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General Information about the 
Church of The Nazarene

  PREAMBLE

Education

Nazarenes, including the district of Trinidad and Tobago, support 11 liberal arts institutions in the Africa, Canada, Korea, and the United States, as well as 2 graduate seminaries and 41 undergraduate Bible/theological colleges worldwide. Internationally, the church operates 2 hospitals, 63 medical clinics, 2 nurses training colleges, 1 junior college, and serves 69,100 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. Today there are 742 missionaries and volunteers serving around the world. This missionary enterprise is made possible by the contributions of the global Nazarene family. Nazarenes also engage in starting new churches and congregations by prayer support, financial giving, and facilitating volunteers and contracted missionaries.

Theology

The Church of the Nazarene is the largest denomination in the Wesleyan–holiness 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 policy, 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 416 districts. (Trinidad and Tobago is one such district) 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 Trinidad and Tobago and around the world. This ministry provides assistance to persons who are destitute and less fortunate than others. 

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.

Internationally, 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.

All figures based on 2002 statistics