On Wednesday, the 29th General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene took the following actions:

(Go to ga2017.com/resolutions to view documents.)

• Rejected a proposal to hold General Assembly every fifth year. 


• Approved SF-604 pertaining to shared responsibility for funding the denominational mission. 


• Referred CA-710 to the BGS for study over the next quadrennium. The resolution would have revised Manual paragraphs pertaining to alcohol consumption and the use of other intoxicants. In the same vote, JUD-833, which called for a task force to study alcohol consumption, was also referred. 


• Adopted CA-711. 


• Referred to the BGS resolution CA-714, “Sanctity of Human Life,” which sought to delete Manual paragraphs 31-31.6, and place a new statement on the subject in the 903 section of the Manual, which contains statements on current moral and social issues. (CA-714)


• Amended Manual para. 903.8, “Creation,” to include the statement that we “are open to scientific explanations on the nature of creation, while opposing any interpretations of the origin of the universe and of humankind that rejects God as the Creator.” (CA-719)


• Amended Manual para. 28.1 to add that “we hold that the . . . teachings of Jesus Christ, demonstrated most fully and concisely in the Great Commandment and the Sermon on the Mount, constitute the basic Christian ethic.” (CA-718)


• Suspended the rules in order to treat, as a package, a series of resolutions pertaining to clergy credentials, discipline, and restoration. The group of resolutions aim for consistent harmony between all Manual statements on the subject. The resolutions involved are MED-535 through MED-567.


• Added a new paragraph to the Manual regarding appointment of a recovery team to assist the family of a minister who has engaged in misconduct. This team, consisting of no fewer than three persons, is to engage in “compassionate intervention” and is appointed by the district superintendent in consultation with the District Advisory Board. (MED-554 and MED-555) This team is to “provide a timely and redemptive response to the minister, his or her spouse and family, church and community in situations of clergy misconduct.” (MED-566)


• Added language to Manual para. 512 that defines a missionary as a member of the clergy or a lay person who ministers “under the supervision of Global Mission Department.” It replaces language that defined the role as one who has been “appointed by the General Board to minister for the church through the Global Mission Committee.” The change recognizes that missionaries a now sent by various world regions of the Church of the Nazarene. (MED-509)


• Amended Manual paragraph 123 to require that extending the current pastoral call will require a two-thirds vote by the church board and a two-thirds vote by the congregation. This provision replaces a simple majority vote. (LA-400)