Church of the Nazarene

ASARB Member

Church of the Nazarene

17001 Prairie Star Pkwy
Lenexa, KS 66220
United States

Attesting Officer
Gen. Sec, Dr. David P. Wilson


38.9550665, -94.7810052


The Church of the Nazarene resulted from the merger of three independent holiness groups. The Association of Pentecostal Churches in America, located principally in New York and New England, joined at Chicago in 1907 with a largely West Coast body called the Church of the Nazarene and formed the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene. A southern group, the Holiness Church of Christ, united with the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene at Pilot Point, Texas, in 1908. In 1919 the word "Pentecostal" was dropped from the name. Principal leaders in the organization were Phineas Bresee, William Howard Hoople, H. F. Reynolds and C. B. Jernigan. Dr. H. F. Reynolds organized the first Canadian congregation in 1902 at Oxford, Nova Scotia. The Church of the Nazarene emphasizes entire sanctification or Christian Holiness. It stresses the importance of a devout and holy life and a positive witness through Christ-like character shaped by the Holy Spirit. Nazarenes express their faith through evangelism, compassionate ministries, and education. The church is connectional. Its polity combines episcopal, presbyterian, and congregational elements. Churches call pastors. Districts conduct annual assemblies and elect leaders. The quadrennial General Assembly, a delegated body, is international in scope and establishes doctrine and order, elects the general superintendents (currently six), and elects members to various church boards and agencies. Internationally the church has 13 liberal arts colleges and universities, five graduate seminaries, 34 Bible colleges, three schools of nursing, an education college, and a junior college. The church maintains 702 missionaries and has work in 156 world areas. World services include medical, educational and religious ministries. Books, periodicals and other Christian literature are published at the Nazarene Publishing House. The church is a member of the Christian Holiness Partnership, National Association of Evangelicals, the World Methodist Council, and the European Methodist Council.


Full Communicants Average Attendance Other Members Total Inclusive Members Total Churches Membership Calculation Method
1994
595,303
472,665
2,538
597,841
5,246
1993
589,398
474,518
1,736
591,134
5,263
1992
582,804
477,147
1,940
584,744
5,255
1991
572,153
477,605
1,681
573,834
5,281
1990
563,756
467,513
1,669
565,425
5,285
1989
558,664
466,040
2,589
561,253
5,299
1988
550,700
467,555
1,564
552,264
5,333
1987
541,892
467,748
1,884
543,776
5,204
1986
529,206
465,591
1,720
530,926
51,235,135
1985
520,741
464,941
1,341
522,082
5,055
1984
515,036
464,918
1,131
516,167
5,042
1983
506,542
467,547
1,183
507,725
5,000
1982
497,290
457,817
1,315
498,605
4,963
1981
490,752
448,413
1,351
492,103
4,926
1980
483,002
447,056
1,175
484,177
4,879
1979
473,635
431,190
1,094
474,729
4,863
1978
466,826
404,248
1,010
467,836
4,835
1977
459,629
337,406
807
460,436
4,833
1976
4,825
0
874
454,037
4,829
1975
445,524
0
286
445,810
4,825
1974
434,435
0
250
434,685
4,818
1973
421,413
0
351
421,764
4,806
1972
408,960
0
130
409,090
4,780
1971
398,365
0
135
398,500
4,758
1970
387,092
0
525
387,617
4,769
Serving Churches Retired Other Service to the Church Total Clergy
1994
5,955
2,293
3,848
12,096
1993
5,929
2,267
3,719
11,915
1992
5,838
2,230
3,768
11,836
1991
5,780
2,192
3,799
11,771
1990
5,742
2,162
3,733
11,637
1989
5,696
2,055
3,863
11,614
1988
5,641
1,983
3,799
11,423
1987
5,520
1,876
3,895
11,291
1986
5,425
1,779
3,916
11,120
1985
0
0
0
10,979
1984
0
0
0
11,005
1983
0
0
0
10,775
1982
0
0
0
10,539
1981
0
0
0
10,528
1980
0
0
0
10,359
1979
0
0
0
10,128
1978
0
0
0
10,067
1977
0
0
0
10,053
1976
0
0
0
9,858
1975
0
0
0
9,677
1974
0
0
0
9,462
1973
0
0
0
9,375
1972
0
0
0
9,137
1971
0
0
0
8,987
1970
0
0
0
8,724
Total Schools Staff Pupils Total Individuals
1995
4,909
0
0
819,965
1994
4,916
0
0
831,034
1993
4,925
0
0
846,548
1992
4,944
0
0
853,669
1991
4,956
0
0
861,113
1990
4,974
0
0
853,469
1989
4,999
0
0
865,238
1988
5,060
0
0
862,251
1987
4,976
0
0
851,406
1986
4,925
0
0
835,869
1985
4,896
0
0
815,277
1984
4,881
0
0
813,391
1983
4,857
0
0
822,607
1982
4,803
0
0
811,920
1981
4,766
0
0
819,941
1980
4,745
0
0
822,112
1979
4,722
0
0
828,324
1978
4,725
0
0
850,169
1977
4,687
0
0
871,554
1968
4,671
0
0
860,374
1967
4,676
0
0
813,125
1966
4,649
0
0
781,845
1965
4,575
62,154
684,171
747,828
1964
4,593
60,421
638,678
707,353
1963
4,564
61,746
657,280
696,236
Total Benevolences Total Financials Total Giving Local Expenses Method
1994
$92,267,269
$477,106,894
$339,537,589
$384,839,625
1993
$89,938,358
$457,313,145
$324,928,183
$367,374,787
1992
$86,337,675
$445,674,373
$318,655,283
$359,336,698
1991
$84,305,872
$434,930,348
$308,689,952
$350,624,476
1990
$79,870,914
$411,388,920
$290,798,995
$331,518,006
1989
$78,278,094
$399,550,511
$266,004,835
$321,272,417
1988
$76,399,823
$384,215,499
$256,343,350
$307,815,676
1987
$74,456,248
$367,193,924
$247,603,499
$292,737,676
1986
$69,913,302
$351,628,975
$239,685,921
$281,715,673
1985
$66,876,754
$332,761,593
$228,235,376
$265,884,839
1984
$62,112,017
$314,466,741
$216,736,567
$252,354,724
1983
$58,340,652
$294,480,896
$204,540,643
$236,140,244
1982
$54,261,522
$275,134,362
$191,416,088
$220,872,840
1981
$51,086,479
$253,171,986
$174,204,708
$202,085,507
1980
$46,516,278
$236,959,577
$159,803,828
$190,443,299
1979
$43,224,107
$213,509,749
$145,183,082
$170,285,642
1978
$39,292,476
$193,078,043
$132,353,103
$153,785,567
1977
$35,635,281
$177,201,233
$122,051,248
$141,565,952
1976
$33,133,690
$161,124,790
$110,890,651
$127,991,100
1975
$28,980,204
$144,198,044
$99,377,057
$115,217,840
1974
$25,853,846
$130,403,447
$89,365,584
$104,549,601
1973
$23,284,482
$114,446,855
$79,153,997
$91,162,373
1972
$20,654,412
$103,303,510
$71,695,327
$82,649,098
1971
$18,416,057
$93,274,265
$65,892,970
$74,858,208
1970
$16,702,592
$85,397,850
$60,409,250
$68,695,258