Evangelism

Taeron Flemming, a mime and community pastor at The Well Church in Washington, D.C., performs Feb. 26 during the Fresh Expressions United Methodist National Gathering 2026 at First United Methodist Church in Ocala, Fla. Flemming teaches mime as a Fresh Expressions ministry. Photo by Brian Rose, Church of the Restoration in Reston, Va.

Fresh Expressions movement gains momentum

United Methodist ministries set in tattoo parlors, yoga studios and restaurants are reaching people outside the sanctuary.

Church Growth

The Rev. Ken Suhr, director of leadership and congregational vitality for the California-Pacific Conference, delivers the keynote address on the “DNA of Growing Churches” during the 2026 Growing Church Conference at First United Methodist Church of San Diego. Photo by the Rev. Thomas E. Kim, UM News.

Growing Church Conference calls leaders back to discipleship

The gathering has evolved from a jurisdictional initiative into a nationwide event, now welcoming pastors serving cross-racial and cross-cultural appointments.

Mission and Ministry

Kephus Mtambo, farm project coordinator for Mikundi Dairy Farm in Blantyre, Malawi, walks in a barn that is under construction. The farm is being transformed from a previously neglected irrigation facility into a modern livestock center with support from the Yambasu Agriculture Initiative, a United Methodist Board of Global Ministries program. Photo by Francis Nkhoma, UM News.

Malawi farm aims to improve lives, draw people to Christ

Supported by a grant from The United Methodist Church’s Yambasu Agriculture Initiative, Mikundi Dairy Farm provides a model for community empowerment and evangelism.

Evangelism

The Rev. Joe Graves (left) baptizes a baby Sept. 21 at Cityview Church. The rest of the McKinley family also were baptized during the service. Graves helped launch Cityview, a merger between his 2017 church start Central City Church and the more traditional St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. He’s also written a book on church planting, a priority of the East and West Ohio conferences. Photo by Jim Patterson, UM News.

Ohio United Methodists aim to plant 100 churches

Starting new expressions of church is a priority in The United Methodist Church’s Ohio conferences, which plan to launch 100 new faith communities by 2029.

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