CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
History
In the late 1800’s a movement for “scriptural holiness in organized churches” spread in various parts of the U.S.A., similar to the Wesleyan revival of the previous century. This resulted in the organization of the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene. On May 12, 1886 a number organized and held weekly services in homes and later in a rented hall. In 1887 The People’s Evangelical Church was organized with F. A. Hillery as pastor. On Nov. 25, 1888, the Mission Church, Lynn, Mass. was organized under C. Howard Davis as pastor. On March 14, 1890, these and other ‘holiness’ organizations in New England met at Rock, Mass. and organized the Central Evangelical Holiness Association with W. C. Ryder elected president. Other Pentecostal organizations followed in 1894 (W. H. Hoople, N.Y.), 1895 (Association of Pentecostal Churches of America under W. H. Hoople, H. B. Hosley, John Norberry, Charles H. Beller and H. F. Reynolds). A plan of union was adopted on Nov. 12, 1896. In 1895, under P.F. Bresee and J.P. Widney the First Church of the Nazarene was founded at Los Angeles with 135 charter members. The groups in the east and the west united in Chicago, October, 1907 under the name “Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene.”
In 1894 the New Testament Church of the Christ was organized at Milan, Tennessee. Its influence spread to Texas and Arkansas, and in November, 1904 at Rising Star, Texas a manual and statement of doctrine was drawn up and the name was chosen to be “Holiness Church of Christ” (the union finally drawn up at Pilot Point, Texas. In 1907 these groups met together at Chicago, then later on Oct. 8-13, 1908 at Pilot Point, Texas, where union was consummated between the Holiness Church of Christ and the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene.
On February 13, 1905 the Pentecostal Mission of Tennessee and the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene united in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Holiness Church movement in Britain began in 1901 with George Sharpe, preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church and also in the Congregational Church, but was evicted in 1905 for preaching holiness…becoming the Pentecostal Church of Scotland (1906). They united in 1915 with the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene at Kansas City, and in 1919 adopted the name, Church of the Nazarene.
112 | P a g e
In 1922, the Laymen’s Holiness Association from Minnesota, Montana and the Dakotas united with the Church of the Nazarene. 1952-6 marked the date of the union with Britain holiness groups with the Church of the Nazarene. In 1958 the Gospel Workers Church of Canada united with the Church of the Nazarene.
Source: 1985 MANUAL – Church of the Nazarene, Nazarene
Publishing House, Kansas City, Missouri. Published by the authority of the 21st General Assembly, 304 pp. [pages 15-20, “Historical Statement”]
113 | P a g e
Nazarene
Word of God
• Original sin and personal sin are two kinds of sin. (p.25) “an inherited propensity.”
• “Original sin” is not mentioned once in the Bible. No act nor deed can be transmitted from one person to another, thus cannot be inherited (Ezek. 18:30; Matt 18:10; 19:14; Psa. 127:3-5). Children are one of God’s perfect gifts and are innocent until their own lust arises (Jas. 1:13-15)
• Salvation is only for those who repent and believe…it is for children in innocency who reach the age of responsibility, only when they repent and believe. (p. 26)
• The infant does not bear the guilt of the father, even if it must sometimes suffer the consequence of other’s sins. They are “safe,” have never been separated from God by their won sin (Isa. 59:2), nor anyone else’s. No biblical example or command to save little children.
• God grants full pardon to all who believe and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior…received upon the condition of faith preceded by repentance (p. 28)
• Faith does not save without “working through love” (Gal. 5:6). Faith alone is dead and does not save until one confesses and obeys in repentance and by being buried in baptism (Jas. 2:17-19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). Infants are incapable of faith or repentance, or confession; hence are neither by Bible definition or by reason fit candidates for salvation.
• “Entire sanctification” comes after regeneration, by which believers are freed from original sin or depravity wrought by the baptism of the Holy Spirit…also known as “Christian perfection,” “baptism with the Holy Spirit,” “fullness of the blessing,” “Christians holiness,” etc., “obtained in an instant” (pp. 28-29). This is not to be confused with the gradual growth in grace that continues through life.
