Section: Credentials and Ministerial Regulations

A licensed minister actively assigned as pastor or associate pastor of a Church of the Nazarene shall be a voting member of the district assembly. (201)

The candidate elected to the order of elder or order of deacon shall be ordained by the laying on of the hands of the general superintendent and ordained ministers with appropriate religious exercises, under the direction of the presiding general superintendent. (307.4)

The general superintendent having jurisdiction shall issue to the person ordained a certificate of ordination, bearing the signature of the general superintendent in jurisdiction, district superintendent, and district secretary. (535.1)

In case the ordination certificate of an elder or deacon has been misplaced, mutilated, or destroyed, a duplicate certificate may be issued upon the recommendation of the District Advisory Board. Such recommendation shall be made directly to the general superintendent in jurisdiction, and upon the authority of that approval, the general secretary shall issue a duplicate certificate. On the back of the certificate, the original number should be identified along with the word DUPLICATE. If the general superintendent, district superintendent, or the district secretary signing the original certificate is not available, the general superintendent having jurisdiction, district superintendent, and district secretary of the district requesting the duplicate certificate shall sign the certificate. On the reverse side thereof shall be the following statement inscribed in writing or printing, or both writing and printing, and signed by the general superintendent having jurisdiction, district superintendent, and district secretary.

This certificate is given to replace the original certificate of ordination given to (name) on the day of (month), (year), A.D. by the (ordaining organization), at which date (he or she) was ordained and (his or her) original ordination certificate signed by (General Superintendent), (District Superintendent), and (District Secretary).

The original certificate was (misplaced, mutilated, destroyed).
________________________, General Superintendent
________________________, District Superintendent
________________________, District Secretary

All members of the clergy (assigned and unassigned) shall be active members in a local Church of the Nazarene where they will be faithful in attendance, in tithe, and in participation in the ministries of the church. Exceptions to this requirement may be granted only by approval of the District Advisory Board. Any member of the clergy who does not hold membership in a local Church of the Nazarene on the district where his or her credential is held and who has not been granted an exception is subject to discipline by action of the District Advisory Board. (522, 538.10)

All elders and deacons shall hold their ministerial membership in the district assembly of the district wherein their church membership is held, to which body they shall report annually. Any elder or deacon who for two consecutive years does not report to his or her district assembly either in person or by letter shall, if the district assembly so elect, cease to be a member thereof. (201, 205.3, 521, 536.1)

Any member of the clergy uniting with a church or denomination other than the Church of the Nazarene, or other Christian ministry, will cease membership in the Church of the Nazarene unless he or she obtains approval of the District Advisory Board of the assembly district in which he or she holds ministerial membership. The district assembly shall cause to be entered into its minute record the following statement: “Expelled from the membership and ministry of the Church of the Nazarene by uniting with another church, denomination, or ministry.” (107, 112)

Any member of the clergy who withdraws or is expelled from local church membership when he or she is not in good standing may reunite with the Church of the Nazarene only with the consent of the District Advisory Board of the assembly district from which he or she withdrew or was expelled from membership. The District Advisory Board may grant its consent on condition that the former minister shall subsequently remain a lay member of the church or, with the approval of the district superintendent and the general superintendent in jurisdiction, that the former minister be readmitted as a member of the clergy under discipline having affirmed his or her willingness to participate actively and consistently in a recovery process. (539.6)

An elder or deacon whose name has been removed from a district assembly Roster of Ministers and who has not filed his or her credential shall not be recognized in any other district without having secured the written consent of the district assembly from whose Roster of Ministers his or her name was removed, except as otherwise provided. The District Advisory Board may act on a request of transfer of jurisdiction between assemblies. (538.11)

A member of the clergy must have the annual written approval of the District Advisory Board in order to do the following:

• regularly conduct independent church activities not under the direction of the Church of the Nazarene, or
• carry on independent missions or unauthorized church activities, or
• be connected with the operating staff of an independent church or other religious group, Christian ministry, or denomination.

Should a member of the clergy fail to comply with these requirements, he or she may, on recommendation by a two-thirds vote of the entire membership of the District Ministerial Credentials Board or District Board of Ministry, and by action of the district assembly, be expelled from the membership and ministry of the Church of the Nazarene. The final determination as to whether any specific activity constitutes “an independent mission” or “an unauthorized church activity” shall rest with the Board of General Superintendents. (112–112.1, 532.9)