The Kerusso | 2026 Jan/Feb

The Kerusso – January/February | 2026

Serving Others

Max Edwards

Over the last eight years, I have sought the guidance of the Holy Spirit regarding a theme – a Scriptural word on which to focus my thoughts for the year. Last year the word was “Listen.” Through the pen of the psalmist, the Lord pleads for His people to listen to Him. In 1946, Pastor John Hamblen of Abilene, Texas, was listening earnestly, listening to the Holy Spirit’s call to stand against an ever-widening tide of modernism that was rapidly eroding any clear understanding of scriptural authority in the Methodist Church. At 69, and with health struggles, he could have simply retired and enjoyed his last years and his pension. But instead of serving himself, Dr. J. H. Hamblen chose to serve others by walking away from ease and compromise, working to help found the Evangelical Methodist Church.

For 2026, our focus word will be “Serve.” The Apostle Peter urged Christ’s people to use their God-given gifts to serve others. Adding weight to the admonition is his reminder that we serve because we are stewards of God’s grace. We have been given so much grace, how could we do other than be gracious by serving?!

In July of this year, people from all across the EMC both domestically and globally will be gathering in Indianapolis to celebrate 80 years of service to the spiritually needy people of the world.

This will be our 34th General Conference, and there are so many wonderful things in store. We trust that you will make definite plans now to attend. This entire Kerusso edition is devoted to providing you with key pieces of information about the event, and there’s lots to tell … speakers, music, ordinations, break-out sessions, elections, youth activities, children’s programming, and our 80th anniversary celebration. Please take time to read each page for important details.

As you turn the page to read about some of these things, please keep a few special things in mind. ONE – We are aware that you receive so many daily emails, and we are making a strategy shift where the published Kerusso is concerned for the near future at least. We are only planning six editions of the Kerusso this year – coming to you every other month instead of monthly. We hope that this will afford you a little less clutter, and a little more efficiency as you read updates from the ministry office. Each edition will be longer than the former monthly installments, but you’ll spend less time opening emails, and more time reading important updates. TWO – Registration for General Conference will formally open in February. At that time, you’ll receive a separate email with the registration link. There will be a financial advantage for early registration, so be ready to register ASAP when you receive it. Thanks!! On to page two …

Rev. How Do I Register?

We are working right now on the final details of the online registration system we will be using for General Conference. It will be ready in February, and we will notify everyone so that you can make your plans well in advance.

The registration cost will be an all-inclusive fee. It will include conference materials, registration fees, and on-site meals. Adults (18 and over) will have a registration fee of $60 * and a $90 meal package, totaling $150. Teens 12 to 17 will not have a registration fee but will need to cover the catering cost of $90. And children 11 and under will have no cost to attend, including meals. We have historically had students pay an activity fee to cover their special outings, but the Board of Youth Activities and Children’s Ministry is subsidizing the youth and children’s program so that no activity fee will be required of them, as long as they are registered by the registration deadline of June 20th.

* Please note that late registrations will be charged an additional late fee of $30, and activity fees of $20 per student.

We will enjoy four specially prepared and professionally catered meals together – two lunches and two dinners. We will not be offering a registration apart from the meal package. You can read more about catering on page 8 of this Kerusso.

Everyone will be paying for their own travel, of course, as well as their lodging costs and off-site meals. We have negotiated conference rates with two hotels within a 10-minute drive of the First Church of the Nazarene of Indianapolis, where all the conference activities will take place. All hotel reservations will be yours to make, either at one of the locations we have pre-arranged, or on your own. Those properties and the contracted rates will be provided in the registration email you will receive in February.

Who is eligible to attend Conference?

The simple answer is, “everyone!” Anyone from our churches or friends of the EMC are welcome to register as a guest. Only EMC clergy and authorized delegates will be empowered to vote in the business sessions, but there will be great speakers and exciting informational programs that anyone can benefit from.

The combined fee for guests is the same as for delegates, $60 registration fee and the $90 catering package – a total of $150.

We are praying for a huge turnout from our churches! Every single EMC Church is empowered to send five voting delegates, in addition to every person holding an EMC ministerial credential.

