
6:15-16, 23; 10:6-8; 11:22; 1 Corinthians 2:9-14; 10:1-12; 2 Corinthians
5:18-19; Galatians 5:6; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians
1:21-23; 2 Timothy 4:10a; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:1-3; 3:12-15; 6:4-6;
10:26-31; James 2:18-22; 2 Peter 1:10-11; 2:20-22)
VIII. Repentance 8. We believe that repentance, which is a sincere and thorough change of the mind in regard to sin, involving a sense of personal guilt and a voluntary turning away from sin, is demanded of all who have by act or purpose become sinners against God. The Spirit of God gives to all who will repent the gracious help of penitence of heart and hope of mercy, that they may believe unto pardon and spiritual life. (2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalms
32:5-6; 51:1-17; Isaiah 55:6-7; Jeremiah 3:12-14; Ezekiel 18:30-32; 33:14-16;
Mark 1:14-15; Luke 3:1-14; 13:1-5; 18:9-14; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 17:30-31;
26:16-18; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:8-11; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; 2 Peter 3:9)
IX. Justification,
Regeneration, and Adoption 9. We believe that justification is the gracious and judicial act of God by which He grants full pardon of all guilt and complete release from the penalty of sins committed, and acceptance as righteous, to all who believe on Jesus Christ and receive Him as Lord and Savior. 10. We believe that regeneration, or the new birth, is that gracious work of God whereby the moral nature of the repentant believer is spiritually quickened and given a distinctively spiritual life, capable of faith, love, and obedience. 11. We believe that adoption is that gracious act of God by which the justified and regenerated believer is constituted a son of God. 12. We believe that justification, regeneration, and adoption are simultaneous in the experience of seekers after God and are obtained upon the condition of faith, preceded by repentance; and that to this work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness. (Luke 18:14; John 1:12-13;
3:3-8; 5:24; Acts 13:39; Romans 1:17; 3:21-26, 28; 4:5-9, 17-25; 5:1, 16-19;
6:4; 7:6; 8:1, 15-17; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 6:11; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Galatians
2:16-21; 3:1-14, 26; 4:4-7; Ephesians 1:6-7; 2:1, 4-5; Philippians 3:3-9;
Colossians 2:13; Titus 3:4-7; 1 Peter 1:23; 1 John 1:9; 3:1-2, 9; 4:7; 5:1,
9-13, 18)
X. Entire
Sanctification 13. We believe that entire sanctification is that act of God, subsequent to regeneration, by which believers are made free from original sin, or depravity, and brought into a state of entire devotement to God, and the holy obedience of love made perfect. It is wrought by the baptism with the Holy Spirit, and comprehends in one experience the cleansing of the heart from sin and the abiding, indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, empowering the believer for life and service. Entire sanctification is provided by the blood of Jesus, is wrought instantaneously by faith, preceded by entire consecration; and to this work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness. This experience is also known by various terms representing its different phases, such as “Christian perfection,” “perfect love,” “heart purity,” “the baptism with the Holy Spirit,” “the fullness of the blessing,” and “Christian holiness.” 14. We believe that there is a marked distinction between a pure heart and a mature character. The former is obtained in an instant, the result of entire sanctification; the latter is the result of growth in grace. We believe that the grace of entire sanctification includes the impulse to grow in grace. However, this impulse must be consciously nurtured, and careful attention given to the requisites and processes of spiritual development and improvement in Christlikeness of character and personality. Without such purposeful endeavor one’s witness may be impaired and the grace itself frustrated and ultimately lost. (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel
36:25-27; Malachi 3:2-3; Matthew 3:11-12; Luke 3:16-17; John 7:37-39; 14:15-23;
17:6-20; Acts 1:5; 2:1-4; 15:8-9; Romans 6:11-13, 19; 8:1-4, 8-14; 12:1-2; 2
Corinthians 6:14—7:1; Galatians 2:20; 5:16-25; Ephesians 3:14-21; 5:17-18,
25-27; Philippians 3:10-15; Colossians 3:1-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; Hebrews
4:9-11; 10:10-17; 12:1-2; 13:12; 1 John 1:7, 9) (“Christian perfection,”
