(RNS) — Thirty-six years ago, the Rev. Adam Hamilton co-founded a church with a handful of people in a funeral home chapel. Now, that congregation is the largest United Methodist church in the nation, and Hamilton is setting his sights on a new venue: the United States Congress.
Hamilton, 61, announced his run for U.S. Senate on Thursday morning (April 30) in a press conference in Prairie Village, the suburban city he was raised in. Describing himself as an “independent-minded Democrat,” he emphasized his church’s community building and charity work and said his decades in ministry prepared him to be a bridge-builder in Congress.
“In a world that feels more and more divided, I’ve had the privilege of being a pastor for 36 years of a church that’s roughly equally divided between Republicans, Democrats and independents,” said Hamilton at the press conference. “Our people love each other precisely because of their differences.”
With over 24,000 members and nine locations in the Kansas City area, Resurrection, A United Methodist Church has earned a reputation for its civic engagement and “big tent” approach to ministry. A prolific writer and popular preacher, Hamilton has authored more than 30 books, is host of the “Making Sense of Faith” podcast, and has gained a national followi …