Church of the Resurrection Leadership Institute

Adam Hamilton has grown his church from four people in 1990 to over 12,000 adults in 2008, with an average worship attendance of 7500 each week. He has received numerous awards: evangelist of the year, Top Leader to watch for church growth, most influential mainline church in America in a 2005 survey of pastors, and a couple honorary doctorates. The mission statement of their church is three fold focus: 1. Reaching non religious and nominally religious people and helping them become committed followers of Jesus Christ. 2. Equipping and inspiring members to live their lives in mission to the community and world. 3. Acting as a catalyst for renewing the mainline church. Each year, the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection provides a Leadership Institute in Leawood, Kansas to help develop and train leaders. This year the topics include: establishing vision, leading change, dealing with conflict, equipping volunteers, and getting people on a transformational discipleship pathway. This year the three day training event will be September 28-30. All of the speakers will be addressing issues that have been effective in shaping their own ministries in their own local church. When Adam Hamilton began his church plant, he would visit each new visitor and ask, "What would it take for you to become a member at our church?" One lady said she had a special needs child that had special requirements. Hamilton asked her to list them and he would provide what she needed in two weeks. When she provided the list, Hamilton read the list to his congregation for volunteers and got them.