“perfect love”: Deuteronomy 30:6; Matthew 5:43-48; 22:37-40; Romans 12:9-21;
13:8-10; 1 Corinthians 13; Philippians 3:10-15; Hebrews 6:1; 1 John 4:17-18) (“Heart purity”: Matthew
5:8; Acts 15:8-9; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:3) (“Baptism with the Holy
Spirit”: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Malachi 3:2-3; Matthew 3:11-12;
Luke 3:16-17; Acts 1:5; 2:1-4; 15:8-9) (“Fullness of the
blessing”: Romans 15:29) (“Christian holiness”:
Matthew 5:1—7:29; John 15:1-11; Romans 12:1—15:3; 2 Corinthians 7:1;
Ephesians 4:17—5:20; Philippians 1:9-11; 3:12-15; Colossians 2:20—3:17; 1
Thessalonians 3:13; 4:7-8; 5:23; 2 Timothy 2:19-22; Hebrews 10:19-25; 12:14;
13:20-21; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 2 Peter 1:1-11; 3:18; Jude 20-21)
XI. The
Church 15. We believe in the Church, the community that confesses Jesus Christ as Lord, the covenant people of God made new in Christ, the Body of Christ called together by the Holy Spirit through the Word. God calls the Church to express its life in the unity and fellowship of the Spirit; in worship through the preaching of the Word, observance of the sacraments, and ministry in His name; by obedience to Christ and mutual accountability. The mission of the Church in the world is to continue the redemptive work of Christ in the power of the Spirit through holy living, evangelism, discipleship, and service. The Church is a historical reality, which organizes itself in culturally conditioned forms; exists both as local congregations and as a universal body; sets apart persons called of God for specific ministries. God calls the Church to live under His rule in anticipation of the consummation at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Exodus 19:3; Jeremiah 31:33;
Matthew 8:11; 10:7; 16:13-19, 24; 18:15-20; 28:19-20; John 17:14-26; 20:21-23;
Acts 1:7-8; 2:32-47; 6:1-2; 13:1; 14:23; Romans 2:28-29; 4:16; 10:9-15;
11:13-32; 12:1-8; 15:1-3; 1 Corinthians 3:5-9; 7:17; 11:1, 17-33; 12:3, 12-31;
14:26-40; 2 Corinthians 5:11—6:1; Galatians 5:6, 13-14; 6:1-5, 15; Ephesians
4:1-17; 5:25-27; Philippians 2:1-16; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12; 1 Timothy 4:13;
Hebrews 10:19-25; 1 Peter 1:1-2, 13; 2:4-12, 21; 4:1-2, 10-11; 1 John 4:17; Jude
24; Revelation 5:9-10)
XII. Baptism 16. We believe that Christian baptism, commanded by our Lord, is a sacrament signifying acceptance of the benefits of the atonement of Jesus Christ, to be administered to believers and declarative of their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior, and full purpose of obedience in holiness and righteousness. Baptism being a symbol of the new covenant, young children may be baptized, upon request of parents or guardians who shall give assurance for them of necessary Christian training. Baptism may be administered by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion, according to the choice of the applicant. (Matthew 3:1-7; 28:16-20; Acts
2:37-41; 8:35-39; 10:44-48; 16:29-34; 19:1-6; Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:26-28;
Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:18-22)
XIII. The
Lord’s Supper 17. We believe that the Memorial and Communion Supper instituted by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is essentially a New Testament sacrament, declarative of His sacrificial death, through the merits of which believers have life and salvation and promise of all spiritual blessings in Christ. It is distinctively for those who are prepared for reverent appreciation of its significance, and by it they show forth the Lord’s death till He come again. It being the Communion feast, only those who have faith in Christ and love for the saints should be called to participate therein. (Exodus 12:1-14; Matthew
26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20; John 6:28-58; 1 Corinthians 10:14-21;
11:23-32)
XIV. Divine
Healing 18. We believe in the Bible doctrine of divine healing and urge our people to seek to offer the prayer of faith for the healing of the sick. [Providential means and agencies when deemed necessary should not be refused.] We also believe God heals through the means of medical science. (2 Kings 5:1-19; Psalm 103:1-5;
Matthew 4:23-24; 9:18-35; John 4:46-54; Acts 5:12-16; 9:32-42; 14:8-15; 1
Corinthians 12:4-11; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; James 5:13-16) 2.
Constitutional changes adopted by the 1997 General Assembly are in the
process of ratification by the district assemblies at the time of printing.
