Mark Russell (evangelist)

Mark Russell
Chief Executive of the Church Army
Assumed office
2006
Preceded by Philip Johanson
Personal details
Born Mark Kenneth Russell
(1974-06-25) 25 June 1974
Nationality Northern Irish
Political party Labour
Alma mater Queen's University Belfast
Occupation Anglican evangelist

Mark Kenneth Russell (born 25 June 1974) is a Northern Irish evangelist and charity executive. Since 2006, he has served as the Chief Executive of the Church Army, an Anglican evangelistic charity. He has additionally served as a lay member of the General Synod of the Church of England and of the Archbishops' Council, both from 2005 to 2011 and since 2015.[1][2] He was previously a local preacher in the Methodist Church in Ireland,[3] and is now a Reader in the Church of England.[3][4]

Early life and education

Russell was born on 25 June 1974 and brought up in Northern Ireland.[1][2] He was educated at Portadown College, a grammar school in Portadown, County Armagh.[1] He studied law at Queen's University Belfast, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 1995.[1][2]

Ministry

At the age of 21, Russell was licensed as a local preacher in the Methodist Church in Ireland.[3] From 1997 to 2000, he was a youth pastor at the Methodist church in Lurgan, County Armagh.[1] He was also a member of the Conference of the Methodist Church in Ireland between 1996 and 1998.[1]

In 2000, Russell moved to England to became a youth minister at Christ Church, Chorleywood, an evangelical Anglican church in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire, and a member of the Church of England.[2][5] In 2005, he was elected as a lay member of the General Synod of the Church of England and appointed to the Archbishops' Council as its youngest member.[2] In 2006, he left Chorleywood having been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Church Army, an Anglican evangelistic charity working in the United Kingdom and Ireland.[1][2] He was made an honorary canon of Worcester Cathedral in 2011.[1] He stepped down from the General Synod and the Archbishops' Council at the end of 2011.[1][6] In November 2015, he was re-elected to the General Synod as a lay representative for the Diocese of Sheffield and re-appointed to the Archbishops' Council.[1][2][7]

Views

Russell is a supporter of Diverse Church, a organisation for LGBT Christians attending evangelical churches in the UK.[8] He wrote the foreword of Amazing Love: Theology for Understanding Discipleship, Sexuality and Mission (2016), a collection of essays by Anglican theologians that affirm LGBT Christians.[9][10]

Russell supports the ordination of women as deacons, priests, and bishops in the Church of England.[11]

Personal life

Russell is a member of the Labour Party,[12] and is a former member of the executive of Christians on the Left.[13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Russell, Canon Mark Kenneth". Who's Who 2018. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.151466. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Our CEO". churcharmy.org. Church Army. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "Russell Mark". Archbishops’ College of Evangelists. Church Army. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  4. ↑ "Cork Diocese Prepares to Welcome Mark Russell, CEO of Church Army". Latest News from the Church of Ireland Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross. Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross. 13 October 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  5. ↑ "Mark Russell youth worker, lay preacher, and youngest member of the Archbishops' Council". Church Times. 2 November 2006. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  6. ↑ "GENERAL SYNOD - Appointment s to the Archbishops' Council" (pdf). Church of England. The Archbishops’ Council. 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  7. ↑ "Governance". Sheffield Anglican. The Diocese of Sheffield. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  8. ↑ "Board of References". Diverse Church. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  9. ↑ Amazing Love: Theology for Understanding Discipleship, Sexuality and Mission. London: Darton, Longman & Todd. 2016. ISBN 978-0232532654.
  10. ↑ "Evangelicals urged to be more open to sexuality challenge – ChurchNewspaper.com". Church of England Newspaper. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "Women Bishops: Enough Waiting – Mark Russell's message to General Synod". rowanwilliams.archbishopofcanterbury.org. Archbishop of Canterbury. 29 October 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  12. ↑ Williams, Martin (1 November 2014). "Ukip MEP apologises for apparently calling charity boss a paedophile". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  13. ↑ "Mark Russell: Faith is fine, but what about the policies?". Yorkshire Post. 26 April 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
Religious titles
Preceded by
Philip Johanson
as Chief Secretary		 Chief Executive of the Church Army
2006 to present		 Incumbent
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