The Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean) is a Christian denomination of the Anabaptist movement. It was formed in the early 1900s as the result of separating from their sister church, the Apostolic Christian Church of America. The Nazarene faith is widely spread across the globe, with congregations in Western Europe, Central and Eastern Europe, North America, Africa, Israel and Oceania. This church should not be confused with the Church of the Nazarene or the Pentecostal Apostolic Church which are entirely different denominations.
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The church was founded in the early 1830s by Samuel Heinrich Fröhlich, a young seminary student in Switzerland, who had experienced a biblical conversion. Being led of God through a true conversion, he began preaching the simple truths of the Bible. Approximately 110 congregations were formed in 35 years in several European countries. Froehlich's intent was to organize a church based on a literal interpretation of God's Word. He emphasized the scriptural principle, "...teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." Mt. 28:20 The church, while recognizing Froehlich's work, gives God the glory for all these accomplishments. Froehlich's attitudes and biblical understandings were shaped, in part, by the Sixteenth Century Anabaptists, whose doctrinal motto was "Sola Scriptura." This meant that Scriptures alone constituted the true foundation for doctrine and life-and they were to be followed. The church has continued over the years to diligently follow New Testament teachings, and to regard the entire Word as infallible and inerrant.
In Europe, the church was known as Evangelical Baptist. It later became known as Apostolic Christian in America. This name was chosen because the church follows the teachings of Christ and the Apostles.
The Apostolic Christian Church took root in America in 1847, when a church was organized in Lewis County, New York. The site was in the Croghan-Naumburg area. Another church was formed a year later at Sardis, Ohio. From this beginning in America the church grew, primarily in the fertile farming areas of the Midwest. As immigrants came from Europe (mostly from the Froehlich churches) and new converts were added in the United States, the church flourished. The believers were zealous in living and spreading the Word in America. From the 1920s on, most of the new churches formed in America were founded in metropolitan areas. This was because many of the church's offspring sought occupational opportunities in areas other than farming. Thus, today the Apostolic Christian Church consists of a blend of city and rural churches.
The Nazarene community of Europe originated in the 1840s. The name Nazarener-Gemeinde or Nazarene Community of Johann Jakob Wirz (Basel, 1778-1858), a Swiss silkweaver who became known as a visionary was founded by Wirz under the name Nazarener as one of the groups associated with the Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarene) of Samuel Heinrich Fröhlich (1803-1857). Two visiting Hungarian locksmiths were converted by Wirz and Fröhlich around 1830, these men returned to Budapest and converted a nineteen-year old blacksmith Louis Hencsey (Lajos Hencsei, 1814-44) who was to be known as the Hungarian Samuel Fröhlich, promoting Wirz and Fröhlich's teachings where it briefly flourished in Hungary, Serbia and Romania. The group survives today primarily as the Nazirineni church in Romania with around 1,000 members.[1][2][3][4] The Nazarenes were widely persecuted by their European authorities due their stance on peace and objection to weapons or war. During World War II many men were imprisoned and tortured for their beliefs.[5]
The Statement of Faith was put together from 1948 to 1950. Before this time the Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarene) had no organized doctrinal statement. Jack Kinkle of Mansfield, Ohio worked with Tony Betz and Pauline Miller to create the first "We Believe" statement. Since then it has been updated and expanded to its current form:[6]
AS WE BELIEVE...