• Since Nazarene doctrine places salvation from original sin and baptism at infancy, a second experience called “entire sanctification” is invented, unknown in the Bible, to respond to the person’s needs as they reach the age of moral accountability. Baptism in the Holy Spirit was a phenomenon altogether different from “Entire Sanctification.” See Acts 1:8; 2:1-4. Holy Spirit baptism was never a command but a promise for certain people (the apostles) for special purposes when the gospel was first preached.
114 | P a g e
Nazarene
Word of God
• Baptism. Young children may be baptized upon request of the parents or guardians. May be administered by sprinkling, pouring or immersion, according to the choice of the applicant (p. 31)
• Nazarenes make God’s commands void by this unbiblical man-made tradition. (Matt. 15:2, 3, 6; Mark 7:3-13). The one baptism for today (Eph. 4:5), is immersion, a burial in water (Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12), for adult penitent believers, not a ceremony chosen by parents for their babies (Acts 2,8,9,10,16).
• Church of the Nazarene is composed of those who voluntarily follow the doctrines and polity of said church…a book of 304 pages of rules and regulations published by the authority of the Church’s General Assembly (Current issue June 23-25, 1985, p. 320.
• The “Church of the Nazarene” did not exist until 1919 in Kansas City, MO, U.S.A., thus cannot be the church of Jesus Christ founded by Him in Jerusalem, 33 AD. It had no “official church manual” other than the words of Jesus and His apostles…their “Complete” and “perfect” guide (1 Tim. 3:16, 17)
• Whoever repents and believes on the Lord is justified and regenerated and saved from sin (p. 33)
• Taking away from God’s word is a work of the devil and his representatives who do such will be punished by banishment from heaven (Rev. 22:19). Baptism is also required in order to have sins forgiven (Acts 2:38)
• The Church of the Nazarene is organized and governed by a representative form of government. Superintendents, General Assemblies, Local Churches, Delegates, etc. (p. 35-38)
• The complex organizational system described in the Nazarene Manual is unknown to the Bible, where there was no hierarchy structure above the local church with its elders (bishops, oversees) and deacons (Phil. 1:1). No delegates elected to law-making governing central headquarters or assemblies.
• Local church membership is based on declaration of experience of salvation, then belief of official Nazarene doctrines and willingness to submit to its government (p.36)
• Unbiblical denominational organizations depend upon strict submission to the Manual’s stated Nazarene doctrines and practices, making void the word of God.
115 | P a g e
Nazarene
Word of God
• Every local Nazarene church can call its own pastor, subject to approval of the General Assembly (p. 38)
• Every plant not planted by God will be rooted up (Matt. 15:13). The Nazarene Church system is not in the Bible. The one body, the church of Christ, is sufficient for all time (Eph. 4:4).
• Tithing into the local church is urged upon all members as a minimum requirement. The church budget must pay the general, regional and district portions monthly (p. 47)
• Tithing as a command was never enjoined upon Christians. The amount of their giving is stated in 1 Cor. 16:1-2. It was never apportioned to “regional, district, or general” headquarter levels of church government, for such was non-existent until centuries later when the apostate Church of Rome formed the first central hierarchy.
• The name of the local church shall be determined by the local church under direction of the district superintendent and with the approval of the General Assembly, and shall include the words, “Church of the Nazarene” (pp. 53 and 85)
• “Church of the Nazarene” name is not in the Bible. No other name than that of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). The churches wore His name (Rom. 16:16), and the Father’s name (1 Cor. 1:2). Wearing distinctive man-devised names created division and is condemned (1 Cor. 1:10-13).
• The pastor and secretary of the church shall be the president and secretary of the church. (p. 53).
• No “Presidents,” “General Secretaries,” etc. in the divine Scriptures.
