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)
When the annual meeting of a local church comes during a time of pastoral transition, the local nominating committee, chaired by the district superintendent, may, with the approval of the district superintendent, present the congregation with a resolution, no later than 30 days prior to the annual meeting, to retain the current church board for the upcoming church year. This resolution may be adopted by majority favorable vote by ballot of the church members of voting age present and voting at a duly called special meeting of the church. Should the resolution fail to pass, the church board shall be elected by the annual meeting as usual.
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)
In case the general superintendent and the District Advisory Committee (DAC), shall be of the opinion that the services of the district superintendent should not continue beyond the current year, the general superintendent having jurisdiction and the DAC may order the question submitted for a vote of the district assembly. The question shall be submitted in the following form: “Shall the present district superintendent be continued in office beyond this district assembly?”
If the district assembly, by a two-thirds vote by ballot, decides to continue the district superintendent in office, he or she shall continue to serve as though such vote had not been taken.
If, however, the district assembly fails to decide by such vote to continue the district superintendent in office, his or her term of office shall terminate 30–180 days following the close of that district assembly, with the date to be determined by the general superintendent in jurisdiction in consultation with the DAC. (204.2, 206, 236)
The district superintendent shall be ex-officio chairperson of the District Advisory Board (221.2) and the District Ministerial Credentials Board (227.1).
The district superintendent shall be a member ex-officio of all elected and standing boards and committees on the district he or she serves. (203.20–203.21, 234, 238, 810, 811)
The district superintendent shall not create financial obligations, count moneys, or disburse funds for the district unless authorized and directed by majority vote of the District Advisory Board; such action, if taken, must be duly recorded in the minutes of the District Advisory Board. No district superintendent or any member of his or her immediate family shall be authorized to sign checks on any district account except upon the written approval of the District Advisory Board and the district assembly. Immediate family shall include spouse, children, siblings, or parents. (215, 219–220.2)
The district superintendent shall be ex-officio chairperson of the District Advisory Board.
The district superintendent shall serve as chairperson ex-officio of the board; however, upon his or her request the board may elect an acting chairperson to serve in such relationship until the close of the next district assembly. (213)
To give responsible leadership to the Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International (SDMI) on the district by:
- Promoting programs of growth in enrollment and attendance;
- Coordinating all programs relating to Children’s and Adult Ministries (CM, AM), and;
- Working in cooperation with Nazarene Youth International (NYI) to coordinate youth Sunday School/Bible studies/small groups.
