Question about Nazarene please

[Godsgirl481]

Hi everyone...I'm not here to debate or anything....I just wanna ask a question. My grandfather was a Nazarene preacher, and I grew up in a Nazarene church. When I moved out on my own, I experienced other denominations. My boyfriend and I were going to a non-denominational church but found a home at the Nazarene church. He was asking me, since I grew uop Nazarene...what they believe verses like Baptist...since that's how he grew up. I couldn't answer his questions because I have no clue. Can someone shed light on it for me...thank you. :D

[WesleyJohn]

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[Plan 9]

Greetings, Bams! http://sevenofnine.cherrytaco.com/Miscellanea/Emoticons/icon_welcome.gif http://sevenofnine.cherrytaco.com/Miscellanea/Emoticons/icon_grouphug.gif http://sevenofnine.cherrytaco.com/Miscellanea/Emoticons/icon_bounce.gif

If you happen to know what Baptist background he has, that might help, too. I have many Southern Baptist family members. :)

[Godsgirl481]

I'm not sure what background he has really...he just asked me that question and I had no clue what to tell him. I might be able to do some research online and that might help...i don't know

[Plan 9]

Well, Bams, Wesley John sure knows his stuff. Do you know what he meant by his question? Does he agree with the non-denominational church, and if, so, what is taught there? If he doesn't agree with something there, that would help, too. :)

[Anti-Fear]

Be VERY careful about going to churches that call themselves "non-denominational"

[Godsgirl481]

well to answer plan 9's question...he didn't disagree with anything tought by the non-denominational church....we just sorta stopped going for really no reason...and someone invited him to the new church and he loves it there. He just asked me that question and I had a hard time with it.

[WesleyJohn]

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[Godsgirl481]

Oh how confusing...that's sorta why I always stuck with "non-denominational" cause it was much more easier for me to understand it all. I come from a home that praticed Wicca and Satanism...so to try to understand all of the denominations and understand the Bible is proving very difficult :sigh:

[Plan 9]

Oh how confusing...that's sorta why I always stuck with "non-denominational" cause it was much more easier for me to understand it all. I come from a home that praticed Wicca and Satanism...so to try to understand all of the denominations and understand the Bible is proving very difficult :sigh:


It does take some time, but you have that. :)
Think of it as a voyage of discovery? That's what I do. You don't have to sort out everything all at once, you know.
It sounds like both you and your boyfriend are both happy at the church you're attending now, and that's a wonderful thing, Bams.

[Godsgirl481]

He loves it there but I haven't had a chance to go yet cause I work a lot...but the pastor is super nice and is trying to set up some counseling for me and stuff :)

[WesleyJohn]

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[Godsgirl481]

Thanks so much...I will let him read that so he can understand it too :)

[stofo]

i go to a nazarene university. the nazarene theology professors there dont belive the old testament is literal, the believe in theistic evolution, they dont think Moses really parted the red sea or that manna realy is what the jews in the wilderness ate. one even belives everyone gets into heaven even if you dont know who Jesus is. He also believes that matter has always coexisted with God, meaning God didnt create everything. i hope not all nazarens are this liberal. So the difference between Nazarenes (at least the ones ive met so far) and Baptist is that when the Bible says something, they Believe it (like Moses Parting the Red Sea). Furthermore, Baptist are calvinistic in their theology. This mean they think God chooses who will be saved. I edited this post, sorry for those of you who i offended before.

[overnight]

first to stofo:

Remember this is a place of people who have similar minds and attacking our views is strickly forbiden in the rules of CF let alone our oen rules in WP. ALthough this is not comming from a mod just remember this area is for friendly disscussion.

Now to bams take it from someone who went to a non-denom church for a long time. They can make you more confused in the end. Find a church with a strong Bible background and is based less on emotions. I think your decission to try a Nazarene church is a great idea. Secound work with the preacher there to help you grow in a better understanding of what it means to be "Nazarene" then you can learn from him what the differences and similariteis of the baptist church are. No offence WJ but tell people CAvlinistic and predestination etc can make people who don't know much about theology and the Bible in general more confused. That is why I suggest work with your local preacher, read some of the posts on this section they deal with what Nazarene's believe on a general level. but most importantly pray, read the scriptures, and seak what GOd would have you do.