• A church member must be 15 yrs. old to vote in annual or special meetings (p. 56). To apply for membership, the candidate must be taught the Articles of Faith, the General and Special Rules, etc. of the Church of the Nazarene (p. 56)
• No voting by anyone in the New Testament church; it was not a democracy, but a kingdom in which all authority was vested in the King, Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:18; Col. 1:18)
• “Probationary” members have all membership rights except to vote and hold office (p. 57)
• Not in Bible. All were members of the family, the body of Christ, who had been born of the water and the spirit. God added them to the church (Acts 2:47; John 3:3-5). All parts (members) of the body are of equal importance (1 Cor. 12:12-26). There were no half-way or “probationary” members.
116 | P a g e
Nazarene
Word of God
• The Pastor has the oversight of the local church (p. 179)
• One “pastor” was never a local church, always plural in N.T. (Acts 20:17, 28: Phil. 1:1).
• Every local church shall have a church board (defined on p.68) and shall meet each month, and composed of the head of other sub-organizations in the church.
• Not in Bible.
• The Christian Life and Sunday School shall teach doctrines of the Bible interpreted by the Articles of Faith of the Church of the Nazarene (p. 76)
• No Scripture is of any “private” or special interpretation (2 Peter 1:20). The Scriptures can be understood by simply reading them, without mandatory sectarian creeds intervention (Eph. 3:4; 2 Cor. 1:13; 4:2).
• The District Assembly’s bounds, names, times of meeting, business, officers, board, etc. are explicitly defined on pages 88-105. The Region, The General Assembly and Board functions, powers, etc. are set forth on pages 116-154, headed by the General Secretary (p.128).
• The church universal (Col. 1:18; Matt. 16:18) and the church in a local city (Rev. 2-3) are the only two levels of biblical organization. All other inventions and arrangements are of man-made tradition which cancel (nullify) the word of God (Matt. 15:7-9) and create denomination distinctions and divisions.
• Credential and regulations for the Local Minister, the Licensed Minister, the Deacon, the Elder, (“he or she”), the Administrator, the Chaplain, the Evangelist, the Lay Minister, the Pastor, etc. are all defined on pp. 157-183.
• Complete definitions of the functions of personnel in the community of believers in God’s family are given in the New Testament…evangelism in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus; elders and deacons in 1 Tim. 3 and Titus 1. There are no levels of administration or government on earth above the local assemblies.
• Ministers must be educated in one of the colleges of the Church of the Nazarene, or one of its seminaries (p. 184)
• No denominational seminaries nor other church-owned agencies, in the N.T. Younger men were trained by older men and were charged to “preach the Word,” not the doctrines and commandments of sectarian creeds or manuals (2 Tim. 2:1-2; 4:1-4)
117 | P a g e
Nazarene
Word of God
• Baptism does not impart ‘regenerative race,’ but is a “sign and seal of the new covenant,” pointing forward to when the infant child shall reach the age of accountability (pp. 219-220).
• Baptism is a part of the process of salvation by grace through faith. It is commanded to believers who are willing to repent and confess their faith, and is a condition of “salvation,” “washing away sins,” “forgiveness of sins” (Mark 16:16; Acts 22:16; 2:38). Never called a “sign” or “seal of the New Covenant” in the Bible.
• Nazarene World Mission Society, organized as a part of the local church, promotes mission field knowledge of the Church of the Nazarene (p. 237-244). Also missions of District, General Society, etc.
• (Eph. 3:10). There were no agencies such as missionary societies to do this work of the local churches which did cooperate with each other in evangelism, but never through other organizations.
• Manual Editing Committee authorized to correct, change in harmony with General Assemblies (p. 274).
• The true doctrine of Jesus Christ never needs editing or amending; it never changes and will never pass away and is the all sufficient guide for the man of God (2 Tim. 3:16-17). The man is cursed if he teaches or preaches any other gospel (Gal. 1:6-9).
• International Headquarters: 6401 The Pagso, Kansas City, MO 64131 (p. 267).
