General Superintendent Jerry Porter was interviewed by Cultural Expressions prior to the NBNC held in Orlando in July, 2008.
CE: Growing up on the mission field gave you an appreciation of the Hispanic contribution to Christianity. What have your black taught you about the faith?

Porter: I was honored to be able to minister with Black Nazarene leaders when I was District Superintendent of the Washington (now Mid-Atlantic) District. I celebrated their deep commitment to the holiness message and their passionate leadership in the local church and district prayer emphasis. I was deeply moved by their willingness to serve in the Church of the Nazarene, even when they were a minority in local churches and on the district. The energy and enthusiasm of the Black Nazarenes is contagious and much needed! Their heightened sensitivity for wise compassion and justice informs us all, as we respond to our communities and beyond.

CE: In the historic 1998 Multicultural Ministries Conference, you represented all Nazarenes by leading the assembly in prayers of confession and reconciliation, and pledged a more positive effort to include minorities in all areas of the Church of the Nazarene. How has the church responded, and how do you see the future?

Porter: The Church of the Nazarene is committed to including minorities in all areas of the church. The predominant cultural group must take steps to allow minorities to be empowered and represented. We have made some significant progress globally but minimal progress at the International Headquarters and in the USA and Canada. This is a concern that is being addressed by the BGS and other Global Ministry leaders.

CE: How does our understanding of holiness help us in building a multicultural church?

Porter: I believe heart holiness is characterized by power to witness, personal purity, and multicultural missionary passion. After Pentecost, the Jewish Christians were led by the Spirit to break out of their racial boundaries to include the Samaritans, the Greek Jehovah God-fearers, the Ephesian gentiles, and beyond! We are One body at One table with One Lord!

CE: The general church just adopted a new mission statement, "To make Christ-like Disciples in the Nations."  What does that mean to you, and how can black Nazarene help this effort?

Porter: Each of us needs to be able to answer two questions: Who is discipling me? And Who am I discipling? I challenged the Black Nazarene leaders to prayerfully embrace the mission of discipling the next generation of Nazarenes and infusing their passion and vision in them!

CE: You've said that the Church of the Nazarene is conservative in message, but liberal in method. What do you mean by this?

Porter: This is a statement Dr. L. Guy Nees expressed to me when I was a missionary in Costa Rica. He said that we need to be careful to protect the core message, but at the same time encourage creativity in methodology. He went on to say, "In her darkest hour, the Church of the Nazarene has been conservative in method and liberal in message . . . but in her most glorious hour she is conservative in message and liberal in method."