The Church of the Nazarene is a wonderful denomination because:

1) It has just enough centralized oversight to be healthy. Our hard working General Superintendants (i.e. arch-bishops) and District Superintendants (i.e. bishops) are very inexpensive to fund and provide just the right level of government to keep us on track and away from errors experienced by dectralized and congregational church models. Yet also we avoid the heavy centralized, expensive government that can tend to corruption sluggishness seen in some episcopal and heirarchical church models. Nazarene get that balance just right.

2) We fully fund our wonderful missionaries. We have a modern, intelligent, culturally sensitive missions body that is a force for good around the world, working tighly to develop nationals to provide spiritual, educational, medical and infrastructural care and blessinbg. Yet our missionaries do not have to fund raise - we do that for them as a church. This model is rare, insightful and effective.

3) We have a brilliant metholodology of gradually allowing people to explore a call to rdained Christian ministry. The approach is graduated with local, district licensing and then ordination - a wide funnel. This is in stark contrast to other denominations that seem to demand instant full commitment when considering ordained Christian ministry.

4) Our commitment to education. nazarene run dozens of Universities and colleges around the world. May we never become an anti-intellectual fundamentalist church! We value the mind as well as the heart.

5) Our commitment to service - especially to the poorest and unenfranchized in society.

6) Our balanced view of gender: That we warmly embrace and uphold female believers in teaching, preaching, pastorates and leadership at the highest level. Truly we understand and live out the in-breaking value systenms of heaven, and a restored humanity!

7) Our tender, sensitive but firm line of rejecting from leadership in the church those in an ACTIVE gay lifestyle. While accepting and loving GLBT people as image bearers of God, and we do not follow the many crowds in recognizing an active gay lifestyle as normal or honoring of God. We applaud people who recognize themselves as being gay and who choose to live celebately - and gladly would welcome these people into leadership (just as we do for heterosexuals who reject sexual lifestyles that do not honor God). We live out a posture of brokenness and love towards the GLBT community and individuals - never falling into judgmentalism. We tenderly recognize this as an explosive and divisive area and approach our stance with intentional gentleness and authentic care. Few other denominations hold such a doctrinal position and such a Christ-like love for all people.

What a great part of the Christ's Church to worship and serve in!

Yesterday a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, epicentered just 10 miles from the capital, Port Au Prince, and with a depth of just 5 miles. Over 10 aftershocks registered magnitude 5.0. Devastation happened instantly.
1117GMT: Troy Livesay tweets:"Church groups are singing throughout the city all through the night in prayer. It is a beautiful sound in the middle of a horrible tragedy."
Now, more than ever, Haiti needs clean relaible water sources.
The Church of the Nazarene is a major presence for order, education and care in Haiti. Keep an eye on http://www.ncm.org/learn/disasterresponse/ as we respond. Pray for swift relief of those injured, grieving and materially needy.