Love Boldly, Serve Joyfully, Lead Courageously
In May 2025, the bishops of The United Methodist Church released a vision statement designed to help the whole church live into its mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. They built the statement around three movements: loving, serving, and leading. Then they deepened the call by naming the Spirit that inspires and empowers these actions.
We are not called just to love, but to love boldly. We are not called just to serve, but to serve joyfully. We are not seeking those who will merely lead, but those who will lead courageously. The adverbs bring a spark to the statement.
The full vision statement reads:
“The United Methodist Church forms disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections.”
This vision statement complements The UMC’s longstanding mission statement, inspired by Matthew 28:18–20: “The mission of The United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”
About the Series
To help churches explore and embody this vision, Discipleship Ministries offers a six-week worship series and small group study titled Embracing an Adverbial Faith. The series invites congregations to go deeper into what it means to love, serve, and lead not as obligations, but as expressions of a life formed by the Holy Spirit.
Reflecting the worldwide United Methodist connection, worship materials are available in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean.
Series Preview
Week 1: Disciples Formed by Jesus Christ
As disciples, we are called to go deep in our understanding and practice of the faith. We are called to follow Christ with our whole being.
Week 2: Disciples Empowered by the Holy Spirit
An adverbial faith is passionate and full-bodied. It doesn’t sit on the sidelines but engages with a hungry world. We have help; it is not by our own power that we live and work, but we receive power from the Holy Spirit.
Week 3: Love Boldly
Who knew loving would be so dangerous? As disciples, we are called to love God and our neighbor, even when it means taking risks and going against social pressures. We will love boldly.
Week 4: Serve Joyfully
Serving might sound like a duty to some, but to a disciple, it is an opportunity to model Christ, so we find joy in it. When our hearts are in it, we can serve joyfully.
Week 5: Lead Courageously
Leaning on the promise of God’s presence and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, disciples find strength to lead courageously. Whether we lead from the front, from the middle, or from a distance, our call is to go out to the margins where God’s work is being done.
Week 6: Disciples Transform the World
Charged by the Great Commission, disciples of Jesus Christ seek to live into the vision of the kingdom that our Lord proclaimed. This is a world-changing task, one we embrace with adverbial faith, as we love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously.
This series was developed in conjunction with Miracle Sunday (May 17, 2026), a one-time special offering to benefit The Endowment Fund for Theological Education in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines. Learn more about Miracle Sunday.
Download the Worship Series
The Embracing an Adverbial Faith worship series includes six weeks of worship materials, including planning notes, preaching notes, music notes, liturgical resources, children's messages, youth lessons, and small group lessons. Reflecting our worldwide United Methodist connection, the worship materials are available in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean.
Download the Small Group Guide
The small-group guide accompanies the worship series, offering six sessions of study and discussion for congregations exploring what it means to love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously.
Contact Us for Help
Contact Discipleship Ministries staff for additional guidance.