Update from the Church of the Nazarene

Holiness Today is the official denominational publication for the Church of the Nazarene. Their six General Superintendents published the Annual Report which, in addition to news of incredible growth on their mission fields, included the following glimpses into their current "state of the church" in North America:

• 640,027 total members (US membership increased 0.6 percent last year)
  
• "A.M. worship" in the U.S.A. and Canada decreased 0.6 percent last year to 525,100.
  
• Offsetting newly-organized churches is the continued closing and merging of churches…The U.S.A., while organizing 39 congregations, closed 59.
• Canada closed 4 churches and did not report any newly organized congregations.

Another highlight was this word on their new HQ facility. They announced that it "is not just another building. It will be a new way of working together."

They also have a new mission statement: "…After 10 years of review by three different Boards, a decision was made in our December 2006 meeting to try to capture what is now taking place in the church...the Board unanimously adopted the following: Statement of Mission, Church of the Nazarene, "To make Christlike disciples in the nations."