Month: June 2025

Making Holiness Great Again

On By Rob Prince1 Comment

Making holiness great again is a worthy effort. What godly person doesn’t want holiness to be great?  The pharisees in the first century attempted to “make holiness great again.” Sadly, their version of “holiness”* was a strict adherence to the law, especially the sabbath laws. This approach weaponized holiness and put them in conflict with Jesus on multiple occasions. Theirs was a haughty brand of “holiness” that in the end looked nothing like the humble holiness that Jesus exuded. When holiness disintegrates into a prideful, battle weapon it is no longer holiness. It’s a self-congratulatory enterprise that looks more like the smirking pharisees on Good Friday, than the forgiving, dying Savior on the cross. It’s no longer great.

Religious bullying in the name of God Almighty is what Jesus abhorred. Could it be that Jesus is still disgusted by anyone touting a far less than great brand of holiness. A “holiness” more intent on keeping rules and keeping out rule breakers, than it is on a welcoming, Philippians 2:5-11, selfless-love brand of holiness?

Holiness is great when smugness is swapped with the unpretentious fruit of the Spirit.
Holiness is great when pride is replaced with humility. 
Holiness is great when it’s characterized by true righteousness not self-righteousness.
Holiness is great when perfect love chases out all fear.
Holiness is great when it looks like the open-armed father and not the angry, rule keeping older brother when his prodigal sibling returned.
Holiness is great when there are less pitch forks and torches and more flames of the Spirit. 
Holiness is great when the miniscule search for specks in the eyes of offenders gives way to 
lumberjack-ian task of log removeable from one’s own optic nerves. 
Holiness is great when it looks like Jesus.

One of the core values of the Church of the Nazarene is “holiness.” It would have been one of the pharisees’ core values too. Do we look more like the pharisees or Jesus? The pharisaical brand of “holiness” is one where there are multiple boxes which need to be checked. Accordingly, if not all of the boxes are checked, then it’s not “holiness.” The Jesus brand of holiness has only one box: holy forgiving selfless love.** If it’s checked, it’s holiness. Let’s strive to check that box. Let’s make that brand of holiness great again.

*The pharisees’ “holiness” is in quotation marks, because it’s something, but whatever it is– it’s not holiness. 

**Please Note: Jesus made demands on his followers (most notably “pick up your cross and follow me”). But those demands flow from a heart of love, not out a code of ethical boundaries. Those demands reflect–  Holy. Forgiving. Selfless. Love. 

Is it time for the Silent Majority in the Church of the Nazarene to speak?

On By Rob Prince1 Comment

Most people in the Church of the Nazarene (CotN) are silent when it comes to the happenings of the church. I’m not talking about those members on the fringe that barely know they attend a Nazarene church. No, these silent folks are “in the know.” They know all about the CotN. They observe social media happenings concerning the CotN. They pay attention to the issues in the church and in the world. They hear the chatter from the conservative groups, progressive groups, charismatic influenced groups, our college happenings or things on the mission field (both good and bad). They have opinions regarding these things. They simply keep their thoughts to themselves.

This is especially true for those in leadership positions. There must be a class when one enters the Global Ministry Center (GMC) on the how to avoid making comments on social media. Don’t “like” any opinion. Don’t address any problem. Don’t offend one side or the other. Be quiet.

I can’t blame them. I’ve seen people take a position (it’s happened to me) and one side or the other goes ballistic. Their name and opinion gets dragged through the mud. Their outlook was lambasted. People assumed this or that about the person. Usually it’s not good. People they thought were their friends (not just “Facebook friends,” but real ones) write hurtful things. Any response would come across as “defensive.” They’ve learned their lesson. “Stay quiet.”

(I’m pretty sure I have the inglorious distinction of one who has offended just about everyone at one time or another with these little 500-700 word blogs. Yet here I am, blabbering on. Apparently, I have not learned my lesson). 

There is a reason why the cliché, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” is true. We’ve seen it happen over and over in the church. The ones who yell the loudest– get the attention. No matter if their opinions are contrary to the stated doctrines of the Church. No matter if the loudest and angriest display very un-Christlike attributes. No matter that their bullying tactics intimidate people into silence. No matter that their message of aggression and callousness is what non-believers also see. “Truth,” they say, is what they are defending. But if “truth” is conveyed in an untruthful or un-Christlike manner is it still the “Truth”? “If you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen,” the theological bullies tell us. That’s another truth-filled cliché which is leading the silent exodus of sound-minded people. 