• Heaven is the only headquarters of the church Jesus built (Eph. 4:10; 1:22-23)
History
In the late 1800’s a movement for “scriptural holiness in organized churches” spread in various parts of the U.S.A., similar to the Wesleyan revival of the previous century. This resulted in the organization of the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene. On May 12, 1886 a number organized and held weekly services in homes and later in a rented hall. In 1887 The People’s Evangelical Church was organized with F. A. Hillery as pastor. On Nov. 25, 1888, the Mission Church, Lynn, Mass. was organized under C. Howard Davis as pastor. On March 14, 1890, these and other ‘holiness’ organizations in New England met at Rock, Mass. and organized the Central Evangelical Holiness Association with W. C. Ryder elected president. Other Pentecostal organizations followed in 1894 (W. H. Hoople, N.Y.), 1895 (Association of Pentecostal Churches of America under W. H. Hoople, H. B. Hosley, John Norberry, Charles H. Beller and H. F. Reynolds). A plan of union was adopted on Nov. 12, 1896. In 1895, under P.F. Bresee and J.P. Widney the First Church of the Nazarene was founded at Los Angeles with 135 charter members. The groups in the east and the west united in Chicago, October, 1907 under the name “Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene.”
In 1894 the New Testament Church of the Christ was organized at Milan, Tennessee. Its influence spread to Texas and Arkansas, and in November, 1904 at Rising Star, Texas a manual and statement of doctrine was drawn up and the name was chosen to be “Holiness Church of Christ” (the union finally drawn up at Pilot Point, Texas. In 1907 these groups met together at Chicago, then later on Oct. 8-13, 1908 at Pilot Point, Texas, where union was consummated between the Holiness Church of Christ and the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene.
On February 13, 1905 the Pentecostal Mission of Tennessee and the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene united in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Holiness Church movement in Britain began in 1901 with George Sharpe, preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church and also in the Congregational Church, but was evicted in 1905 for preaching holiness…becoming the Pentecostal Church of Scotland (1906). They united in 1915 with the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene at Kansas City, and in 1919 adopted the name, Church of the Nazarene.
112 | P a g e
In 1922, the Laymen’s Holiness Association from Minnesota, Montana and the Dakotas united with the Church of the Nazarene. 1952-6 marked the date of the union with Britain holiness groups with the Church of the Nazarene. In 1958 the Gospel Workers Church of Canada united with the Church of the Nazarene.
Source: 1985 MANUAL – Church of the Nazarene, Nazarene
Publishing House, Kansas City, Missouri. Published by the authority of the 21st General Assembly, 304 pp. [pages 15-20, “Historical Statement”]
113 | P a g e
Nazarene
Word of God
• Original sin and personal sin are two kinds of sin. (p.25) “an inherited propensity.”
• “Original sin” is not mentioned once in the Bible. No act nor deed can be transmitted from one person to another, thus cannot be inherited (Ezek. 18:30; Matt 18:10; 19:14; Psa. 127:3-5). Children are one of God’s perfect gifts and are innocent until their own lust arises (Jas. 1:13-15)
• Salvation is only for those who repent and believe…it is for children in innocency who reach the age of responsibility, only when they repent and believe. (p. 26)
• The infant does not bear the guilt of the father, even if it must sometimes suffer the consequence of other’s sins. They are “safe,” have never been separated from God by their won sin (Isa. 59:2), nor anyone else’s. No biblical example or command to save little children.
• God grants full pardon to all who believe and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior…received upon the condition of faith preceded by repentance (p. 28)
• Faith does not save without “working through love” (Gal. 5:6). Faith alone is dead and does not save until one confesses and obeys in repentance and by being buried in baptism (Jas. 2:17-19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). Infants are incapable of faith or repentance, or confession; hence are neither by Bible definition or by reason fit candidates for salvation.
• “Entire sanctification” comes after regeneration, by which believers are freed from original sin or depravity wrought by the baptism of the Holy Spirit…also known as “Christian perfection,” “baptism with the Holy Spirit,” “fullness of the blessing,” “Christians holiness,” etc., “obtained in an instant” (pp. 28-29). This is not to be confused with the gradual growth in grace that continues through life.
