Section: Church Government

Voting and Office-bearing. Only those who are full and active members of the local church, and have reached their 15th birthday, may hold office in the church where local law allows, vote in annual or special church meetings, or represent the church as delegates to the district assembly.

Fellowship Membership. Where a district makes provision, a local church may have fellowship members who shall have all the privileges of church members, with the exception of voting and holding church office. (205.24)

Fellowship members may be received into full membership or dropped at any time, at the discretion of the pastor and Evangelism and Church Membership Committee.

Inactive Membership. A local church may designate persons as “inactive members” for the reasons stated in paragraphs 109.1 and 109.2. (112.3, 133)

A member of a local church who has moved to another community and ceases to be active at his or her church of membership should be urged to attend the Church of the Nazarene there and to request a transfer of membership to that church.

When a member of a church has been absent from all religious services of the church for six successive months without a reason deemed justifiable by the church board, and attempt has been made to encourage him or her to become active when possible, that person’s membership may be declared inactive upon recommendation of the Evangelism and Church Membership Committee and action of the church board. The person shall be informed by a redemptive letter from the pastor within seven days of the action of the church board. After such action of the church board, the pastor shall update the membership roll of the local church with “Placed on the Inactive Membership Roll by the church board (date).”

Inactive members shall be included in the full membership of the local church with active members. Membership shall be reported to the district assembly in separate categories, namely (1) active and (2) inactive members.

Inactive members shall not be eligible to vote in annual or special church meetings or hold office.

An inactive member may request in writing that the church board return his or her name to the active membership roll of the church. Such request must include a reaffirmation of the vows of membership and renewed participation in the worship activities of the local church. The church board shall respond to the request within 60 days. Full membership may be restored to such a person by recommendation of the Evangelism and Church Membership Committee and action of the church board.