The Rev. Larry Hollon
Denomination: United Methodist Church (UMC)
The Rev. Larry Hollon is the chief executive of United Methodist Communications, the global communications agency of The United Methodist Church. United Methodist Communications seeks to increase awareness of the denomination in communities and nations around the world, as well as offering services, tools, products and resources for communications ministry.
Since being named general secretary in 2000, Hollon has overseen the creation of more than $40 million in advertising that has significantly raised public awareness of The United Methodist Church. In May 2009, he led the launch of Rethink Church, a new advertising and welcoming campaign targeting 18- to 34-year-olds that seeks to redefine church as an out-of-church experience where people are actively involved in the world beyond.
Rev. Hollon's visionary leadership on global health issues played a pivotal role in catalyzing the denomination to become a founding partner in Nothing But Nets, a grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, as well as developing a new global health initiative for The United Methodist Church. The Global Health Initiative is engaged in Imagine No Malaria, a comprehensive, church-wide effort to raise $75 million over five years to fight malaria.
Before joining United Methodist Communications, Hollon was an award-winning producer whose primary focus was telling the stories of persons affected by poverty. His work has taken him to more than 30 countries to collaborate on projects ranging from the stories of street children in Brazil to economic self-development in rural villages in Africa. His clients have included Fortune 500 companies, governmental agencies, and nonprofit organizations. He has also worked in television news and commercial radio as a talk show host, and has been published in numerous publications. Hollon is an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church.
Articles by The Rev. Larry Hollon
Larry Hollon: No One Should Live Outside the Web of Connectivity
Wednesday October 08, 2014
The Ebola crisis is demonstrating that in this new age of pervasive technology, no one on the planet is so isolated that they can exist outside the global web of connectivity that delivers life-enhancing, and life-saving, information.
Larry Hollon: 8 Ways Pope Francis Is Changing the Conversation
Tuesday February 11, 2014
Pope Francis is being celebrated for his ability to change the conversation of the Roman Catholic Church. His communication skills coupled with the stature of the papacy have brought a new tone to discourse within the church and captivated those of us outside that communion. Francis has, at least for the time being, put Christians and the Christian faith in a better light in the wider culture as well. How has he done it?
Larry Hollon: Online Communion Sparks Questions for Digital Age
Wednesday October 09, 2013
Online communion stirs passions, so much so that a conversation by United Methodists on the subject under the hashtag #onlinecommunion became a trending topic on Twitter this week.
Larry Hollon: The Act of Listening as a Means of Healing
Monday November 19, 2012
While today's returning troops suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are added to safety-net programs, many of the same people who herald patriotism call for budget cuts to these very programs. And, unless we live near a military base, we've seen little press coverage of the lives lost.
Larry Hollon: Faith in Crisis and Easter Hope
Tuesday April 17, 2012
There's a lot of pessimism afoot today about the church and faith. I even sense in some quarters panic and desperation. It's true that Christianity in the United States faces a crisis for all the reasons these commentators list and more, but I'm not pessimistic about the future.
Larry Hollon: The Global Cry for Economic Justice
Monday September 26, 2011
There is a growing gap between the rich and poor, the need for meaningful work, and the need for economic and labor policies that favor job creation. This need is global, and it's spiritual.
The Rev. Larry Hollon: Why Somalia Matters
Friday August 05, 2011
Somalia is not a distant place on the Horn of Africa, nor is the suffering of the Somali people of no consequence to us. I am called to be concerned and to act.