The Church of the Nazarene has a representative form of government.
Index: general superintendent
25.5
General Superintendents. The General Assembly shall elect by ballot from among the elders of the Church of the Nazarene as many general superintendents as it may deem necessary, who shall constitute the Board of General Superintendents. Any vacancy in the office of general superintendent in the interim of General Assemblies shall be filled by a two-thirds vote of the General Board of the Church of the Nazarene. (305.2, 316)
25.6
Presiding Officers. A general superintendent appointed thereto by the Board of General Superintendents shall preside over the daily meetings of the General Assembly. But if no general superintendent be so appointed or be present, the General Assembly shall elect one of its members as temporary presiding officer. (300.1)
26
The provisions of this Constitution may be repealed or amended when concurred in by a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly members present and voting, and when ratified by not less than two-thirds of all the Phase 3 and Phase 2 district assemblies of the Church of the Nazarene. A majority vote is required on each constitutional amendment item by any Phase 3 or Phase 2 district assembly. Either the General Assembly or any Phase 3 or Phase 2 district assembly may take the initiative in the matter of proposing such amendments. As soon as such amendments shall have been adopted as herein provided, the result of the vote shall be announced by the Board of General Superintendents, whereupon such amendments shall have full force and effect.
28.5
Our leaders and pastors are expected to give strong emphasis in our periodicals and from our pulpits to such fundamental biblical truths as will develop the faculty of discrimination between the evil and the good.
100
Organization. Local churches may be organized by the district superintendent, or by the general superintendent having jurisdiction, or by an elder authorized by either of them. Official reports of new churches shall be filed with the General Secretary’s office through the respective jurisdictional office. (23, 107, 208.1, 536.12)
106.1
A local church may be disorganized on recommendation from the district superintendent and a two-thirds vote of the District Advisory Board. Such action shall be taken only after the district superintendent has consulted with and received an affirmative response from the general superintendent in jurisdiction.
113.5
Presiding Officer. The pastor, who shall be ex-officio president of the local church, or the district superintendent, or the general superintendent having jurisdiction, or someone appointed by the district superintendent or the general superintendent, shall preside at annual or special church meetings. (210.1, 307.10, 515.15)
118
In case of disagreement between the church board and the district superintendent regarding pastoral arrangements, the church board or the district superintendent may submit the matter to the general superintendent having jurisdiction for his or her decision. From such decision either the church board or the district superintendent may appeal to the Board of General Superintendents. All such appeals, rebuttals of appeals, or arguments pertaining thereto, whether to the general superintendent in jurisdiction or the Board of General Superintendents, shall be in writing. A copy of the appeal, rebuttals of appeals, or arguments pertaining thereto by either the church board or the district superintendent shall be sent to the other party involved. The minute record of a church board appeal shall include the appeal resolution, arguments sustaining it, and the record of the vote taken. If a minister under consideration withdraws his or her name, or if a pastoral candidate is found to be unavailable for consideration, the appeal process should terminate immediately, and the district superintendent and church board shall continue with pastoral arrangements.