Nazarene Essentials

Nazarene Essentials explains why the Church of the Nazarene exists as a

WORLDWIDE HOLINESS AND GREAT COMMISSION MOVEMENT in the
Wesleyan-Arminian tradition.

NAZARENE CHARACTERISTICS

MEANINGFUL WORSHIP We may say with confidence that to worship God is to acknowledge Him as the Rock of our salvation, the great God, the great King above all gods, the creator of all things, and the Shepherd who cares for His people.

These are our sources for THEOLOGICAL COHERENCE: Scripture, Christian Tradition, Reason & Personal Experience

PASSIONATE EVANGELISM is our response to Jesus’ love and grace for humanity. The Church of the Nazarene started with passionate evangelism. It continues to be the heart of who we are.

INTENTIONAL DISCIPLESHIP is helping people develop obedient intimate relationships with Jesus. In these relationships, Christ’s Spirit transforms their character into Christlikeness— changing new believers’ values into kingdom values, and involving them in His mission of investing in others in their homes, churches, and world.

CHURCH DEVELOPMENT We believe a church is a cluster of believers, not a building or property.

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP We seek to develop leaders through a model of Christlikeness. Jesus is our example.

PURPOSEFUL COMPASSION We do every act of service, generosity, or mercy in Jesus’ name, and we offer our efforts to reveal Jesus’ love.

While these descriptors do not take the place of our mission “to make Christlike disciples in the nations” or our core values of “Christian, holiness and missional,” they describe what we believe should characterize every Church of the Nazarene and in large part, should be reflected by Nazarenes everywhere.