I’ve heard some opinions say, “80% of Nazarenes are nice and wonderful followers of Jesus and there are 10% of Nazarenes are on either end of the bully stick.” 10% ultra-conservative bullies and 10% ultra-progressive bullies. I tend to think the percentages are not nearly that strong. My estimation is that it’s only 1% on either end. Maybe less. At least, 98% of Nazarenes are following after Jesus and striving to live a holy life. The squeaky wheels are 2% (maybe less), but those squeaky wheels get a lot of the greasy attention on social media and elsewhere.

Solomon was right. “There is a time to be silent and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:7). It should go without saying (but I’m writing about it so maybe it’s not so obvious): We can’t always be silent. There is a time to speak. Former “CBS Evening News” anchor Scott Pelley said, “The most important thing is to have the courage to speak, to not let fear permeate the country so that everyone suddenly becomes silent. If you have the courage to speak, we are saved. If you fall silent, the country is doomed.”  Substitute the words “Church of the Nazarene” for the word “Country” and there’s a lesson for my fellow Silent Majority Nazarene members (yes, I count myself in that group). There are times when we can’t be silent. We must speak. It may  upset 1% on either end of the Nazarene spectrum, but we cannot fear. Take courage. Speak. 

Do Nazarenes Truly Believe Article of Faith XI?

On By Rob Prince1 Comment

In the world of denominationalism, the Church of the Nazarene (cotn) is small. Yes, it is inching close to 3 million members worldwide. Yes, there was slight growth in USA/Canada last year. Yes, in the world of “holiness” churches, the cotn is a bigger group than most in that very small subset. Still, in the Church universal, the cotn is a small tribe. 

Being small has some benefits. Like the sitcom Cheers bar, it seems everyone knows your name. Often it’s more like family than a denomination. There is a comfortable familiarity, going into a Nazarene church on the other side of the world and seeing posters for the World Evangelism Fund or an alabaster offering. It’s easy to think, “Yes, these are my people.” 

But being small, also means when a family member leaves or is asked to leave, you know it. It hurts just a little bit. Sometimes it hurts a lot. 

People leave for a variety of reasons, I’ve had people move to a community without a cotn and have joined another church. For some, sinful choices lead them to no longer fellowship in the cotn. Others got miffed at someone (Read: often the pastor) and have joined another church. Occasionally, an elder or licensed minister has gotten sideways with a doctrine or belief and have felt, he/she needs to exit. In rare cases (very rare) an elder is asked to leave. Ordered to do so by a church trial, if necessary. Those rare instances, usually make headlines on social media. It gets the usual characters grumbling, but trials for heresy are extremely rare.

The eleventh Article of Faith in the Manual of the cotn states: The Church is a historical reality that organizes itself in culturally conditioned forms, exists both as local congregations and as a universal body. Notice the capital “C” in “Church” and the word, “universal” regarding the Church. Nazarenes recognize that there are Christians in other traditions that will likewise receive an eternal reward and hear the Master say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” One need not show their Nazarene membership card or give St. Peter the secret Nazarene handshake (we don’t have one of those, do we?) to gain entrance through the pearly gates. 

Since Article XI exists, doesn’t it make sense that when someone leaves to join another church (for whatever reason) we would not besmirch their name or in other ways cast doubt on their faithfulness or Christian standing. Instead, we would wish them well and continue to pray for their good standing before the Lord. We wouldn’t celebrate the aforementioned exit (especially on social media). We wouldn’t draw lines in the sand. We wouldn’t contact lawyers. We would say, “Brothers and sisters, we may differ on some of the finer points of our faith but we are part of the Church universal. Go and be well.” 

At times, when someone leaves, it feels like a divorce. Betrayal even. Someone has to be right and someone has to be wrong. But does it have to be that way? Can’t two things be right at the same time? Neither party is evil. Both are trying to “work out their salvation in fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Can’t there be a world where both the witch-hunts and the brazen, willful disregard to the Manual are out of bounds those who swore to uphold it? Moreover, can’t we refuse to resort to name calling while walking out the door or shouts of distain from inside the holy confines toward those walking away?

Being a part of the Church (capital “C”) means (in a too simplistic way) we have common beliefs regarding the primacy of Christ and the inspired Holy Bible containing all we need to know regarding salvation. After that, aren’t we all are “working it out.” If we truly believe Article XI, those exiting for another church would still feel loved. If we truly believe Article XI, we wouldn’t be so territorial. If we truly believed Article XI we would be sad, maybe even heart-broken, when one of our own sheep heads to a new pasture, but we wouldn’t be un-Christ-like. Not if we believe, Article XI.