well.... i was a member of a Nazarene church for many, many years, but our pastor went away... boo-hoo... and our church dwindled.
several years later, pastor started another Nazarene church in another town, only about 30 miles from my town, so we started going to this new church in the other town. the town sits between two cities where he used to pastor churches, and many people now come from both those cities to this little 100-person town to attend church under our old pastor. God bless him.
our little congregation grew quite quickly, and beings as most of our members tithe, the $$ was flowing, and we needed a larger building, so wanted to add on... but CoN council or whoever... sorry i'm not up on all the details, would not let us use the $$ to add on... so we took a church vote, and decided to become a nondenominational church... 100% vote in that direction, so now we are 'nondenominational' but i do love the Church of the Nazarene, and my 'icon' still says Nazarene. but really, i'm not any label, just a child of the King
A chari-bapti-Nazarene? Cool.
Huge differences in theology there bro.
I started out CoN, but we got kicked out when my mom went pentecostal. (Assy of God) So I was that until college when I joined a nondenom charismatic church. (but still with Wesleyan roots)
Now I am a charismatic Messianic. I find Wesleyan/CoN doctrine to be compatible in many areas with Messianic and Jewish theology. In fact one of our elders still has close ties to his own CoN upbringing.
It was 1963. Every other sermon (after the pastor found out mom and 2 other women went to a pentecostal prayer meeting and spoke in tongues) was how tounges were "of the devil." After she would not take the "hint," we were told to either renounce pentecostalism and vow to never speak in tongues again or leave. We left. I know one woman stayed. I do not know about the 3rd woman.I'm surprised you guys were kicked out
It was 1963. Every other sermon (after the pastor found out mom and 2 other women went to a pentecostal prayer meeting and spoke in tongues) was how tounges were "of the devil." After she would not take the "hint," we were told to either renounce pentecostalism and vow to never speak in tongues again or leave. We left. I know one woman stayed. I do not know about the 3rd woman.
I know that the culture of the denomination has changed a lot since then.
Back then a lot of the A/G pastors were Nazarenes and Wesleyans who became pentecostals and got the left foot of fellowship.
I am a member of a CoN congregation, but I have roots and sympathies with the Assemblies of God. I am also an ordained Baptist minister. I have also served as the senior pastor of an interdenominational church with associate and assistant pastors who were Baptists or of the Assemblies of God or the Christian Missionary Alliance. One of our Bible teachers graduated from a CoN college and was ordained by the CoN while serving with me. He prayed in tongues every day, and was thankful that the CoN was unaware of that practice. For more than 20 years, I have been a Wesleyan Baptist.A chari-bapti-Nazarene? Cool.
Huge differences in theology there bro.
I started out CoN, but we got kicked out when my mom went pentecostal. (Assy of God) So I was that until college when I joined a nondenom charismatic church. (but still with Wesleyan roots)
Now I am am a charismatic Messianic. I find Wesleyan/CoN doctrine to be compatible in many areas with Messianic and Jewish theology. In fact one of our elders still has close ties to his own CoN upbringing.
Welcome to the familyI grew up Southern Baptist and then moved on to other types of Baptist churches after reaching adulthood. In my late 20's and early 30's I flopped back and forth between non-denominational and Disciples of Christ. I am facinated by Mennonite teachings, but don't want to live such a restricted lifestyle in areas that don't matter morally. Now I have found myself very drawn to a First Church of the Nazarene. I feel very much at peace there, eventhough I don't know a whole lot about the denomination or the history of Nazarenes.
You may enjoy reading Called Unto Holiness by Timothy L. Smith, a history of the Church of the Nazarene.I grew up Southern Baptist and then moved on to other types of Baptist churches after reaching adulthood. In my late 20's and early 30's I flopped back and forth between non-denominational and Disciples of Christ. I am facinated by Mennonite teachings, but don't want to live such a restricted lifestyle in areas that don't matter morally. Now I have found myself very drawn to a First Church of the Nazarene. I feel very much at peace there, eventhough I don't know a whole lot about the denomination or the history of Nazarenes.
You may enjoy reading Called Unto Holiness by Timothy L. Smith, a history of the Church of the Nazarene.
No, thank you! $$$$$$. I purchased Timothy Smith’s book brand new in the hard cover edition for $4.50! (That was a BIG few years ago).Or, if you have a few more bucks to spare [if your pastor doesn't have this book already and can loan it to you] - Our Watchword and Song by Floyd Cunningham is the most current Nazarene History book available.
http://www.amazon.com/Our-Watchword-Song-Centennial-Nazarene/dp/0834124440
No reason to hold your Catholicity against you. Wesley was a believer in having a "catholic" spirit.I'm Catholic, but I study theology through the Nazarene Theological College, and I'm a big fan of John Wesley. So don't hold it against me.