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.
Index: pastor
30.2
Ministers of the Church of the Nazarene are instructed to give due care to matters relating to solemnizing marriages. They shall seek, in every manner possible, to convey to their congregations the sacredness of Christian marriage. They shall provide premarital counseling in every instance possible before performing a marriage ceremony including proper spiritual guidance for those who have experienced divorce. They shall only solemnize marriages of persons having the biblical basis for marriage.
Biblical marriage only exists in a relationship involving one man and one woman. (30–30.1, 32, 514.10, 536.16)
102.3
The pastor and the secretary of the church board shall be the president and secretary of the church, incorporated or not incorporated, and shall execute and sign all conveyances of real estate, mortgages, releases of mortgages, contracts, and other legal documents of the church not otherwise provided for in the Manual and subject to the restrictions set forth in 104–104.3.
107
Full Membership. The full membership of the local church shall be composed of all persons who have been organized into a local church by those authorized so to do, and all who have been publicly received by the pastor, the district superintendent, or the general superintendent, after having declared their experience of salvation, and their belief in the doctrines of the Church of the Nazarene, and their willingness to submit to its government. The local church leadership shall seek to place every member into a ministry of service and a circle of care and support. (23, 30.4, 107.2, 111, 113.1, 515.1, 519, 530.8, 536.8–536.9)
107.1
When persons desire to unite with the church, the pastor shall explain to them the privileges and responsibilities of membership in the church, the Articles of Faith, the requirements of the Covenant of Christian Character and the Covenant of Christian Conduct, and the purpose and mission of the Church of the Nazarene.
After consulting with the Evangelism and Church Membership Committee, the pastor shall receive qualified candidates into the membership of the church in a public service, using the approved form for the reception of members (801). (21, 28–34, 110–110.4, 225)
108
Fellowship Membership. Where a district makes provision, a local church may have fellowship members who shall have all the privileges of church members, with the exception of voting and holding church office. (203.24)
108.1
Fellowship members may be received into full membership or dropped at any time, at the discretion of the pastor and Evangelism and Church Membership Committee.
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)
113.8
Special Meetings. Special church meetings may be called at any time by the pastor, or by the church board after having obtained the consent of the pastor or of the district superintendent or of the general superintendent having jurisdiction. Public notice of special church meetings shall always be given from the pulpit in at least two preceding regular services, or in such manner as meets the requirements of civil law. (104, 113.1, 115–115.1, 123, 137, 139, 142.1, 144)
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.