Where changes are being made, words in italics are new words and words in
brackets [ ] are words being deleted.
XV. Second
Coming of Christ 19. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will come again; that we who are alive at His coming shall not precede them that are asleep in Christ Jesus; but that, if we are abiding in Him, we shall be caught up with the risen saints to meet the Lord in the air, so that we shall ever be with the Lord. (Matthew 25:31-46; John 14:1-3;
Acts 1:9-11; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14;
Hebrews 9:26-28; 2 Peter 3:3-15; Revelation 1:7-8; 22:7-20)
XVI. Resurrection,
Judgment, and Destiny 20. We believe in the resurrection of the dead, that the bodies both of the just and of the unjust shall be raised to life and united with their spirits—“they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” 21. We believe in future judgment in which every person shall appear before God to be judged according to his or her deeds in this life. 22. We believe that glorious and everlasting life is assured to all who savingly believe in, and obediently follow, Jesus Christ our Lord; and that the finally impenitent shall suffer eternally in hell. (Genesis 18:25; 1 Samuel 2:10;
Psalm 50:6; Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2-3; Matthew 25:31-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke
16:19-31; 20:27-38; John 3:16-18; 5:25-29; 11:21-27; Acts 17:30-31; Romans
2:1-16; 14:7-12; 1 Corinthians 15:12-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Thessalonians
1:5-10; Revelation 20:11-15; 22:1-15)
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OVERVIEW
Nazarene Headquarters provides support services to more than 1.1 million members worshipping in more than 11,000 churches in the United States, Canada, and 108 other world areas. This includes 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 planting of new churches, developing radio programs for outreach to all parts of the globe, and much more.
Founded in 1911, the Nazarene Publishing House is thelargest publisher of Holiness 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 local churches in fulfilling their mission. NPH prints more than 600,000 books annually, in addition to a wide variety of periodicals and other publications. It is the largest mailer of second-class materials in Kansas City.
Nazarenes support ten liberal arts institutions in the United States, Canada, and the British Isles, as well as four seminaries and 35 Bible colleges. The church operates three hospitals, 35 medical clinics, three nurses training colleges, one teacher training college, and more than 370 primary and secondary schools outside the United States and Canada.
The Church of the Nazarene holds denominational membership in both the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) and the Christian Holiness Association (CHA).
THEOLOGICAL TRADITION
The doctrine which distinguishes the Church of the Nazarene and other Wesleyan
denominations from most other Christian denominations is that of entire sanctification
(no. 6 above). Nazarenes believe that God calls Christians to a life of holy living
which is marked by an act of God which cleanses the heart from original sin and fills the
individual with love for God and man. 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
regeneration, 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
which has been extended to us through the sacrificial death of Jesus
CHURCH GOVERNMENT
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. Among other things, the General Assembly elects the members of the Board of General Superintendents. It also considers legislative proposals from the church's 334 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 TO OTHERS
More than 80 full-time compassionate ministry projects are operated by Nazarenes, ranging from health and food services for the indigent in New York City and job-training in Memphis, Tenn., to a center for persons with addictions in Mahlow, Germany, and a home for the children of parents who have been killed in civil strife in Chicaj, Guatemala. 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 needs. The denomination’s missionary infrastructure is often used by World Relief and other agencies when they need assistance in getting supplies to the people of countries such as Rwanda and Mozambique. Nazarenes also offer their time and services on Work & Witness teams and Youth In Mission teams to build churches, schools, clinics, and to reach others for Christ in countries outside the United States and Canada.
Nazarenes are involved in outreach to persons around the world through the power of radio. The denomination regularly produces and funds the airing of broadcasts in more than 40 languages through the high-powered facilities of Trans World Radio. The Church of the Nazarene is presently working with TWR to provide production facilities in Moscow for broadcasting Christianity to the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.
Nazarenes are concerned about making a difference in their world. This means taking the Good News around the globe. We currently have almost 600 missionaries serving in 108 areas outside the United States and Canada. This missionary enterprise is made possible by the contributions of Nazarenes around the world through free will offerings. Closer to home, Nazarenes are engaged in planting new churches and in making their communities better places in which to live.
View the Core Values of the Church of the Nazarene We Are a Christian Church * We are a Holiness Church * We are a Missional Church
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