[WesleyJohn]

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[overnight]

Thank you for the edit on the post but I would like to address the issue of the parting of the Red Sea. There is a thought that this has been missinterpreted and that original language said this is the Reed Sea. Now I don't want to cause any unwarned arguing here but that is why I put my emphasis on what the New testimate says especially the gospels and Jesus's message. I think the most important thing is to know what you beilieve so that when you hear things that you have questions about you can know what you beilieve.

[PaladinGirl]

Well, I know Nazarenes don't believe in once saved always saved. Southern Baptists do believe in once saved always saved. I'm not sure about other Baptists although General Baptists don't believe in once saved always saved.

[Godsgirl481]

Denominations themselves confuse me...cause they are all reading from the same book...but have so many different beliefs. I am more concerned with reading the Bible and actually understanding what I am reading...which in itself is proving very difficult. :|

[overnight]

Bams the thing that is interesting about what you are saying is so very true. First what version of the Bible do you use. If it is language try finding one with better lanuguage. I try and find a church that matches at least at some level what I beilieve. I have found that the UMC had met that best because it allows a person to choose what they beilieve. Maybe join in on a Bible study at a church and see if that may help you learn better how to understand the Bible better.

[WarDog]

That's very interesting. Do you mind telling us which Nazarene University you go to? I doubt you would find very many Nazarenes who are quite as liberal as the professor you have described.

(By the way... I don't believe Moses parted the Red Sea either--I believe God did.)

Grace and Peace,

WJI had someone from my former Church say something similiar about one of the Nazarene Colleges, Can't remember which one, in Southern California. It bothered me then and it bothers me now that a Nazarene professor would teach Theistic Evolution. I was brought up in the Church and unless something has changed in our doctrine, it has never believed in ANY type of evolution.

[bigsierra]

I had someone from my former Church say something similiar about one of the Nazarene Colleges, Can't remember which one, in Southern California. It bothered me then and it bothers me now that a Nazarene professor would teach Theistic Evolution. I was brought up in the Church and unless something has changed in our doctrine, it has never believed in ANY type of evolution.

I wouldn't trust that anyone said that unless you hear it officially or hear it from the horses mouth. Rumors don't help anyone, especially rumors like this. Make the rumor mongers prove it.

[Seeker64]

On the issue of "Theistic Evolution" being taught in at least one of our universities is true.

A friend of mine's brother teaches at one of the Universitys and is a staunch believer in "Theistic Evolution" and other liberal thinking identified by Stofo.

It's not hard to find out what school it is...ask your local D.S. or one of the G.S.'s.

It upsets my pastor, myself, and others within the Nazarene Holiness movement that professors in our schools would be allowed to hold such views.

Press on to the Prize...

Jeff
Psalm 13:6

[HeatherJay]

I had someone from my former Church say something similiar about one of the Nazarene Colleges, Can't remember which one, in Southern California. It bothered me then and it bothers me now that a Nazarene professor would teach Theistic Evolution. I was brought up in the Church and unless something has changed in our doctrine, it has never believed in ANY type of evolution.
The Nazarene doctrine says nothing about a literal interpretation of Genesis, either. From the CotN Articles of Faith...
We believe in the plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, by which we understand the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, given by divine inspiration, inerrantly revealing the will of God concerning us in all things necessary to our salvation, so that whatever is not contained therein is not to be enjoined as an article of faith.

My congregation is full of people who believe in theistic evolution, 6 day creation, and many who fall somewhere in between. The doctrine simply says that God's message to us is inerrantly revealed in all things necessary to our salvation. It does not say that we all necessarily have to use the Bible as our only history/science book....since, last I checked, that question ("Do you believe in a literal 6 day creation???") isn't the one that determines our salvation. It something that we each must follow our convictions about.