Bishop Ken Carter, Guest Lecturer for the Two-Year Anniversary of Fresh Expressions Seminary

What if we could offer seminary-level formation for the whole people of God, free, practical, and built for the mission field in which we live? This was the question that gave rise to Fresh Expressions Seminary, which held its opening session in September 2023.

Fresh Expressions Seminary is a monthly learning space from Fresh Expressions United Methodist, designed for both laity and clergy. It equips teams of everyday “adventurers” to cultivate a blended ecology of church, where new Christian communities grow alongside inherited congregations through short teachings, real-world case studies, and dialogical learning.

Why Fresh Expressions Seminary?

• For laity: We believe in the priesthood of all believers. FX Seminary gives participants the theological grounding and practical tools to love their neighbors in the places they already live and work.
• For clergy: Ministry hasn’t “ended” at graduation. FX Seminary is ongoing practical theological formation, fresh lenses, shared wisdom, and field-tested practices to help congregations experiment, integrate, and bless new forms of church.
• For teams: Bring a small cohort from your church or network. Learn together, dream big, start small, and learn fast.
• Register here: registration is free!

How it works

• When: Last Thursday of each month (September 25, 5:30 p.m. CDT)
• Format: 60 minutes of lecture plus guided conversations and live question time
• Takeaways: Emerging, just-in-time learning, grounded in cutting-edge research and key insights from active scholar-practitioners 

September Guest Lecturer: Bishop Ken Carter

Bishop Kenneth H. Carter, Jr. is a bishop in The United Methodist Church who currently serves the Western North Carolina Conference. He previously led the Florida Conference for a decade, shepherding the church through seasons of profound challenge and hope. A pastor-teacher at heart, Bishop Carter is the author of numerous books, including Gardens in the Desert: How the Adaptive Church Can Lead to a Whole New Life. His ministry is characterized by a Wesleyan vision of holiness and justice, a deep pastoral presence, and a consistent call to Christ-centered unity. He has been the leading episcopal voice in the Fresh Expressions movement since its genesis in the U.S.

Lecture Preview: ‘Trauma, Gift, New Creation: An Ancient Story for the Present Moment’

We are living in a liminal time, neither where we were nor where we are going. Drawing from Genesis 32-33, Bishop Carter invites us to stand with Jacob on the threshold between fear and reconciliation and to recognize our own wrestling in the dark night of the soul.

Big moves in the lecture:

1. Naming the Liminal: Like Jacob between past harm and future repair, the church stands between worlds. This “in-between” is not an interruption to ministry; it is where God reshapes our identity.
2. Wrestling and Wounds: Jacob’s hip is put out of joint; we, too, carry personal and communal injuries, pandemic, polarization, natural disasters, and denominational strain. The question is not if we are wounded, but how God will bless us within the wound.
3. “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” This scriptural refrain becomes a spiritual posture for leaders and communities: persistent prayer, honest lament, and resilient hope.
4. From Trauma to Gift: In conversation with theologians like Serene Jones and spiritual writers such as Henri Nouwen, Bishop Carter explores how grace helps “pave new roads in the brain,” rewriting our narratives from injury toward agency, witness, and new creation.
5. Beauty and Suffering Together: The historic Black church teaches us that worship can hold both. Holiness (encounter with God) and reconciliation (repair with neighbor) are inseparable. We limp, yet we move.
6. Pastoral Practice for FX Leaders:

• Create story circles where people can safely tell the truth of their wounds.
• Design liturgies of blessing (not denial) that honor scars and commission servants.
• Build pathways of reconciliation in congregational life (confession, amends, reparations, shared tables).
• Adopt trauma-informed rhythms and wise metrics that measure healing, belonging, and organized love, not just attendance.

Why this matters for Fresh Expressions:

New Christian communities often arise in places where pain is close to the surface: recovery centers, parks after a storm, tattoo parlors, food lines, dorm lounges, dog parks (read more here). Bishop Carter will help us see how “wrestling → blessing → new name” is not only Jacob’s story but our blueprint for starting and sustaining Fresh Expressions that embody Christ’s reconciliation in real neighborhoods.

Join Us

• Who should attend: Lay leaders, pastors, district/cabinet teams, and anyone hungry to learn a practical, Wesleyan way of mission.
• What you’ll gain: A monthly infusion of hope, grounded theology, and tools you can try immediately with your team.
• How to prepare: Register, bring a journal, a teammate, and one local pain/possibility you’re discerning.

Assemble your team and step into this ongoing learning journey of organized love. The day is breaking. Let’s learn to limp with blessing and walk together toward new creation!

Fresh Expressions UM National Gathering 

Finally, we’re thrilled that Bishop Carter will also be a featured speaker at the Fresh Expressions United Methodist National Gathering, taking place from February 26-28, 2026, at First United Methodist Church in Ocala, Florida, with the theme “Altogether Now: Seven Generations and Beyond.” Expect immersion visits to local Fresh Expressions, TED-style “Jazz-Notes,” interactive panels, and multicultural worship. The event is free and offered in-person and online. Bring your team and register here today.