By Philip LaFountain

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” —Ephesians 6:12

One of the great questions facing conservative Evangelical holiness denominations today is how to be a faithful witness to our changing and shifting culture. As American culture continues to become more secular and pagan, conservative churches like the Church of the Nazarene are faced with the challenge of speaking prophetically to that culture.

In June 2023 the Church of the Nazarene celebrated its 30th General Assembly. Delegates from 162 world areas gathered in Indianapolis, Indiana for what would promise to be a watershed meeting. With pressures from both within and without, calling the Church of the Nazarene to compromise its basic and historic beliefs and practices, and to accommodate to the values and claims of our contemporary culture, it is no exaggeration to claim that this may have been one of the most critical Assembly’s in the history of our 115 year-old denomination.

In spite of the small minority of liberal progressives within the denomination advocating for a radical shift of our basic beliefs and practices, that General Assembly signaled a wonderful, and very welcome, reaffirmation of our historic conservative Evangelical holiness faith. How did it do this? First, it reaffirmed that the Church of the Nazarene is, and will always be, a biblical tradition. The priority of Jesus Christ as the fundamental revelation of God to the world, witnessed to and embodied in the Holy Scriptures, is the rock solid basis for human knowledge of God and God’s purposes for the world. Scripture is the only and final source of knowledge of God’s will for us. If someone cannot make a case based on a plain reading of Scripture, then that argument cannot be accepted as valid. Second, it proclaimed a decisive “NO” to those who want to offer revision of basic Nazarene beliefs or practices according to secular or pagan values. The Church’s “NO” to allowing any ideology or philosophy to limit, modify, or elide God’s revelation should be accepted by all Nazarenes. Finally, that Assembly was both a call and a challenge to support, embody, and affirm both the Articles of Faith AND the Covenant of Christian Conduct. No longer can anyone claim “orthodoxy” by merely affirming the doctrines of the church! The Covenant of Christian Conduct, as a guide to moral living, is as authoritative as the Articles of Faith and are to be adhered to. As the General Superintendents affirm in the Forward to the 2023 Manual of the Church of the Nazarene:

The General Assembly is the supreme doctrine-formulating and lawmaking body of the Church of the Nazarene. This Manual includes the decisions and judgments of ministerial and lay delegates of the 30th General Assembly, which met in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, 11-15 June 2023, and is therefore authoritative as a guide for action. Because it is the official statement of the faith and practice of the church and is consistent with the teachings of the Scriptures, we expect our people everywhere to accept the tenets of doctrine and the guides and helps to holy living contained in it. To fail to do so, after formally taking the membership vows of the Church of the Nazarene, injures the witness of the church, violates her conscience, and dissipates the fellowship of the people called Nazarenes. The government of the Church of the Nazarene is distinctive. In polity it is representative—neither purely episcopal nor wholly congregational. Because the laity and the ministry have equal authority in the deliberative and lawmaking units of the church, there is a desirable and effective balance of power. We see this not only as an opportunity for participation and service in the church but also as an obligation on the part of both laity and ministry. Commitment and clear purpose are important. But an intelligent and informed people following commonly agreed-upon practices and procedures advance the kingdom faster and enhance their witness for Christ. Therefore, it is incumbent upon our members to acquaint themselves with this Manual—the history of the church and the doctrines and ethical practices of the ideal Nazarene. Adherence to the injunctions of these pages will nurture loyalty and faithfulness both to God and the church and will increase the effectiveness and efficiency of our spiritual efforts.

With the Bible as our supreme Guide, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, and the Manual as our official agreed-upon statement of faith, practice, and polity, we look forward to the new quadrennium with joy and unswerving faith in Jesus Christ.

This website, “Reclaiming Our Heritage at ENC,” is a vibrant and intentional response to this timely and historic call of the Church to fully embody Nazarene identity at all of its institutions of higher education. We are pleased to be able to support the Church of the Nazarene by calling faculty, staff, and administration at ENC to fulfill the vision of the 2023 General Assembly!