The Connectional Table’s Rev. Kennetha Bigham-Tsai concludes the series of “Emerging” interviews with the Rev. Adam Hamilton, author and lead pastor of the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas; and Elizabeth Crosby, a college student and member of StayUMC Alabama. Together, they discuss God and science, United Methodist values, how the church can navigate through dissent and disagreement, leadership, and how to sustain vital, objective and relevant ministry.
Is there a conflict between God and science?
The Rev. Adam Hamilton and Elizabeth Crosby discuss their views on God and science and how these can coexist for Christians.
What are our shared values as United Methodists?
The Rev. Adam Hamilton and Elizabeth Crosby identify these key values we hold as United Methodists: openness to diversity of opinion; a belief in prevenient, sanctifying and justifying grace as well as social holiness; an evangelical and social gospel; and Scripture read in the light of reason, experience and tradition.
How do we navigate our dissent and disagreements?
The Rev. Adam Hamilton and Elizabeth Crosby suggest the path forward involves learning to listen to one another, to seek to understand each other’s perspective, and to do so with an attitude of love, kindness and humility.
What do we need to do differently as a church?
According to the Rev. Adam Hamilton and Elizabeth Crosby, the Church needs to find new ways to live out our mission — to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world — and this will involve a willingness to listen to all voices and perspectives, to meet people where they are, and to embrace change.
What kind of leaders do we need for the future United Methodist Church?
The Rev. Adam Hamilton and Elizabeth Crosby believe these leaders must be diverse people who possess humility, moral courage, a love of people, and a love of Jesus.
Emerging Methodism Video Series Introduction
Wesley's historic questions were about what to teach, how to teach and what to do. For the next interval of features for the Connectional Table's Emerging Forum we will seek to update these questions for our current moment. We will invite energetic conversation that will illumine our identity which is tied to what and how we teach, our preferred actions, what we do and our abiding hopes as we envision the future United Methodist Church.
About Emerging: God Is Doing a New Thing in United Methodism
This video interview is part of a series created for "Emerging: God Is Doing a New Thing in United Methodism," which is an online forum created by the Connectional Table to engage United Methodists with a diversity of perspectives from across our worldwide connection in thinking deeply about what is emerging at this time in the life of our connection.