1. WE BELIEVE that the Bible has been inspired by God, and is the complete and infallible Word of God. II Timothy 3:16, II Peter 1:20, Revelation 22:18–19
2. WE BELIEVE that there is one God, without beginning and without end. Revelation 1:8, Micah 5:2
3. WE BELIEVE that God is a trinity — Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19, II Corinthians 13:14
4. WE BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is God incarnate. He was born of a virgin. He lived a sinless life. He died on the cross in the place of the sinner, and His shed blood is the atonement for our sins. John 20:28, Isaiah 9:6–7, Hebrews 1:1–8, Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23, John 8:46, Hebrews 7:26, I John 2:2, II Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 2:13:20
5. WE BELIEVE in His bodily resurrection and His ascension to the right hand of God, and that He will make a personal return to earth in power and glory. I Corinthians 15:4–8, Matthew 25:31, Acts 1:9-11
6. WE BELIEVE that all are sinners and lost, awaiting the judgment of God, but God is not willing that any should be lost. Romans 3:10,23, II Peter 3:7–9, Romans 11:32
7. WE BELIEVE that the sinner may have salvation by repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. Acts 2:38, Acts 20:21, Romans 10:8–13, Hebrews 7:25
8. WE BELIEVE that a saving faith will result in regeneration by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God without which there is no salvation. John 1:12–13, 3:6–8, 16–17, Ephesians 5:26–27, I Peter 1:22–23
9. WE BELIEVE in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, by Whose indwelling the believer is empowered to live a Godly life in spiritual unity with Christ. John 1:33, Acts 8:16–17, Romans 8:2–17, John 14:23, I Corinthians 3:16, 12:13, I John 2:6
10. WE BELIEVE that both the saved and the lost will be resurrected; the saved unto life eternal and the lost unto eternal damnation. John 5:28–29, I Corinthians 15:51–58
11. WE BELIEVE that under any and all circumstances, we should speak the truth, and should not swear — obeying the commandment of Christ: "Swear not at all; but let your communication be Yea, Yea; and Nay, Nay. . . " Matthew 5:34–37, James 5:12
12. WE BELIEVE that government is ordained of God to enforce law and order and to prevent evil works. Government should, therefore, be supported and obeyed. Laws and ordinances — local, state and national — are to be respected and conscientiously obeyed, except when to do so violates the commandment of God. The call to military service, likewise, is to be respected and obeyed, but with the limitation to non-combatant service, as taught by Jesus Christ; "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Matthew 5:44, Romans 13:1–10, I Peter 2:13–15
13. WE BELIEVE that God now commands all men to repent and be baptized and that immersion is the scriptural mode of water baptism, but WE BELIEVE that baptism should be administered to those alone who have believed on Christ, and have been converted by Him, who have indeed died to sin and have experienced a spiritual rebirth. Matthew 28:19–20, John 3:3, Acts 2:38; 26:20, Romans 6:1–13, Acts 3:19, II Corinthians 5:17
14. WE BELIEVE in the exercise of discipline by the church in order to deal with the presence of sin in the lives of its members. I Corinthians 5:1–13, II Corinthians 2:5–11; 5:14–18, II Thessalonians 3:6; 14,15, Matthew 18:15–17, Hebrews 10:24–26, Galatians 6:1–2, Titus 3:10–11, I Timothy 5:20
15. WE BELIEVE that the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ is an invitation for everyone to live a life of abandonment to Him Who loved us and gave Himself for us — surrendering His personal ambitions and possessions in an unreserved committal to take the proclamation of the Gospel throughout "all the world to every creature." Matthew 28:19–20, Acts 1:8, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:47, II Corinthians 5:18, Luke 14:26–27, 33, Luke 5:27–28
16. WE BELIEVE that the gift of eternal life is a present possession of every true disciple of Jesus Christ, and that nothing nor anyone can take it from him; but, that it is a realistic possibility, however, for a true believer, once saved, of his own free will to no longer "continue in the faith" but instead to apostatize, "depart from the faith" return to sin, and consequently forfeit the eternal life he once possessed. I John 5:11–13, Romans 8:35–39, Acts 14:22, Hebrews 3:6, 12–14, Romans 6:16, II Peter 2:1–22, Matthew 25:24,30; I Corinthians 9:27; 10:1–12, I Timothy 1:18–20, 4:1–3, Revelation 2:10, 3:5, John 3:15–18, 15:1–7
17. WE BELIEVE that "the bread and fruit of the vine" in Holy Communion, symbolize the body and blood of Christ. Communion is served to members of the fellowship only, following self-examination. I Corinthians 10:16, 21; 11:17–32, Luke 22:7–20
18. WE BELIEVE that a veil or head covering should be worn by Sisters in the Lord during prayer and worship, as a symbol of their submission according to God's order of creation. I Corinthians 11:1–16
... THIS, WITH THE HELP OF THE LORD,WE LIVE
Most churches have the following:
Spread throughout the world, churches can be found in many countries.
Along with missionary work, the church also engages and operates in several nursing homes, schools, charities and orphanages.