The “Middle Way” and General Assembly 2023

NOTE: I’ve re-posted this today (June 11) since some may not have seen it last month.

If you’ve ever driven in the rain on a muddy road, you know the danger. To the left and to the right are ditches. Veer too far in one direction and you’ll be sorry, your car or truck damaged and out of commission.

For the Church of the Nazarene, General Conventions and Assembly 2023 (June 9-16) are underway in Indianapolis. Delegates from across the globe have gathered to consider multiple resolutions. (All General Assembly resolutions are available at this link). I’ve been reflecting on how Nazarenes embody the Middle Way on a number of issues, and how – while challenging – there is wisdom in charting and maintaining a course that avoids peril in the ditches.

Let us examine three issues where this “down the middle” stance has allowed for balanced, effective, and compassionate ministry. These issues are baptism, the gift of languages, and human sexuality.

Baptism

Baptism is the sacrament of initiation into the family of God. In the book of Acts, an entire household (Greek oikos) could be baptized at once. In Acts 10, Peter baptized Cornelius and his household, whereas in Acts 16, Paul and Silas baptized into God’s family the jailer and his oikos. This is a New Testament echo of the Old Testament teaching, where Joshua proclaimed: “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15, NIV). Households undoubtedly included individuals both young and old. Peter was correct when he promised the crowd in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost: “For the promise is for you and for your children…” (Acts 2:39b, ESV).

The Manual of the Church of the Nazarene reflects in both its Article of Faith on baptism and its baptism rituals the Bible’s teaching that baptism is an outward sign of God’s inward grace active in the life of an individual, at all stages of the human journey. Baptism places the spotlight on God and not on us. Whether parents present their babies for baptism or older children, teens, or adults present themselves, the meaning is the same: The Church welcomes them into the people of God. For babies, they will later at the appropriate age receive instruction on the meaning of their baptism, usually around age 12, where they can then publicly acknowledge their faith in Christ. (Note: This public affirmation should not be a so-called “rebaptism” since baptism is a single event in life. See Ephesians 4:5). For baptism candidates who are older, a class prior to their baptism is sufficient. This both/and position – of allowing for infant baptism and believer baptism – is an example of the Middle Way that has served Nazarenes well since our birth in Pilot Point, Texas in 1908.

On the other hand, one area where the Church of the Nazarene has been strangely out-of-step with the larger community of Christian faith is the relationship between baptism and membership. It is possible currently to be a member in the Church of the Nazarene and not have been baptized. This seems all the more odd when we teach new Nazarenes that we are Christian, Holiness, and Missional. The Christian position is clear, that baptism is the sacrament of initiation into the Church. The sequence should be 1) baptism, and 2) reception into Nazarene membership.The General Assembly has the opportunity to bring us in-line with historic Christian practice by voting to approve CA-701.

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