The naysayers emerged quickly, as those of little faith usually do.
One of Kansas City’s best-known preachers, the Rev. Adam Hamilton, is mulling a U.S. Senate run.
After a Lenten season of prayer and study, Hamilton will decide if he’ll challenge incumbent Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican who is often lockstep with whatever the Trump administration is preaching.
Hamilton, senior pastor of Church of the Resurrection, would run as an independent.
Online commenters jumped in with political skepticism, with most pointing out the obvious.
Independents face hurdles in an entrenched two-party system. They don’t draw the financial and organizational leverage of the Democratic or Republican Party machines. They risk slicing votes away from more viable candidates.
The points are valid, but only to a point. They also miss the point.
Hamilton is asking the right questions: Must Congress be so polarized? Must the nation’s rhetoric be so toxic?
Congress could do more to compromise and find avenues to help, not harm people by legislation and policy. It’s a choice that neither party consistently offers.
Hamilton is well-suited to reshape political discourse with the critical thinking he encourages from his congregation.
Hamilton is a bit of a pastoral unicorn, an entrepreneur of Christian faith. He’s cultivated and nourished the Leawood-based Church of the Resurrection into a megachurch.
He managed to grow an enormous flock at time when polls proclaim that Americans are less faithful, less likely to join an organized religion. Church of the Resurrection has 24,000 active members and many more who tune in online for the engaging sermons. There are nine local locations, dotting a good portion of the greater Kansas City area.
COR, as it’s known, is like a franchise system. Each location encourages involvement with the community, through a range of options to connect with and serve others.
For the most part, Hamilton has managed to accomplish all of this without inducing a cringe factor for the scale of COR. He’s refreshingly void of the hubris that has imploded other religious leaders who grew mammoth congregations.
The question for this Lenten season is if Hamilton’s skills translate into politics.
Hamilton will make the decision after Easter, and in consultation with his wife of 43 years. And after he takes a road trip across Kansas, driving and speaking with Kansans.
