On Tuesday, July 8, 2008, Tom Nees, USA/Canada Mission/Evangelism Director, held a live online chat with Nazarene pastors in the United States and Canada on denominational revisioning. As Nees says, “The 2008 centennial is a timely occasion to reconsider denominational structures, commitments, and relationships in order to be faithful to God’s call upon us.” Below is an edited and shortened transcript of the conversation. A more complete transcript can be found online at . Questions to Nees appear in bold print.

Tom Nees: I want to thank you for joining me today in a conversation on Nazarene revisioning. It’s a big topic and you—our Nazarene pastors—are vital to the discussion as we consider how to be faithful to God’s call as a denomination. I welcome your best thoughts, ideas, and questions on the topics we’ve developed. Let’s get to it!

How do we begin to view people with disabilities as whole people called by God to be a part of our local congregations, using their God-given gifts for the church’s edification and God’s glorification?

Tom Nees: You’ve answered your own question. People with disabilities should be accepted and treated as you have stated. Too often our churches have failed to recognize both the resource and the opportunity for ministry among and through people with disabilities.

How will revisioning benefit the multicultural groups in the church?

Tom Nees: A part of what is driving revisioning is globalization and the realization that English-speaking white people will be the minority group in the Church of the Nazarene in the near future, if not already. Particular countries will have their own cultural issues to address as a part of an international, multicultural denomination.

What will the revisioning discussion do to promote gender diversity?

Tom Nees: With an increasing number of God-called women prepared for pastoral ministry there is a need to change the culture of our local churches. Women have and will serve well in pastoral ministry as well as in administrative positions.

What does it mean to be a missional church? Our church tries to reach out to our neighborhood, but how do I know if we’re truly being missional? How do you measure missional?

Tom Nees: The word “missional” is used to describe congregations that are intentional about applying missions in their own neighborhoods. In the past, we supported so-called “foreign” missions, while often overlooking the opportunities for missionary work close to home. Missional often describes a “sent” church vs. a “sending” church. A missional church is both and understands that it exists to carry out God’s mission in the world and that the congregation itself is not the target audience for its resources and activities.

At the M7 conference, Reggie McNeal said that God is at work in the world, not the church. If that’s so, what is our denomination doing to foster the development of nonchurched based ministries, such as campus ministries, faith-based non-profits, and house churches? Given what McNeal said, shouldn’t our priorities be there?

Tom Nees: I don’t agree with the statement that God is not at work in the church. McNeal has helped us understand that the typical local congregation as we have known it needs to change and reinvent itself or become obsolete. While some forms of church will likely disappear, many new expressions of the Christian faith are emerging.

Is it time to look at the polity of the U.S. church and eliminate some level of detail and structure allowing for more flexibility in the local church as has been done in the global regions?

Tom Nees: Yes. There is general recognition that while the Manual section on the local church is helpful in creating accountability for churches and pastors, that parts of it have become dated. The fact is there are hardly two churches alike anymore only intensifies the issue. Local congregations are creating new structures—“new wineskins” to communicate the gospel in a variety of new ways.

I think we need our districts and denominational center, but how do you see their role vis-à-vis the local church?

Tom Nees: The general superintendents have repeatedly stated that everything done by the districts and denominational center should support the ministry of the local church. As a denomination we are a network of local churches. Our primary means of propagating the gospel is through church development—starting and strengthening churches. Everything must support that priority.

Do you think that revisioning discussion will help bring together a more holistic and integrated understanding of holiness in terms of personal piety, social holiness, and social justice? In other words, will we return more deeply to our roots?

Tom Nees: Revisioning is primarily about church structures rather than doctrinal interests. However, structures do reflect how we go about advancing the Kingdom through our message and mission. Our organizational structures encourage or discourage commitment and compassion.

What do you see as our greatest hurdles to deal with as a denomination in the next several years?

Tom Nees: Making the case for connection to a denominational fellowship is a challenge since so many churches are independent. Cultural changes that effect church attendance will be a big challenge. Globalization will have a great impact on the denomination. What will the Church of the Nazarene be like when there are as many Nazarenes in Africa as in the United States?

I believe in diversity and that our church should be more multicultural. Yet, white leaders predominate, especially at the top. It seems to me that we can’t wait for the majority to change—or it will be too late. What can we do to get more diversity within our ranks?

Tom Nees: Diversity doesn’t just happen. To advance an inclusive church in a multicultural society will take intentional planning to be sure our leadership represents the diversity that already exists in the church, as well as sends a message to others that all people groups are welcome among us, and that we are willing to change as others enrich our faith community.

I hear lots of talk about shrinking the size of district and general budgets in favor of them being solely in service to the ministry of the local church. What specifically are the “services” that the district and general church is currently providing the local church? What “services” are we envisioning for the future? Are we clear or unanimous yet on what those are?

Tom Nees: There is an ongoing interest in determining how district and general church structures can best serve local church development. In a connectional fellowship such as ours we agree through legislative processes to work together on ministries and missions important to all of us. As a part of the revisioning process an inventory of all Global Ministry Center resources and programs is underway. A comprehensive survey is being sent to pastors to solicit feedback about programs and resources that are needed and those no longer needed.

Loyalty is often a by-product of other things. How is denominational loyalty created?

Tom Nees: Denominational loyalty is often the result of long-standing family connections and familiar traditions, but it must go further than that. A denomination, to retain the support, if not loyalty, of its constituents must be identified with a compelling cause or vision for the future and not just hold on to traditionalism.

Thank you for your time. Please know I intend to share the results of this conversation with our general superintendents and other Nazarene leaders so they are fully aware of your thoughts and ideas as we reflect on our mission, particularly in the U.S. and Canada.