The Church of the Resurrection, led by Kansas Democratic Senate candidate Adam Hamilton, urged staff to replace references to “boys” and “girls” with gender-neutral language so children would “feel welcome,” according to a message obtained by – News. The accompanying material credited a transgender singer and LGBTQ activist as a source of inspiration.
“Hey! In follow up from our conversation on Sunday about our words and working towards being more gender neutral so that all kids feel welcome….here is the promised list of words we can start using instead of boys/girls,” the message stated.
The message, shared with – News, included an image titled “Gender-Neutral Terms to Address a Group.” It listed dozens of alternatives to gender-specific greetings, such as “peep-a-doodles,” “homo sapiens,” “niblings,” “kiddos,” “kitties,” “comrades,” and “folks.”
Adam Hamilton’s List of Gender-Neutral Terms, Provided to – News
A credit at the bottom of the graphic says it was “Inspired by @sara.levine1 @themilajam.”
The second account is associated with Mila Jam, whose full name is Jahmila Adderley. Wikipedia describes her as an American transgender singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and LGBTQ activist.
Jam celebrated becoming the “1st Black Trans Artist to co-headline BOSTON PRIDE” and promoted nonbinary identity in a post that read, “Happy Non-Binary Awareness Week to all my Enby Fam.”
At the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Jam praised former first lady Michelle Obama, calling her “the Queen of ‘Do Something.’” Before the presidential election, Jam expressed support for former Vice President Kamala Harris by posting a photograph with an early-voting sticker and the caption, “Ready for Madame President.” After the election, Jam wrote, “When I grow up I wanna be protected I want my rights I want autonomy,” before concluding, “Elect WOMEN, not misogyny.”
Hamilton likewise supported Harris in 2024, saying he voted for her and donating $500 to her campaign on July 23, 2024—two days after President Joe Biden withdrew from the reelection race.
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The children’s ministry message is the latest issue to draw attention to Hamilton’s church as he seeks to challenge incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Marshall in November.
– News previously reported that the Church of the Resurrection—the nation’s largest United Methodist congregation—partnered with Kansas City PrideFest as a sponsor of a “Drag Queen Story Time & Gay Pride Festival.” Images listed the church as a 2025 PrideFest sponsor and advertised “Youth & Teen Tents” featuring stage performances, free books, story time, arts and crafts, and other activities.
Hamilton has publicly backed affirming same-sex marriage within the United Methodist Church, legal abortion, and Black Lives Matter. During a 2015 pastors’ panel hosted by the LGBTQ-affirming Reformation Project, he questioned conventional interpretations of scripture. He said that conversations with gay congregants had caused him to reassess his understanding of the Bible, asking, “How much latitude do we have to push back on it? Where can we say, you know, ‘Here I think Paul’s wrong?’” In a January 2025 sermon, he similarly argued that churches barring women from preaching had misunderstood Paul’s letters.
On his Making Sense of Faith podcast, Hamilton also questioned whether belief in the Virgin Birth is essential to following Jesus Christ, although he said he personally accepts the doctrine. “So I say to people who tell me, ‘I’m not really sure I can believe in the Virgin of birth.’ I’m like, ‘That’s okay. I just want you to follow Jesus,’” he said. Hamilton added that the Apostle Paul would have mentioned the Virgin Birth more often if it were central to Christianity. The doctrine appears in both the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed.
In a 2022 sermon titled “Is the Bible True? Is Jesus the Only Way?” Hamilton argued that people from other faiths could ultimately receive salvation through Jesus without identifying him during their lifetimes. “And when it comes to other faiths, I believe as a Christian that they are going to — when they get to heaven, they’re going to see Jesus and they’re going to say, ‘Ah, it was you all along that I was searching for,’ but I don’t fear that those folks will spend eternity in Hell,” he said. He cited C.S. Lewis and John Wesley in explaining his view of salvation and has separately said the Bible contains “hundreds” of mistakes or errors.
During an October interview with CNN, Hamilton acknowledged that church officials should have immediately notified police after allegations of sexual abuse involving church camp volunteer Scott Moore. Moore was accused of molesting teenage boys during retreats in 2005 and 2006. “Absolutely. Like, we should have called the police immediately,” Hamilton said, explaining that the church did not have such a reporting policy at the time. Marshall has accused Hamilton of allowing Moore to return as a counselor after earlier allegations, when another child was allegedly victimized.
In a 2018 sermon, Hamilton referenced Jesus Christ’s warning that anyone who harms children would be better off with a millstone around his neck and cast into the sea. Hamilton applied the passage to the separation of migrant families during the Trump administration, saying, “When you see news stories where children are crying and they’re being taken away from their parents, you should look at those stories in the light of what Jesus said about what happens when you harm children.”
In a January 2020 sermon, “What Would Jesus Say About Climate Change?” Hamilton discussed the greenhouse gas emissions associated with beef consumption and cattle production. “Some of the things that we grow, because we like to eat them, like cattle, end up producing more carbon dioxide than other crops that we could grow, other forms of food that we could have,” he said. Kansas is the country’s third-largest beef-producing state, with roughly 5.8 million cattle and 2.9 million residents. Marshall criticized the comments, while Hamilton’s campaign responded that the senator had previously addressed efforts to reduce methane emissions from cattle.
– News also reported on October 18 that Hamilton’s financial disclosure listed a net worth of as much as $20 million, an annual church salary of $394,239, and $417,372.70 in publishing royalties from United Methodist Publishing House. He also owns a vacation property at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks valued at nearly $1 million and a primary residence in Stilwell, Kansas, reportedly worth about $1.4 million. The disclosures drew attention as Hamilton campaigned against billionaires’ influence and special interests in politics.
