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Sunday, February 8, our regular 5 pm worship service at Leawood will begin at 4 pm.
Scheduled programming has resumed for Thursday, February 13 at all Resurrection locations.
Church Family,
Pastor Adam encourages us to be a “light of the world” and challenges us to move beyond the walls of our sanctuaries to build bridges and serve our neighbors. Recently, he shared a profound sense of calling to live out these values in a new arena by considering a run for the U.S. Senate as an Independent candidate from Kansas. If you have not seen his video message, you can watch it on this page. We recognize this news may bring a mix of emotions—excitement, curiosity, and perhaps some concern about what this means for our church.
Under the structure for United Methodist churches, as found in our Book of Discipline, our congregation has a personnel oversight committee, the Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC). This group serves as the chief liaison between the congregation and our staff and pastors, including Pastor Adam. To that end, we coordinate with our talented executive leaders and the Great Plains Annual Conference to care for the health, stability, and spiritual continuity of our congregation.
The SPRC has prepared some frequently asked questions below to provide transparency and clarity about topics such as:
Between now and mid-April, Pastor Adam will be thinking and praying about this decision. He will also meet privately with family members, mentors, and experts for their guidance. We ask you to pray for Pastor Adam during this time. To ensure the church remains focused on ministry, our pastors and leaders will not be addressing Pastor Adam’s discernment process during worship or other church activities.
Regardless of his ultimate decision, Resurrection will stay true to our values, focused on our Vision 2030 initiatives, and our purpose of building a Christian community where non-religious and nominally religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians. We will also seek to live out our faith as bridge-builders who reflect God’s love to the world.
We are grateful for your prayers, your grace, and your continued commitment to our church’s mission during this unique season.
Grace and peace,
Steve Gass, Chair of the Staff Parish Relations Committee
1. Why is Pastor Adam considering a run for the U.S. Senate?
Pastor Adam challenges us to be “salt and light” in the public square. During the recent Fearless sermon series, he found he was preaching to himself and feeling a persistent nudge to address deepening fractures in our society. After prayer and discernment with family and church leaders, he feels increasingly drawn to run for the U.S. Senate as an Independent candidate in Kansas. Although a possible campaign would operate separately from the church, Pastor Adam has expressed that his primary goal, win or lose, would be to run an ethical, hopeful campaign that brings people together, and to influence social ethics, justice, and mercy through public policy—a new way to personally live out the message he has long preached.
2. If Pastor Adam decides to run for office, would the church endorse him?
No. Resurrection does not endorse political candidates or parties. A key strength of our congregation is the diversity of thought and opinion. Congregants and staff members are encouraged to vote according to their own convictions. To maintain clear distinctions between church life and any political activity, the church will not engage in political activities this year. For instance, we will not host onsite voter registration, distribute voter guides, or hold candidate forums during this election cycle. The church’s focus remains on our shared faith and mission.
3. Would church resources be used for the campaign?
No. Clear firewalls would be established and monitored by the Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) to ensure separation between the church and a potential campaign. Specifically:
4. What would Sunday worship look like if Adam decides to run for office?
Sundays at Resurrection will remain a sacred time for worship. We will continue to have compelling worship experiences and sermons. Our pastors, ministry leaders, and guest preachers would continue to lead us in focusing on glorifying God, growing spiritually, and being equipped to live out our faith in the world. You will not hear partisan messages from the pulpit. On weekends when Pastor Adam preaches, he will do so as our Senior Pastor, not as a candidate running for office.
5. Is the church’s policy on political activity available to the public?
Yes. The policy can be accessed here.
6. How may Adam’s role change throughout 2026?
7. What happens if Pastor Adam decides not to run or isn’t elected? Would he continue to be our Senior Pastor?
Yes, Adam would resume his full-time responsibilities as Senior Pastor.
8. If he runs and is elected, would Pastor Adam continue as our Senior Pastor?
Yes, if elected, Adam would remain our Senior Pastor. There is a precedent for clergy serving in Congress while pastoring a local
congregation. He would anticipate routinely leading worship, preaching 12–18 times a year, mentoring, and advancing the church’s vision. His role would be part-time, and Senate rules limit outside earned income to a current maximum of $33,855 per year. Day-to-day management would be handled by our executive team, and guest preachers would supplement our existing team.
9. Is the church still planning for a pastoral transition in 2030?
Yes. In 2021, the church established a Succession Planning Committee to oversee Pastor Adam’s eventual retirement. Regardless of a possible Senate run, the Committee will continue its preparations for a healthy transition, with an anticipated completion date of 2030.
10. Will the church be okay?
You may have heard Pastor Adam say, “This is not ‘Adam’s church,’” and it never was. Regardless of his decision to run for office or the outcome of the potential election, we continue to strengthen, grow, and pursue the dreams God has laid on our hearts. Our church has deeply embedded values, clarity of purpose, and an outstanding team of pastors, staff, and lay leaders. The church’s future remains bright.
11. Will there be increased physical security?
Yes. If Pastor Adam runs for office, the church will enhance the congregation’s existing security measures. In addition, his campaign and potential Senate office would make provisions for his personal security.
12. How should we handle political mudslinging or attacks on the church?
It’s a challenging political climate right now. At times, the church—or those connected to it—may be misunderstood or misrepresented. If that occurs, we will stay grounded in the values we’ve practiced together: responding with kindness, approaching information thoughtfully, speaking of others with respect, and refraining from engaging in negativity. Our focus will stay on living out our mission with integrity, grace, and clarity.
13. How can I support Pastor Adam?
We invite you to pray as he considers this personal endeavor. We encourage you to stay active in the church, faithful in stewardship, and regularly attend worship. For anyone wishing to support his potential campaign, this is entirely separate from church activity. All campaign activities, donations, and volunteer opportunities will be managed by the campaign—independent of the church.