About Us

Shelbyville (IL) First Church of the Nazarene was started on August 5, 1928, and met in the rented, white-framed African Methodist Episcopal Church on North Third and Will streets. Officially, the church was organized with 36 charter members in 1929.

Today, the church continues to be located on the same corner. It has experienced consistent growth throughout its history and has expanded its campus to include not only the church building and educational unit, but also a Teen Center and Christian Life Center (CLC) for children, teen, and adult activities.

In a larger context, the congregation is part of the Global Church of the Nazarene, a denomination in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition. Organized in 1908, the denomination is now home to about 2.5 million members worshipping in more than 30,000 congregations in 164 world areas.

The doctrine that distinguishes the Church of the Nazarene and other Wesleyan denominations from most other Christian denominations is that of entire sanctification. Nazarenes believe that God calls Christians to a life of holy living that is marked by an act of God, cleansing the heart from original sin and filling the individual with love for God and humankind.