International
Church of the Nazarene
Who
We Are and What We Believe...
| On this page you will
find information about the Church of the Nazarene. We have included
links to the website of the International Church of the Nazarene.
We have reproduced here the basic text of our "Core Values" statement.
We hope this page will be helpful.
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The Core Values of the Church
of the Nazarene
Every organization
that endures over time is based on a deeply shared combination of purpose,
belief, and values. So it is with the Church of the Nazarene. It was founded
to transform the world by spreading scriptural holiness. It is both a Great
Commission church and a Holiness church at the same time. Our mission is
to make Christlike disciples of all nations.
The present and future
life of the Church of the Nazarene is defined by participation in the mission
of God. It is therefore an expression of the Church of Jesus Christ and
an organization made distinct not just by what it believes but by how it
goes about contributing uniquely to the kingdom of God.
In the early years of
this new millennium, it is appropriate for the Church of the Nazarene to
identify those distinctives that we joyfully embrace and celebrate. Our
most precious treasures-our mission, calling, beliefs, and highest values-we
gladly offer as a gift to the generations.
We pray that our core
values will continue to serve as a guiding light for those who must make
their way through the light and shadows of the decades that lie ahead.
--The
Board of General Superintendents
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We
Are a Christian People
As members of the Church
Universal, we join with all true believers in proclaiming the Lordship
of Jesus Christ and in embracing the historic Trinitarian creedal statements
of Christian faith. We value our Wesleyan-Holiness heritage and believe
it to be a way of understanding the faith that is true to Scripture, reason,
tradition, and experience.
We Are a
Holiness People
God, who is holy, calls
us to a life of holiness. We believe that the Holy Spirit seeks to do in
us a second work of grace, called by various terms including "entire sanctification"
and "baptism with the Holy Spirit"-cleansing us from all sin; renewing
us in the image of God: empowering us to love God with our whole heart,
soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbors as ourselves; and producing
in us the character of Christ. Holiness in the life of believers is most
clearly understood as Christlikeness.
We Are a
Missional People
We are a sent people,
responding to the call of Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit to go
into all the world, witnessing to the Lordship of Christ and participating
with God in the building of the Church and the extension of His kingdom
(2 Corinthians 6:1). Our mission (a) begins in worship, (b) ministers to
the world in evangelism and compassion, (c) encourages believers toward
Christian maturity through discipleship, and (d) prepares women and men
for Christian service through Christian higher education.
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Church of the Nazarene
Our
Mission
Articles
of Faith
Nazarene
Missions
Wesleyan
H eritage |
Agreed
Statement of Belief
Recognizing that the right
and privilege of persons to church membership rest upon the fact of their
being regenerate, we would require only such avowals of belief as are essential
to Christian experience. We, therefore, deem belief in the following brief
statements to be sufficient.
We believe:
In one God—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
That the Old and New Testament Scriptures,
given by plenary inspiration, contain all truth necessary to faith and
Christian living.
That man is born with a fallen nature, and
is, therefore, inclined to evil, and that continually.
That the finally impenitent are hopelessly
and eternally lost.
That the atonement through Jesus Christ is
for the whole human race; and that whosoever repents and believes on the
Lord Jesus Christ is justified and regenerated and saved from the dominion
of sin.
That believers are to be sanctified wholly,
subsequent to regeneration, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
That the Holy Spirit bears witness to the
new birth, and also to the entire sanctification of believers.
That our Lord will return, the dead will be
raised, and the final judgment will take place.
—Nazarene Manual 2005-2009
Click
here for a full outline of
our 16 Articles of Faith
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copyright
2008 Central Florida District
Team
Central Webmaster
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