Nazarene Missionaries

Nazarene Missionaries are missionaries trained and supported by the Church of the Nazarene. There are 796 Nazarene missionaries. Missionaries are sent around the world as a means for evangelism and church development. The Nazarene missionary is a member of the clergy or a layperson who has been appointed by the General Board to work a ministerial position through the World Mission Department/Evangelism Committee or through the USA/Canada Mission/Evangelism Committee. A missionary with an appointment and having a ministerial credential is considered an assigned minister. Single males are restricted from being missionaries, while single females have been appointed over couples and families by a 5:1 ratio. Nazarene missionaries are also required to obtain a Master's Degree and become debt free before being eligible for service. Previously, there was an age cap requiring missionaries to qualify for service before age 35, however that has been suspended due to an increasingly reduced amount of missionary applicants.

Activities

Nazarene missionaries minister to people in such regions as Africa, Asia Pacific, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, Eurasia and South America. The Church of the Nazarene ministers in more than 148 languages and 75 dialects and provides literature in 95 of these languages.

LINKS

Nazarene missionaries are assigned to districts, and then on the district level the missionaries are assigned to a local church. Each local church has an opportunity to become personally acquainted with the missionary family assigned to their church through a program called LINKS (Loving Interested Nazarenes Knowing and Sharing). The LINKS program connects missionaries with Nazarenes around the world. Churches send care packages, cash, and other gifts to their LINKS missionaries.

Finances

It takes approximately $55,000 per year to keep missionaries on the mission field. This includes the missionary’s assignment, language school, child education, medical plan and daily living expenses. The World Mission Department is the major support system for missionaries in the Church of the Nazarene. The World Mission Department has developed various ways to support missionaries serving on the mission field.

References

• Nazarene Missions. 2006. 27 Nov. Official Website
• Fairbanks, E. LeBron, Roger L. Hahn, Frank M. Moore, Jack Stone and J.K. Warrick, eds., Manual Church of the Nazarene. Indianapolis: Nazarene Publishing House, 2001.