General Assembly HISTORY

What is the General Assembly?

The General Assembly is the highest legislative body of the Church of the Nazarene and the place where the global church gathers to discern God’s direction and make decisions that shape the life and mission of the denomination. The Manual describes it as the church’s “supreme doctrine-formulating, lawmaking, and elective authority,” operating under the Church Constitution.

General Assembly Beginnings

The first General Assembly met in Chicago, Illinois, USA, in October 1907, bringing together founding groups that would become the Church of the Nazarene. The second Assembly, held in Pilot Point, Texas, USA, in 1908, completed the merger of holiness groups from the South with those already united from the East and West. General Superintendent Phineas F. Bresee described this union as “an answering of the Lord’s prayer that they may be one.”

The earliest General Assemblies focused on unifying the church, establishing governance, and defining a shared mission. In the years that followed, the Assembly helped shape the denomination’s structure and identity, including the development of the General Board, the Board of General Superintendents, and the ongoing care and revision of the Manual, which guides the church’s doctrine, polity, and practice.

Beginning in 1932, the General Assembly adopted a regular four-year meeting schedule. As the church expanded globally, the Assembly also grew—from 166 recorded delegates in 1908 to more than 1,000 delegates at recent gatherings, representing Nazarene regions around the world.

Kansas City has played a significant role in General Assembly history. The Assembly first met there in 1915 at Kansas City First Church of the Nazarene and later returned in 1919, 1923, 1936, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1968, and 1980. The 31st General Assembly and Conventions will gather in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, marking the tenth time the city has hosted the Assembly and the first time since 1980.

General Assembly Today

Today, the General Assembly continues its historic role through worship, fellowship, legislative business, and global collaboration. Delegates gather for inspirational services, hear the Quadrennial Address from the Board of General Superintendents, elect denominational leaders, participate in regional caucuses, and consider resolutions that may shape the future life and ministry of the church worldwide. Conventions for Nazarene Missions International (NMI), Nazarene Youth International (NYI), Nazarene Discipleship International (NDI), and other ministries are also held in conjunction with the Assembly.

Participation in the General Assembly means stepping into a long-standing tradition of shared governance, global unity, and faithful discernment. From its beginnings in Chicago and Pilot Point to gatherings attended by thousands from around the world, the General Assembly remains a visible expression of the Church of the Nazarene’s commitment to holiness, unity, and the mission of making Christlike disciples in the nations.

A Century of Assembly

Tracking 116 years of growth, connection, and gathering across the global family. From the first session in Chicago to the modern hubs of the Midwest.
116
YEARS COVERED
30
TOTAL ASSEMBLIES

10-17 Oct

1907
1st
Chicago, Illinois

8-14 Oct

1908
2nd
Pilot Point, Texas

5-14 Oct

1911
3rd
Nashville, Tennessee

30 Sept-11 Oct

1915
4th
Kansas City, Missouri

25 Sept-6 Oct

1919
5th
Kansas City, Missouri

20 Sept-2 Oct

1923
6th
Kansas City, Missouri

13-25 June

1928
7th
Columbus, Ohio

12-23 June

1932
8th
Wichita, Kansas

21-29 June

1936
9th
Kansas City, Missouri

16-24 June

1940
10th
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

18-23 June

1944
11th
Minneapolis, Minnesota

20-27 June

1948
12th
St. Louis, Missouri

22-27 June

1952
13th
Kansas City, Missouri

17-22 June

1956
14th
Kansas City, Missouri

19-24 June

1960
15th
Kansas City, Missouri

21-27 June

1964
16th
Portland, Oregon

16-21 June

1968
17th
Kansas City, Missouri

18-23 June

1972
18th
Miami Beach, Florida

20-25 June

1976
19th
Dallas, Texas

23-27 June

1980
20th
Kansas City, Missouri

23-28 June

1985
21st
Anaheim, California

25-30 June

1989
22nd
Indianapolis, Indiana

25-30 July

1993
23rd
Indianapolis, Indiana

22-27 June

1997
24th
San Antonio, Texas

20-29 June

2001
25th
Indianapolis, Indiana

26-30 June

2005
26th
Indianapolis, Indiana

28 June-2 July

2009
27th
Orlando, Florida

22-27 June

2013
28th
Indianapolis, Indiana

25-30 June

2017
29th
Indianapolis, Indiana

9-15 June

2023
30th
Indianapolis, Indiana

25 June-2 July

2027
31st
Kansas City, Missouri