Britt Lectures - February 12-15

The annual Britt Lectures are endowed by Dr. and Mrs. Clarence Britt and is a ministry of the Hawaii District of the United Methodist Church.  The lectures are designed to bring the best scholars and speakers to Hawaii on theology, Bible, and faith related subjects.

The lectures are held on Presidents Day Weekend. This year, the series is on February 12-15. There will be lectures on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening, beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Honolulu, 1020 Beretania Street in Honolulu (across the street from the Academy of Arts of Honolulu). On Monday, there will be a workshop at the church from 9 a.m. to 12 noon for preachers. Free parking is available.

Our 2010 Britt Lecturer:

Rev. Adam Hamilton is the founding pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas.  He grew up in the Kansas City area, attending Shawnee Mission schools before graduating from Blue Valley High School.  He earned a B.A. degree in Pastoral Ministry from Oral Roberts University and a Master of Divinity Degree from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University.

Adam has received the B'nai B'rith award in Social Ethics, the Denman Award in Evangelism, and the Circuit Rider Award for excellence in church leadership.  He was named Distinguished Evangelist of the United Methodist Church by the Foundation for Evangelism, and he was named one of the "Ten People to Watch in America's Spiritual Landscape" by Religion and Ethics Newsweekly.  He has been awarded two honorary doctorates and numerous other awards.  He currently serves as a Trustee at Saint Paul School of Theology and as a member of the Kansas East Board of Professional Ministry.  He lectures on leadership, evangelism and preaching across the country.

The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection has grown from four people in 1990 to over 12,000 adult members with an average weekly worship attendance of over 7,500 in 2008.  The church was listed as the most influential mainline church in America in a 2005 survey of American pastors.  The Church of the Resurrection has a 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 faith in mission to the community and world; and 3. Acting as a catalyst for renewing the mainline church.

Adam has authored seven books and several small group studies published by Abingdon Press:

• Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity
• Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White: Thoughts on Religion, Morality and Politics (Read Endorsements)
• Confronting the Controversies:  A Christian Looks at the Tough Issues
• Leading Beyond the Walls:  Developing Mainline Churches with a Heart for the Unchurched
• Unleashing the Word:  Preaching with Relevance, Purpose and Passion
• Making Love Last a Lifetime
• Selling Swimsuits in the Arctic
• Christianity and World Religions

Adam is married and has two daughters.

Schedule of Theme: "Leading Beyond the Walls"

Friday, February 12 at 7:00 p.m., Session One:  Effective Church Leadership             

Adam will cover the following topics: the role of a leader; how leadership and management differ; the personal characteristics of leaders people follow; the practices of effective leaders; the importance of leading change; what excellent customer service looks like; and an introduction to strategic planning.

Saturday, February 13 at 7:00 p.m., Session Two: Strategies for Reaching the Unchurched 

Adam will cover the following:  why unchurched people are unchurched; strategies for outreach; effective follow-up on first time visitors; and how to improve the church’s witness in the community.

Sunday, February 14 at 7:00 p.m., Session Three: The Future and Promise of Methodism.  Adam will make the case for Methodism in the 21^st century.

Monday, February 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Preachers Workshop:  Strategies for Effective Preaching