Rev. James Parks

One of my favorite mission trip experiences was traveling to Tennessee with a group of youth to serve at a ministry that helped guide troubled boys toward a new path in life. One of our projects was remodeling an old shower house. It involved power tools, construction equipment, and a lot of skilled labor. I was one of the adult leaders on the trip, but there was one small problem: I was a "city kid." Most of the students on our team grew up on farms, and many had taken shop class from the...

We recently had a wonderful Annual Conference as pastors and lay members from across the Upper Midwest Conference gathered in Sioux City, Iowa for fellowship, encouragement, worship, and growth. During the conference, I shared several conference statistics and how they compare to the previous year: Membership – 21,337 (+1.5%) Average Worship Attendance – 10,628 (+11%) Baptisms in 2025 – 442 (+3%) Professions of Faith – 531 (+11%) It is encouraging to see growth in each of these areas because...

A few weeks ago, our Cabinet and additional leaders gathered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for training with the International Leadership Institute (ILI) as part of their History Makers initiative. This training is being used across the Global Methodist Church and around the world. Its vision is clear and compelling: to change history by accelerating the spread of the Gospel through leaders of leaders empowered by the Holy Spirit. The training centers on eight core values: Intimacy with God,...