Our Theological Tradition

The Church of the Nazarene is the largest denomination in the Wesleyan-Arminian (Holiness) theological tradition. Considered a denomination in the mainline evangelical tradition, we believe:

1. In one God--the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

2. That the Old and New Testament Scriptures, given by plenary inspiration, contain all the truth necessary to faith and Christian living.

3. That man is born with a fallen nature, and is, therefore, inclined to evil, and that continually.

4. That the finally impenitent are hopelessly and eternally lost.

5. 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.

6. That believers are to be sanctified wholly, subsequent to regeneration, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

7. That the Holy Spirit bears witness to the new birth, and also to the entire sanctification of believers.

8. That our Lord will return, the dead will be raised, and the final judgment will take place.

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 an act of the Holy Spirit whereby the heart is filled with love for God and 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 Christ.



Our History and Heritage

The Church of the Nazarene An International Church
The Church of the Nazarene has its roots in the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The name comes from one of the names of our Lord., "Jesus the Nazarene". As such, we are simply a Christian Church that seeks to exalt Christ and encourage Christians to live a life of consistent holiness.

But from a historical standpoint, the Church of the Nazarene owes its own beginnings to a renewed interest in scriptural holiness from within the Protestant religions (particularly Methodists) which took place near the close of the 19th century throughout the United States. Various groups of people came together to share their faith and to support one another. A small congregation which began in 1895 in Los Angeles with Dr. Phineas F. Bresee as Pastor was the first "Church of the Nazarene." Dr. Bresee, a personable and well educated man, who always spoke to the members of his church as individuals, hoped to carry the message of "scriptural holiness" all over the world.

Many churches on the west Coast and in Mid-America aligned with the "Church of the Nazarene". They were joined by a group from the South which solidified their organization. October 13, 1908 is the official date for the formation of the Church of the Nazarene. Throughout the world, groups have continued to become a part of the Nazarene denomination. You can find the church in over 116 countries with well over one million members. In the spirit of Dr. Bresee's prayers for a universal sharing, we continue to carry the love and the words of the scriptures throughout the world.

Organized October 8, 1908, in Pilot Point, Texas, the Church of the Nazarene has made its headquarters home in Kansas City, Mo., since 1919. Nazarene Headquarters provides support services to almost 1.8 million members worshiping in more than 11,480 churches in the United States, Canada, and over 150 other world areas.

This includes maintaining ministerial credentials, 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 the largest publisher of Wesleyan-Holiness literature in the world. Products include Sunday school curriculum, music, drama resources, periodicals, and books. NPH prints more than 600,000 books annually, in addition to a wide variety of periodicals and other publications.

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).