- The General Assembly shall have power to legislate for the Church of the Nazarene, and to make rules and regulations for all the departments related to or associated with it in any respect, but not in conflict with this Constitution. (300, 305–305.9)
- No local church shall be deprived of the right to call its pastor, subject to such approval as the General Assembly shall find wise to institute. (115)
- All local churches, officers, ministers, and laypersons shall always have the right to a fair and orderly trial and the right to make an appeal.
Index: minister
112
Ministers. When a licensed or an ordained minister has united with the church membership or ministry of a church other than the Church of the Nazarene, the pastor of the local church in which the minister is a member shall immediately notify the District Ministerial Credentials Board of the fact. The Ministerial Credentials Board shall investigate and confirm the status of the member of the clergy. If the District Ministerial Credentials Board determines that the member of the clergy will be removed from the roll of ministers, the pastor of the local church will also remove the person’s name from the membership roll of the church and shall write opposite the name, “Removed by uniting with another church, denomination, or ministry.” (530.9, 536.10–536.11)
112.1
Laypersons. When a lay member of a local church has accepted membership, license to preach, or ordination from any other religious organizations, or is engaging in independent church or missionary work, his or her membership in the local church shall, because of that fact, immediately cease, except in case that person shall secure the annual written approval of the local church board of the church in which said membership is held, and the annual written approval of the District Advisory Board of the district in which that church is located.
113.9
Reports. Reports shall be given at the annual church meeting by the pastor (515.7), the Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International (SDMI) superintendent (146.6), the president of the Nazarene Youth International (151.4), the president of the Nazarene Missions International (153.2), the deaconesses (507), the local ministers (529.1), the secretary (135.2), and the treasurer (136.5) of the church board.
129.12
To license, or renew the license of, at its discretion, any person who has been recommended by the pastor for (a) local minister, or (b) lay minister. (503.2–503.4, 529.1–529.3, 813.1)
129.13
To recommend, at its discretion, to the district assembly, upon nomination by the pastor, any person who desires to receive a certificate for any of the assigned roles of ministry, including all lay and ministerial candidates aspiring to be recognized for ministries beyond the local church, if such recommendation is required by the Manual.
129.14
201
Membership. The district assembly shall be composed of all assigned elders (532–532.3, 533–533.1, 536.9); all assigned deacons (531–531.4, 536.9); all assigned licensed ministers (530.8); all retired assigned ministers (534–534.1); the district secretary (216.2); the district treasurer (219.2); chairpersons of standing district committees reporting to the district assembly; any lay presidents of Nazarene institutions of higher education, whose local church membership is on the district; the District Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International (SDMI) chairperson (239.2); the district age-group ministries international directors (children and adult); the District SDMI Board; the president of the District Nazarene Youth International (NYI) (240.4); the president of the District Nazarene Missions International (NMI) (241.2); the newly elected superintendent or vice superintendent of each local SDMI Board (146); the newly elected president or vice president of each local NYI (151); the newly elected president or vice president of each local NMI (153.2); or an appropriately elected alternate may represent the NMI, NYI, and SDMI organizations in the district assembly; those serving in assigned roles of ministry according to 503–526.1; the lay members of the District Advisory Board (221.4); lay career missionaries whose local church membership is on the district; all retired assigned lay career missionaries whose local church membership is on the district; and the lay delegates from each local church and church-type mission in the assembly district. (24, 113.14–113.15, 201.1–201.2)
201.1
Local churches and church-type missions in districts of fewer than 5,000 full church members shall be entitled to representation in the district assembly as follows: two lay delegates from each local church or church-type mission of 50 or fewer full church members, and one additional lay delegate for each successive 50 full church members and the final major part of 50 full church members. (24, 113.14–113.15, 201)
203.3
To hear or receive reports from all ordained and licensed ministers serving as pastors or commissioned evangelists; and to consider the character of all elders, deacons, and deaconesses. By vote of the district assembly the record of written reports received by the secretary may be accepted in place of oral reports of all other elders, deacons, deaconesses, and licensed ministers not engaged in active service, and those ministers having district certificates for all roles of ministry in 503–526.1. (520, 530.8, 536.9)