From paragraph 603 of the current Discipline:

“The General Conference shall be composed, from all conferences, of all Elders, Members on Trial, Deacons and Deaconesses, and a maximum of five elected lay delegates 18 years of age or older from each local church. Members on Trial shall not have voting privileges. All individuals holding credentials with the Evangelical Methodist Church in the United States of America and not serving under a Global Conference shall attend the General Conference session unless providentially hindered.”

Inspiring Faith and Focus

Those of us who attend this General Conference will come away with a reinvigorated sense of calling, as well as some handy new tools in our tool belts. Our featured speakers are widely known and have been working to inspire and equip the church for decades. century and are excited to joyfully

Dr. Vaters

Small churches make up 80% – 90% of the churches in the world but are the subject of less than 1% of the books and blogs about how to do church ministry. Small churches are no better and no worse than churches of any other size, but they have often been the most neglected, especially when it comes to pastoral training.

The church is in great shape! Does that surprise you? It shouldn’t. While we hear many predictions of doom and gloom (from inside and outside the church) and we can’t ignore the challenges many congregations face, Jesus continues to bless and sustain I look forward to being with you in Indianapolis to talk about how churches of all sizes have, are, and will continue to thrive if we follow Jesus’ definition for successful ministry.

I have known decade and respect her as a Wesleyan Holiness distinguished herself in a variety of roles

nurse, a missionary to Russia, a pastor, female president) of Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO, and

to the office r also served as a General Superintendent.

I am delighted to participate in the Evangelical Methodist Church’s upcoming General Conference. As sister denominations, we share a deep commitment to the gospel and to holy living, and it is a joy to drawn from your founders’ resilient faith, is both timely and inspiring. May the Spirit empower us to press forward in mission, strengthened by grace, unity, and a renewed passion for

Carlton has a passion for people, desiring to see them shine Christlike servants in a variety community and vocational He has served in a leadership roles for more years, and has travelled to over fifty cities on three continents, where he has provided input to ministries, intercessory groups and spiritual leaders across racial, cultural, and socio-economic Argentina,

and South Sudan.

LaWanda, currently reside in

amazing grandchildren.

What's Working In Churches That Are Thriving Karl

In this session, Kevin expounds on “The Way”, a program that teaches individuals about who God has created us to be and how we can become spiritually, physically, emo7onally, cogni7vely, and rela7onally strong.

The Choice is Yours!

In addition to the great sessions presented for everyone, there will be two opportunities during the conference for you to select a topic and presenter of your choice. The options offer a variety of topics and interests.

Tuesday Afternoon July 21 Wednesday Afternoon July 22

Karl outlines principles ac7ve in churches that have survived and thrived through difficult seasons.

Kevin Cain

The Way: Wholistic Wellness & Discipleship

Tad Stinson

Self-care: Pastoral Perseverance

As spiritual leaders, we love and care for countless people, but we oTen don’t love and care for ourselves as we should.

The result is diminished effec7veness and even a shortened lifespan.

In Pastoral Perseverance, we will explore the many prac7cal ways we may love and care for ourselves so that we may more effec7vely reflect Christ’s love and care to others.

Beyond the Pulpit: Reimagining Ministry for a Screen-shaped Generation

The goal of these two sessions is to offer a Biblical and theological cri7que of secular views of gender that are based on feelings, revealing them to be dras7c departures from God’s grand design for personhood.

Ean Hammond Battling Addictions and Winning

Ean Hammond is passionate about helping churches navigate digital spaces in exci7ng ways that support real discipleship. He believes God s7ll works through unexpected people, even those who don’t feel all that important.

Scribner &

Brian Wardlaw Gender Identity Part 1 of 2

Brian will be sharing about living the abundant life, free from things that seek to bind and burden us.

The world of digital and social media requires the ability to constantly adapt, especially for the church. In this session, Tanner will discuss how to develop a digital media strategy that is both effec7ve and sustainable.

