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)

139

A vacancy in the office of steward may be filled by the local church at a duly called church meeting. (113.8)

144

A vacancy in the office of trustee may be filled by the local church at a duly called church meeting. (113.8)

145

Each local church shall establish a Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International (SDMI) Board, or an Education Committee as part of the church board, at the annual church meeting, to be responsible for the Christian education ministries of the church. In churches of 75 members or fewer, the responsibilities may be performed by the church board. Members are: ex-officio the SDMI superintendent (146); the pastor; the Nazarene Missions International (NMI) president; the Nazarene Youth International (NYI) president; Children’s Ministries (CM) director; Adult Ministries (AM) director; and three to nine persons elected from the church membership at the annual church meeting. The members may be elected for staggered terms of two years and until their successors are elected and qualified. When an elected member vacancy occurs, it may be filled at a duly called church meeting. If a church elects an education committee as part of the church board, it shall follow Manual requirements for minimum number of stewards and trustees (137, 141). Ex-officio personnel shall be members of the committee, though some may not be members of the 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)

The duties and powers of the Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International Board or Education Committee are:

146

The Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International Superintendent. The annual church meeting shall elect by majority vote by ballot, of those present and voting, from among its full members, a Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International (SDMI) superintendent to serve for one year (34), or until his or her successor is elected. The SDMI Board, with the pastor’s approval, may call for an incumbent SDMI superintendent to be elected by a “yes” or “no” vote. A vacancy shall be filled by the local church at a duly called church meeting (113.11, 145.5). The SDMI superintendent, newly elected, shall be a member ex-officio of the district assembly (201), the local church board (127), and the SDMI Board (145).

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)

The duties and powers of the Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International superintendent are:

207

If for any cause a vacancy shall occur in the interim of sessions of the district assembly, the general superintendents, jointly and severally, may fill the vacancy upon consultation with the District Advisory Committee (DAC). Consultation shall include an invitation for the committee, as a whole, to submit names for consideration in addition to those names brought forward by the general superintendent in jurisdiction. (236, 307.8)

207.1

The office of a Phase 1 or Phase 2 district superintendent may be declared vacant with cause upon the recommendation of the general superintendent having jurisdiction. The office of district superintendent in a Phase 3 district may be declared vacant upon a two-thirds vote of the District Advisory Committee. (236, 321)

212

The district superintendent may fill vacancies in the following committees:

  1. District Assembly Finance Committee (203.21);
  2. District Auditing Committee (203.25);
  3. District Ministerial Credentials Board (226.1);
  4. District Ministerial Studies Board (229.1);
  5. District Evangelism Board or the district director of evangelism (232);
  6. District Church Properties Board (233);
  7. District Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International (SDMI) Board (238);
  8. District Court of Appeals (609);
  9. Other district boards and standing committees where such are not provided in the Manual or by assembly action.

216.1

If the district secretary shall cease to serve, for any cause, in the interim of sessions of the district assembly, the District Advisory Board shall elect his or her successor upon nomination by the district superintendent. (208.7)

219.1

If the district treasurer shall cease to serve, for any cause, in the interim of sessions of the district assembly, the District Advisory Board shall elect his or her successor upon nomination by the district superintendent. (208.8)