Haven’t you wondered about the story behind the Griffith Church of the Nazarene? This church has roots that stretch back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It emerged from a series of mergers. These mergers united various holiness churches and associations.
Let’s go back to the beginning. The Church of the Nazarene’s history is divided into seven overlapping periods. These periods are defined by the Nazarene archives staff in Kansas. They range from the late 1800s to the early 2000s. These periods include the parent denominations. They also include consolidation, the search for solid foundations, and persistence amid adversity. Later periods include a mid-century crusade for souls. Next is the movement toward the post-war evangelical mainstream. The final period is internationalization.
The Church of the Nazarene came to be through mergers. These mergers happened between holiness churches. They also involved associations and denominations. The most important mergers occurred at the First and Second General Assemblies. These were held in Chicago and Pilot Point. C. W. Ruth was the main person behind these early mergers.
Where did the name come from? The name comes from the Los Angeles-based Church of the Nazarene. Dr. Phineas F. Bresee and Dr. Joseph Pomeroy Widney founded it in 1895. The name “Nazarene” comes from the Bible. It describes Jesus Christ as being raised in Nazareth. So Jesus was considered a Nazarene. The name focuses on Jesus as “The Nazarene”. Followers of Jesus were initially called “Nazarenes” too.
According to Church of the Nazarene archivist Dr. Stan Ingersol the name “Jesus” was common. “Jesus of Nazareth” specified which Jesus he was. Acts references early Palestinian Christians as followers “of the Nazarene”. The term “Christian” developed outside Palestine. As Gentile Christianity spread Jesus became known as Christ. References to “the Nazarene” diminished. Nineteenth and early 20th century European writers brought back the term. They re-popularized “Nazarene.” This set the stage for the Church of the Nazarene to get its name.
Dr. Joseph Pomeroy Widney first suggested the name in 1895. Widney said the name came to him after praying all night. He said “Nazarene” symbolized Christ’s mission. It linked Him to the toiling heart of the world. The denomination ministered to the homeless and poor. It wanted to keep ministering to the “lower classes”.
At the First General Assembly in 1907, the name became Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene. This reflected the heritage of both groups. A General Assembly in 1908 upheld the 1907 decision. The term “Pentecostal” became problematic. It was used as a synonym for “holiness”. New meanings became attached to the term. These meanings were rejected by the Pentecostal Nazarenes. The word increasingly referred to charismatic gifts. Nazarenes never practiced or approved of speaking in tongues. In 1919, the General Assembly removed “Pentecostal” from the name. It became simply “Church of the Nazarene”.
The First General Assembly was held in Chicago in 1907. It brought together the Eastern and Western streams. The Western group was the Church of the Nazarene. The Eastern group was the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America. At the First General Assembly, Bresee and Reynolds were elected the first general superintendents.
Many independent bodies joined later. The Pentecostal Church of Scotland and the Pentecostal Mission joined in 1915. By this point, the Church of the Nazarene embraced seven previous denominations. In 1922, members of the Laymen’s Holiness Association joined. In the 1950s, there were mergers with other associations. The Church of the Nazarene and the Wesleyan Church became the two major denominations. They gathered in smaller bodies of the 19th century Wesleyan-holiness movement.
Despite its growth, the Church of the Nazarene experienced separations. Several groups withdrew to form new denominations. One of the first was the People’s Mission Church in 1912. The Bible Missionary Church was another significant defection in 1955.
Even before the merger of 1908, the Church of the Nazarene had a vision. It wanted to be an international denomination. International expansion began in India in 1898. By 1908, there were churches in Canada. Organized work had begun in India, Swaziland, Cape Verde, and Japan. In 2009, the church was located in 155 “world areas”. Each week, Nazarenes worship in many languages. The Church of the Nazarene reaches people globally.
Remember that the Griffith Church of the Nazarene is part of a long history. It continues to serve its community. It connects people through faith, family, and friendship.