• Since Nazarene doctrine places salvation from original sin and baptism at infancy, a second experience called “entire sanctification” is invented, unknown in the Bible, to respond to the person’s needs as they reach the age of moral accountability. Baptism in the Holy Spirit was a phenomenon altogether different from “Entire Sanctification.” See Acts 1:8; 2:1-4. Holy Spirit baptism was never a command but a promise for certain people (the apostles) for special purposes when the gospel was first preached.
114 | P a g e
Nazarene
Word of God
• Baptism. Young children may be baptized upon request of the parents or guardians. May be administered by sprinkling, pouring or immersion, according to the choice of the applicant (p. 31)
• Nazarenes make God’s commands void by this unbiblical man-made tradition. (Matt. 15:2, 3, 6; Mark 7:3-13). The one baptism for today (Eph. 4:5), is immersion, a burial in water (Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12), for adult penitent believers, not a ceremony chosen by parents for their babies (Acts 2,8,9,10,16).
• Church of the Nazarene is composed of those who voluntarily follow the doctrines and polity of said church…a book of 304 pages of rules and regulations published by the authority of the Church’s General Assembly (Current issue June 23-25, 1985, p. 320.
• The “Church of the Nazarene” did not exist until 1919 in Kansas City, MO, U.S.A., thus cannot be the church of Jesus Christ founded by Him in Jerusalem, 33 AD. It had no “official church manual” other than the words of Jesus and His apostles…their “Complete” and “perfect” guide (1 Tim. 3:16, 17)
• Whoever repents and believes on the Lord is justified and regenerated and saved from sin (p. 33)
• Taking away from God’s word is a work of the devil and his representatives who do such will be punished by banishment from heaven (Rev. 22:19). Baptism is also required in order to have sins forgiven (Acts 2:38)
• The Church of the Nazarene is organized and governed by a representative form of government. Superintendents, General Assemblies, Local Churches, Delegates, etc. (p. 35-38)
• The complex organizational system described in the Nazarene Manual is unknown to the Bible, where there was no hierarchy structure above the local church with its elders (bishops, oversees) and deacons (Phil. 1:1). No delegates elected to law-making governing central headquarters or assemblies.
• Local church membership is based on declaration of experience of salvation, then belief of official Nazarene doctrines and willingness to submit to its government (p.36)
• Unbiblical denominational organizations depend upon strict submission to the Manual’s stated Nazarene doctrines and practices, making void the word of God.
115 | P a g e
Nazarene
Word of God
• Every local Nazarene church can call its own pastor, subject to approval of the General Assembly (p. 38)
• Every plant not planted by God will be rooted up (Matt. 15:13). The Nazarene Church system is not in the Bible. The one body, the church of Christ, is sufficient for all time (Eph. 4:4).
• Tithing into the local church is urged upon all members as a minimum requirement. The church budget must pay the general, regional and district portions monthly (p. 47)
• Tithing as a command was never enjoined upon Christians. The amount of their giving is stated in 1 Cor. 16:1-2. It was never apportioned to “regional, district, or general” headquarter levels of church government, for such was non-existent until centuries later when the apostate Church of Rome formed the first central hierarchy.
• The name of the local church shall be determined by the local church under direction of the district superintendent and with the approval of the General Assembly, and shall include the words, “Church of the Nazarene” (pp. 53 and 85)
• “Church of the Nazarene” name is not in the Bible. No other name than that of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). The churches wore His name (Rom. 16:16), and the Father’s name (1 Cor. 1:2). Wearing distinctive man-devised names created division and is condemned (1 Cor. 1:10-13).
• The pastor and secretary of the church shall be the president and secretary of the church. (p. 53).
• No “Presidents,” “General Secretaries,” etc. in the divine Scriptures.