Scribner & Brian

A call for pastors to fulfill our prime mandate to “Equip God’s People” for ministry. (Eph. 4:11-12)

Digital Media Strategy in the Church Tanner Cain Gender Identity Part 2 of 2

Sean and Brian will be sharing the podium as they discuss this cri7cal cultural and spiritual subject.

Karl Vaters

and Mentoring Volunteers

Exciting Events in Store for our Students

Written by: Brian Gordon Rev. Brian Gordon

Think General Conference is just business meetings and votes?

Think again!

This year's General Conference will feature its own slate of youth activities. So if you've been thinking about leaving your youth at home, you may want to think again.

In addition to break-outs, games and activities designed just for youth during General Conference sessions, we also have outings to places like Top Golf and the Indianapolis Zoo planned, as well as a local mission project at our EMC Headquarters.

And the even better news? All the youth activities are free IF you register your youth by the June 20th registration deadline. (After that date, children/teens must pay a $20/each activity fee with a cap of $60/family.)

An email will go out in February with all the Registration links. Sign your youth up when you receive that information and plan to join us for General Conference 2026!

A Kid’s Program They’ll Love!

Children’s Ministry at Conference will be led by Mrs. Joanna Lucas:

As we plan children’s ministry at General Conference, we enter with a couple of primary goals and values: first, we want a high-quality program that is safe, engaging, and biblically sound. And second, we want all of our EMC people to be able to attend the speaking and business sessions. So we have carefully searched for someone who can lead and deliver those things. God has led us to Joanna Lucas, a children’s minister in a local Nazarene church. Here is a word from Mrs. Lucas:

Hello, my name is Joanna Lucas. I am a wife, mother, and grandmother. Most importantly, I am a Child of the King!

I am currently on staff at Fortville Church of the Nazarene and have been for the past 4 years. I have also held Children’s Ministry workshops, counseled at Children’s camps, and held a children’s revival.

I am so excited to be coming to General Conference this July with my team. We will be offering a staffed nursery along with an exciting Kids Camp for all registered elementary-age students.

The camp will have music, Scripture memory work, and exciting Bible lessons, snacks, crafts, fun experiments, and of course, play time.

All of my workers (including myself, of course) are vetted, background checked, and will be “Ministry Safe Certified” by a third-party firm.

80th Anniversary – Drive On!

Written by: Colin Connor

We know that in the summer of 1946, a small group of pastors gathered with no guarantee of success – only a shared conviction that God was calling them to something new. And many of us also know the name Dr. Hamblen – a man God used mightily over decades of ministry to lead thousands to Christ. But a denomination is never built by one man alone. The Evangelical Methodist Church was formed ex nihilo through the prayers, sacrifices, and convictions of MANY OTHERS –men and women whose stories are often mentioned but rarely told.

Who were the leaders who stood alongside Hamblen in those earliest days, figures like Dr. Vanderwood, Lu Smith, Dr. Vargas, Dr. Haggard, and Olin Jones? And who were the women God used in extraordinary ways, faithful servants such as Miss Dixon and Nobi Pope whose lives and ministries shaped the soul of the EMC?

The early years were not without crisis. A doctrinal schism nearly derailed the movement before it found its footing. Yet God blessed the church with power many times. One example was during a General Conference where a revival broke out that ignited a lasting passion for missions. In that meeting, one young woman placed her engagement ring in the offering plate. A young man with nothing but a calling stood and offered his life for missionary service. Who were they, and what did God do through them?

Much of this story has existed only in scattered records, fading photographs, and personal memories until now!

At General Conference, a commemorative book marking 80 years of EMC history will be released for the first time. Drawing from rare photographs, original documents, new interviews, and untold stories, this volume brings the founding era of the EMC vividly to life. Alongside the book, a walk-through historical display will feature artifacts, articles, and images that honor those on whose shoulders we stand.

As you explore the story, you will discover that many of the challenges faced by the early EMC remain familiar today. You will also be inspired by the conviction, tenacity, and loyalty of those who loved the church and gave themselves fully to its mission. Through both the book and the interactive display, you will come to understand Dr. Hamblen’s and our other leaders’ passion for souls more clearly than ever.

