Church Army to Plea for Wholehearted Mission at General Synod

The Chief Executive of Church Army is to make a plea for the Church to focus wholeheartedly on mission and evangelism.

Speaking at the General Synod of the Church of England today, Mark Russell, who is also a member of the Archbishops' Council will note that a concern for evangelism should not come from worries that the Church cannot pay its pensions bill, or by fears that there may not be a Church in 20 years time.

Russell, 33, was a guest on BBC TV's Heaven and Earth Show last night.

In a rarely granted address to Synod, Russell will speak on the impact of Church Army and how his organisation is meeting the challenge of sharing faith through words and action in an increasingly secular society.

Russell will also call for a renewed focus on unity of purpose for the Church around mission and tell Synod members that "in this modern world, this Google generation needs different models of church ... our agenda, our passion, our zeal is what the Church so desperately needs."

The talk will cover the need for compassion, cooperation and the desire for church to be contemporary ,which Russell says are the three drivers at the heart of the work of Church Army, sharing the Christian faith beyond church walls.

He will mention the need for evangelism to start with people at the place they would like the conversation to begin from. The talk will also see the premiere of making history, bringing hope - a new DVD on the work of Church Army.