• A church member must be 15 yrs. old to vote in annual or special meetings (p. 56). To apply for membership, the candidate must be taught the Articles of Faith, the General and Special Rules, etc. of the Church of the Nazarene (p. 56)
• No voting by anyone in the New Testament church; it was not a democracy, but a kingdom in which all authority was vested in the King, Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:18; Col. 1:18)
• “Probationary” members have all membership rights except to vote and hold office (p. 57)
• Not in Bible. All were members of the family, the body of Christ, who had been born of the water and the spirit. God added them to the church (Acts 2:47; John 3:3-5). All parts (members) of the body are of equal importance (1 Cor. 12:12-26). There were no half-way or “probationary” members.
116 | P a g e
Nazarene
Word of God
• The Pastor has the oversight of the local church (p. 179)
• One “pastor” was never a local church, always plural in N.T. (Acts 20:17, 28: Phil. 1:1).
• Every local church shall have a church board (defined on p.68) and shall meet each month, and composed of the head of other sub-organizations in the church.
• Not in Bible.
• The Christian Life and Sunday School shall teach doctrines of the Bible interpreted by the Articles of Faith of the Church of the Nazarene (p. 76)
• No Scripture is of any “private” or special interpretation (2 Peter 1:20). The Scriptures can be understood by simply reading them, without mandatory sectarian creeds intervention (Eph. 3:4; 2 Cor. 1:13; 4:2).
• The District Assembly’s bounds, names, times of meeting, business, officers, board, etc. are explicitly defined on pages 88-105. The Region, The General Assembly and Board functions, powers, etc. are set forth on pages 116-154, headed by the General Secretary (p.128).
• The church universal (Col. 1:18; Matt. 16:18) and the church in a local city (Rev. 2-3) are the only two levels of biblical organization. All other inventions and arrangements are of man-made tradition which cancel (nullify) the word of God (Matt. 15:7-9) and create denomination distinctions and divisions.
• Credential and regulations for the Local Minister, the Licensed Minister, the Deacon, the Elder, (“he or she”), the Administrator, the Chaplain, the Evangelist, the Lay Minister, the Pastor, etc. are all defined on pp. 157-183.
• Complete definitions of the functions of personnel in the community of believers in God’s family are given in the New Testament…evangelism in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus; elders and deacons in 1 Tim. 3 and Titus 1. There are no levels of administration or government on earth above the local assemblies.
• Ministers must be educated in one of the colleges of the Church of the Nazarene, or one of its seminaries (p. 184)
• No denominational seminaries nor other church-owned agencies, in the N.T. Younger men were trained by older men and were charged to “preach the Word,” not the doctrines and commandments of sectarian creeds or manuals (2 Tim. 2:1-2; 4:1-4)
117 | P a g e
Nazarene
Word of God
• Baptism does not impart ‘regenerative race,’ but is a “sign and seal of the new covenant,” pointing forward to when the infant child shall reach the age of accountability (pp. 219-220).
• Baptism is a part of the process of salvation by grace through faith. It is commanded to believers who are willing to repent and confess their faith, and is a condition of “salvation,” “washing away sins,” “forgiveness of sins” (Mark 16:16; Acts 22:16; 2:38). Never called a “sign” or “seal of the New Covenant” in the Bible.
• Nazarene World Mission Society, organized as a part of the local church, promotes mission field knowledge of the Church of the Nazarene (p. 237-244). Also missions of District, General Society, etc.
• (Eph. 3:10). There were no agencies such as missionary societies to do this work of the local churches which did cooperate with each other in evangelism, but never through other organizations.
• Manual Editing Committee authorized to correct, change in harmony with General Assemblies (p. 274).
• The true doctrine of Jesus Christ never needs editing or amending; it never changes and will never pass away and is the all sufficient guide for the man of God (2 Tim. 3:16-17). The man is cursed if he teaches or preaches any other gospel (Gal. 1:6-9).
• International Headquarters: 6401 The Pagso, Kansas City, MO 64131 (p. 267).
• Heaven is the only headquarters of the church Jesus built (Eph. 4:10; 1:22-23)