These are the beliefs Nazarenes hold to be true:

We believe in one God-the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We believe that the Old and New Testament Scriptures, given by plenary inspiration, contain all truth necessary to faith and Christian living.

We believe that man is born with a fallen nature, and is, therefore, inclined to evil, and that continually.

We believe that the finally impenitent are hopelessly and eternally lost.

We believe that the atonement through Jesus Christ is for the whole human race; and that whosoever repents and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ is justified and regenerated and saved from the dominion of sin.

We believe that believers are to be sanctified wholly, subsequent to regeneration, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe that the Holy Spirit bears witness to the new birth, and also to the entire sanctification of believers.

We believe that our Lord will return, the dead will be raised, and the final judgment will take place.

Who are the Nazarenes?

Every church has its distinctive characteristics, practices, and beliefs that set it apart from other groups.  Sometimes this is confusing to people.  They say, "If the Bible is true and Jesus was who he claimed to be, why are there so many different churches with so many different beliefs?"  We optimistically believe that despite the differences in characteristics, practices, and beliefs, most Christian congregations still agree on 90-95% of Christian teaching, and that the other 5-10% we do not agree on falls in the category of "distinctive characteristics."

While we get our name from Jesus of Nazareth, you might be asking, "What in the world is a modern day Nazarene?"  Well, we are not Lutherans, but like Lutherans, we believe in salvation through Jesus Christ alone, on the authority of Scripture alone, in salvation by faith alone, and in salvation as a gift of God's grace alone.

We are not Presbyterians, but like the Presbyterians, we believe in the power of the preaching of the Word of God to bring about change in people's lives.

We are not Baptists, but like the Baptists, we believe in calling people to repentance and to witnessing to their new life in Christ through public baptism.

We are not Charismatics.  No, we do not "speak in tongues" in our services, but like the Charismatics, we believe in the gifts of the Spirit, who gives people the power to live a Christ-like life and to make a true difference in their world. 

We are not Episcopalians, although John Wesley was a life-long Anglican, but like the Episcopalians, we take worship seriously.  We just choose to be a little less "formal" in our worship services.

We are not Quakers or Moravians, but like these pietistic groups, we believe in living a careful life that testifies to the watching world that we belong to the Family of God.

And, we are not United Methodist, although we have our roots in the Methodist traditions that grew out of John Wesley's revival movement in the 1700's.  We have a good fellowship with our United Methodist "cousins" but we are organizationally separate for historical reasons.

THE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE: A CHURCH IN THE WESLEYAN TRADITION

Every organization that endures over time is based on a deeply shared combination of purpose, belief, and values.  So it is with the Church of the Nazarene.  It was founded to transform the world by spreading scriptural holiness.  It is both a Great Commission church and a Holiness church at the same time.  Our mission is to make Christ-like disciples of all nations.

The present and future of life of the Church of the Nazarene is defined by participation in the mission of God.  It is therefore an expression of the Church of Jesus Christ and an organization made distinct not just by what it believes but by how it goes about contributing uniquely to the kingdom of God.

In the early years of this new millennium, it is appropriate for the Church of the Nazarene to identify those distinctives that we joyfully embrace and celebrate.  Our most precious treasure - our mission, calling, beliefs, and highest values - we gladly offer as a gift to the generations.

We pray that our core values will continue to serve as a guiding light for those who must make their way through the light and shadows of the decades that lie ahead.