Membership. Every local church shall have a church board, composed of the pastor, the Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International (SDMI) superintendent, the president of the Nazarene Youth International (NYI), the president of the Nazarene Missions International (NMI), the stewards, and the trustees of the church, and the members of the SDMI Board when elected as the Education Committee of the church board by the annual church meeting. If the NMI president is the pastor’s spouse, and chooses not to serve on the board, the vice president may serve; however, if the president is the pastor’s spouse and chooses to serve on the board, he or she shall not be a part of the review process of the pastor.
There shall be no more than 25 regular members of the church board. (113.11) Ordained and district licensed ministers unassigned by the district and paid employees of the local church are not eligible to serve on the local church board.
We direct our local churches to elect as church officers active members of the local church who profess the experience of entire sanctification and whose lives bear public witness to the grace of God that calls us to a holy life; who are in harmony with the doctrines, polity, and practices of the Church of the Nazarene; and who support the local church faithfully in attendance, active service, and with tithes and offerings. Church officers should be fully engaged in “making Christlike disciples in the nations.” (34, 113.11, 137, 141, 145–147, 151, 153.2, 160.4)
To appoint an auditing committee or a committee of independent examiners, or such other qualified persons, that shall audit or examine, to at least the minimum standard required by national or state law if applicable, or other recognized professional standards, at least annually, the financial records of the treasurer of the church, the Nazarene Youth International (NYI), the Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International (SDMI) Board, Nazarene childcare/schools (birth through secondary), and any other financial records of the church. The pastor shall have access to all records of the local church.
Upon the authorization of the church board, local organizations of the Nazarene Missions International (NMI) may be formed within any age-group in harmony with the NMI Constitution approved by the Global Nazarene Missions International Convention and the Global Mission Committee of the General Board. (811)
The local Nazarene Missions International shall be a constituent part of the local church and subject to the supervision and direction of the pastor and the church board. (516)
The president of the local Nazarene Missions International (NMI) shall be nominated by a committee of three to seven members of the NMI appointed by the pastor, who shall serve as chairperson. This committee shall submit one or more names for the office of president subject to the approval of the church board. The president shall be elected by a majority vote by ballot of the members (excluding associate) present and voting. The president shall be a member of the local church whose NMI is served, a member ex-officio of the church board (or in churches where the president is the pastor’s spouse, the vice president may serve on the church board), and a member of the district assembly held immediately prior to his or her year of office. The president shall present a report to the annual meeting of the local church. (113.9, 114, 123, 127, 201)
All funds raised by the local Nazarene Missions International (NMI) for general interests of the Church of the Nazarene shall be applied to the World Evangelism Fund apportionment of the local church with the exception of mission special projects that have been approved by the Ten Percent Committee.
After primary consideration has been given to the full payment of the World Evangelism Fund, opportunities may be given to make offerings for the support of global missionary work, such contributions to be known as “approved mission specials.”
Funds for the support of general interests shall be raised in the following manners:
From gifts and offerings designated for the World Evangelism Fund and general interests.
From special offerings such as Easter and Thanksgiving.