The Lord gave Dr. Hamblen a phrase he repeated at every opportunity – a phrase that still echoes in the mission of the EMC today: “Drive On!”

Hamblen was a West Texas cowboy at heart. His early ministry was on horseback. To him, “Drive On” meant leading people through hard country, through uncertainty, opposition, and trial – toward God’s calling.

Join us this summer at General Conference as we step into our story, honor our past, and renew our commitment to Drive On – faithfully, courageously, and together into the future as the Evangelical Methodist Church.

Global Conferences – Global Partners Day

Written by: Bill and Lisa Walker

Greetings! ¡Saludos! Mingalaba! Chibai! Molweni! Bonjour! Mabuhay!

We are thrilled to invite you into a moment that brings the world together at the upcoming International General Conference. This gathering is more than a date on the calendar; it’s a celebration of God’s work across cultures, continents, and communities. We know you’ll sense the joy and the global heartbeat that makes our denomination truly wonderful.

We are especially excited to welcome delegates from our Global Conferences. These men and women represent diverse nations, languages, and ministries, and they are eager to connect with you. Each delegate brings firsthand stories of faith, perseverance, and transformation – stories that are wonderfully told by those living and serving in their respective countries. Through interactive displays and personal conversations, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about each of our Global Conferences directly from the delegates themselves. This is your chance to go beyond headlines and summaries and engage with the people who are shaping the EMC around the world.

And yes, there will be time to enjoy fellowship together with our global guests. You’ll be able to sit down over coffee or during mealtimes with delegates from different countries to share laughter, ask questions and gain insights in a casual, welcoming atmosphere. These moments around a table often become the most memorable, where cultures meet and understanding grows naturally.

One of the highlights you won’t want to miss is the special missions luncheon This will be a beautiful blend of celebration and reflection, bringing us together to honor the global mission we share. Expect inspiring stories, meaningful connections, and a sense of unity as we gather around a common vision. The banquet is designed to remind us that while our cultures may differ, our purpose is shared.

South Africa

Mexico

The mission emphasis of the General Conference is an invitation to learn, to serve, to connect, and to be inspired, and join in multilingual worship. Whether you come curious, committed, or simply eager to see what God is doing around the world, you will leave encouraged and energized.

Get ready to experience the global EMC family in a powerful and personal way. We can’t wait to welcome you!

More About Our Fellowship Meals Onsite

If you attended our last General Conference, you know that the surroundings were spectacular, as Ridgecrest is nestled in the heart of the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains. The conference center is a beehive of activity in the summer, especially with hundreds of students involved in Christian camp programs there.

We had several meals together, but because we shared a dining facility with about 1000 teens, it was a bit hard at times to have the kind of quality conversation that we would have loved to see take place.

This conference will be entirely different. During the three days from Tuesday to Thursday, we will be served four high-quality meals prepared for us, and the best part is that we won’t be sharing space with anyone! On Tuesday, we will enjoy lunch together, plus an evening reception after worship with both sweet and salty selections.

Wednesday lunch will be on your own, and then a full BBQ buffet with pork, chicken, and all the fixings for supper. Thursday will include both lunch and supper, with a Mexican buffet for lunch and a pasta bar for supper.

As you read on page 2 of this Kerusso, the $90 catering package will be included in your combined $150 cost to register.

You have already been informed that our General Council will be making a motion on the first day of the Conference regarding the number of officers we will be electing, and the positions they represent.

Each General Conference determines the precise number of Superintendents to be elected for that quadrennium.

In harmony with our Constitution and Bylaws, the General Council, by unanimous action, will be making a motion to the General Conference to elect two (2) International General Superintendents, with one of them being designated as Assistant International General Superintendent, as well as to elect two (2) Conference Superintendents

The Council believes that this will better align the domestic and global ministry responsibilities of our elected officers.

The Cabinet of Superintendents is empowered by the Discipline to employ Regional Coordinators to help them efficiently serve the churches of the USA Conference. The plan is to enlist three Regional Coordinators for the coming quadrennium.