You Belong

At Shawnee Church of the Nazarene we are called to be an intentional community. In doing life together, we discover our identity as a people who GATHER, GIVE, and GROW. As we gather for worship and fellowship, we learn to love each other as Christ has loved us. Discovering our identity in Christ calls us into rhythms of compassion, generosity, and service. All the while, we engage in discipleship through prayer and the ministry of the Word that our faith would continue to grow. 

Our identity is found through our relationship with God and we desire to help others discover their new identity in Christ as well. We believe people are invited to respond to relationship with God because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We believe that as a part of responding to the grace of God in our lives we are called to then share the love of God with others. 

Matthew 28:19 says, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus shows us in his life what it means to welcome everyone into the kingdom of God. Jesus welcomed religious people and outsiders, rich and poor, the sick and the forgotten, society’s outcasts— We strive to follow the example of Jesus and to welcome everyone into the kingdom of God. 

“Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other. Don’t hesitate to be enthusiastic — be on fire in the Spirit as you serve the Lord! Be happy in your hope, stand your ground when you’re in trouble, and devote yourselves to prayer.

Contribute to the needs of God’s people, and welcome strangers into your home. Bless people who harass you — bless and don’t curse them. Be happy with those who are happy, and cry with those who are crying. 

Consider everyone as equal, and don’t think that you’re better than anyone else. Instead, associate with people who have no status. Don’t think that you’re so smart. 

Don’t pay back anyone for their evil actions with evil actions, but show respect for what everyone else believes is good. If possible, to the best of your ability, live at peace with all people." - Romans 12:10-19

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Shawnee Naz is part of the International Church of the Nazarene

WE ARE A CHRISTIAN PEOPLE

As members of the Church Universal, we join with all true believers in proclaiming the Lordship of Jesus Christ and in embracing the historic Trinitarian creedal statements of Christian faith. We value our Wesleyan-Holiness heritage and believe it to be a way of understanding the faith that is true to Scripture, reason, tradition, and experience.

WE ARE A HOLINESS PEOPLE

God, who is holy, calls us to a life of holiness. We believe that the Holy Spirit seeks to set us free from a life dominated by sin, renew us in the image of God, empower us to love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbors as ourselves, and produce in us the character of Christ. Holiness in the life of believers is most clearly understood as Christlikeness.

WE ARE A MISSIONAL PEOPLE

We are a sent people, responding to the call of Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit to go into all the world, witnessing to the Lordship of Christ and participating with God in the building of the Church and the extension of His kingdom (Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 6:1). Our mission (a) begins in worship, (b) ministers to the world in evangelism and compassion, (c) encourages believers toward Christian maturity through discipleship, and (d) prepares women and men for Christian service through Christian higher education.