- 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: General Assembly Arrangements Committee
26
The provisions of this Constitution may be repealed or amended when concurred in by a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly members present and voting, and when ratified by not less than two-thirds of all the Phase 3 and Phase 2 district assemblies of the Church of the Nazarene. A majority vote is required on each constitutional amendment item by any Phase 3 or Phase 2 district assembly. Either the General Assembly or any Phase 3 or Phase 2 district assembly may take the initiative in the matter of proposing such amendments. As soon as such amendments shall have been adopted as herein provided, the result of the vote shall be announced by the Board of General Superintendents, whereupon such amendments shall have full force and effect.
104.4
Withdrawal of Churches. No local church may withdraw as a body from the Church of the Nazarene, or in any way sever its relation thereto, except by provision of the General Assembly, and upon agreed conditions and plans. (106.2–106.3)
200
The General Assembly shall organize the membership of the church into districts.
A district is an entity made up of interdependent local churches organized to facilitate the mission of each local church through mutual support, the sharing of resources, and collaboration.
The bounds and name of a district shall be such as shall be declared by the General Boundaries Committee and approved by a majority vote by the assembly district(s) involved, with the final approval of the general superintendent or superintendents having jurisdiction. (24)
Where districts from more than one educational region would consider merger into one district, the General Boundaries Committee would determine the region the new district would be a part of, in consultation with the general superintendents in jurisdiction.
202
203.23
To elect, by ballot, at a session within 16 months of the meeting of the General Assembly, or within 24 months in areas where travel visas or other unusual preparations are necessary, all of the lay delegates and all but one of the ministerial delegates, since one shall be the district superintendent. Every Phase 3 district assembly shall be entitled to representation at the General Assembly by an equal number of ministerial and lay delegates. The district superintendent at the time of the General Assembly shall be one of the ministerial delegates, and the remaining ministerial delegates shall be ordained ministers. In case the district superintendent is unable to attend, or in case there has been a vacancy and the new district superintendent has not been appointed, the properly elected alternate shall be seated in the district superintendent’s place. The Nominating Committee shall submit a nominating ballot containing at least six times the number of delegates eligible from that district in each category, ministerial and lay. From these nominees, the number of names for the electing ballot will be reduced to no more than three times the number to be elected. Then, the allowed delegates and alternates shall be elected by plurality vote, according to paragraphs 301.1–301.3. Each district assembly may elect alternates not to exceed twice the number of delegates. In situations where travel visas are problematic, a district assembly may authorize the District Advisory Board to select additional alternates. Delegates elected are expected to attend faithfully all meetings of the General Assembly from opening to closing unless providentially prevented. (25.1–25.3, 301.1–301.3, 303, 332.1)
203.26
To present to the General Assembly, through the district secretary, a full official journal for the preceding quadrennium, to be preserved and filed. (205.3–205.4, 217.7)
217.7
To present to the General Assembly, for the district assembly, the full official journal for the preceding quadrennium to be preserved and filed. (203.26, 205.3–205.4)
300
The General Assembly is the supreme doctrine-formulating, lawmaking, and elective authority of the Church of the Nazarene, subject to the provisions of the church Constitution. (25.1–25.9)