The Archbishop of Canterbury has appointed Canon Chris Russell as a new adviser for evangelism and witness.
Canon Russell will work part-time on the Archbishop's staff whilst retaining his post as vicar of St Laurence in Reading.
He will help implement the Archbishop's priority of the re-evangelisation of England and ensure that evangelism remains central to the Archbishop's ministry.
Canon Russell said he was "honoured and thrilled" by his new appointment.
"It is my passionate belief that the best thing anyone can possibly do with their lives is follow Jesus Christ, and so it is with great anticipation that I come on board the Archbishop's team to serve him as he serves the Church of Jesus Christ," he said.
"My prayer is that we are all empowered to live the lives of faithful witnesses to Jesus Christ and his revolutionary goodness and love."
Canon Russell was trained for the Ordained Ministry at Ridley Hall during which he also did an M Phil in Dogmatic Theology at Cambridge University.
He was ordained in 1996 and served his title post at St John with Holy Trinity Deptford, Southwark, after which he served on staff at Soul Survivor Watford before becoming vicar of St Laurence Reading in 2001. He was made a Canon of Christchurch Cathedral Oxford in 2013 and is the author of Ten Letters.
