Adam Hamilton (born July 12, 1964) is an American minister and author. He is the senior pastor of the Resurrection, a United Methodist Church, the largest United Methodist congregation in the United States, with multiple locations in the Greater Kansas City area. He is the Democratic nominee in the 2026 United States Senate election in Kansas.
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Early life and education
Hamilton was raised in Prairie Village, Kansas. His parents married as teenagers and divorced while he was a child. His father was Catholic and his mother was raised in the Church of Christ. The family attended church rarely during his childhood. In high school, he started attending a Pentecostal church after a door-to-door evangelist invited him to service. He subsequently began regularly attending church and became the head of the church's youth group.
In 1982, Hamilton graduated from Blue Valley High School in Overland Park, Kansas. He then attended Oral Roberts University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in pastoral ministry in 1985. His undergraduate studies and exploration of his personal faith led him to the theology of John Wesley and the United Methodist Church, and he went on to earn a Master of Divinity degree from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University where he was awarded the B'nai B'rith Award in Social Ethics.
Professional ministry
Hamilton is the founding pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. The church began in 1990 with a few people meeting in a small chapel at a local funeral home and grew into the largest United Methodist congregation in the United States. It has an average weekly attendance of about 25,000 across its nine locations and online and televised services.
Hamilton preached at the National Prayer Service as part of the 2013 presidential inauguration festivities, and was appointed by President Barack Obama to the President's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships in 2016.
Hamilton has authored more than 30 books. His books cover Christian faith, biblical interpretation, and contemporary personal and social issues. By 2014, his books and related products published by Abingdon Press had sold more than one million copies. His video-based lessons are used in church Sunday school classes across the United States.
2026 U.S. Senate campaign
Hamilton announced his candidacy for the United States Senate in Kansas in April 2026. On August 4, 2026, he secured the Democratic Party nomination by winning the party's statewide primary for the Senate seat.
Hamilton had previously registered as both a Republican and a Democrat, and initially considered running as an independent before deciding to seek the Democratic nomination. He was encouraged to run as a Democrat in order to avoid splitting the vote against the Republican incumbent Roger Marshall.
Hamilton describes himself as a centrist and notes that his congregation is a near equal mix of Republicans, Democrats and independents.
Personal life
Hamilton is married to LaVon Hamilton. They have two daughters.
Awards and recognition
Named one of the "Ten people to watch in America's spiritual landscape" by Religion and Ethics Newsweekly in 2000.
Recognized as United Methodist Person of the Year by the United Methodist Reporter in 2012.
Recognized in Kansas City with the first Founder's Civility Award by American Public Square at Jewell (APS) for his efforts in bringing the diverse Kansas City community together.
Named the Distinguished Evangelist of The United Methodist Church in 2000 by the Foundation for Evangelism, and was recipient of the Harry Denman Award in Evangelism in 1995.
Bibliography and sermons
24 Hours That Changed the World (ISBN 978-0-687-46555-2)
Christianity and World Religions: Wrestling with Questions People Ask (ISBN 978-0-687-49430-9)
Christianity's Family Tree: What Other Christians Believe and Why (ISBN 978-0-687-49116-2)
Confronting the Controversies: A Christian Responds to the Tough Issues (ISBN 978-0-687-04567-9)
Creed: What Christians Believe and Why (ISBN 978-1-7910-2788-9)
Enough: Discovering Joy through Simplicity and Generosity (ISBN 978-1-4267-0233-4)
Final Words From the Cross (ISBN 978-1-4267-4680-2)
Forgiveness: Finding Peace Through Letting Go (ISBN 978-1-4267-4044-2)
Half Truths: God Helps Those Who Help Themselves and Other Things the Bible Doesn't Say (ISBN 978-1-5018-1387-0)
Incarnation: Rediscovering the Significance of Christmas (ISBN 978-1-7910-1641-8)
John: The Gospel of Light and Life (ISBN 978-1-5018-0533-2)
Leading Beyond the Walls: Developing Congregations with a Heart for the Unchurched (ISBN 978-1-4267-5485-2)
Love to Stay: Sex, Grace, and Commitment (ISBN 978-1-4267-5951-2)
Making Sense of the Bible: Rediscovering the Power of Scripture Today (ISBN 978-0-06-223496-4)