The pioneer of the global Alpha Course, the Rev Nicky Gumbel, has been elected to the Church of England’s General Synod, with a manifesto calling for the Church to refocus on evangelism and reach a new generation with the Christian faith.
The 71-year-old former vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) was among the clergy candidates seeking election to represent the Diocese of London in the House of Clergy.
It will be Gumbel’s first time serving on the Church of England’s national governing body, which debates and approves legislation, agrees forms of worship, discusses national and international issues, and approves the annual budget.
In his election manifesto, Gumbel said he was saddened that the Church had not experienced the growth he had hoped for during his 40 years in ordained ministry, but expressed hope for its future.
“We have a new Archbishop. We will have a new Synod. It is a new season,” he wrote.
Gumbel, who was ordained in 1986 after practising as a lawyer, served as a curate under Bishop Sandy Millar for 19 years before becoming vicar of HTB, a position he held for 17 years.
He has since served as a full-time Alpha chaplain, travelling internationally with his wife, Pippa, and observing what he described as the “remarkable vibrancy” of churches around the world.
In his manifesto, Gumbel argued that the Church of England must concentrate on what unites Christians rather than allowing internal disagreements to dominate its agenda. He also warned against the Church becoming too focused on its own internal affairs.
“As Pope Francis pointed out, when the church becomes self-referential, it becomes sick,” he wrote. “The time has come for us to unite in love for a whole generation that has never heard how much they are loved by God.”
Gumbel also highlighted what he described as growing interest in Christianity among Generation Z and Generation Alpha, saying young people were searching for “love, meaning, and belonging”.
Among his proposals are a national leadership pipeline focused on younger people who already feel called to full-time ministry and the appointment of an ordained focal minister in every parish across the country. He explained that churches without such leadership tend to decline, while those with it tend to grow.
Gumbel also called for church buildings, halls and vicarages not to be sold except to another part of the Christian Church. He said that the Church of England’s network of approximately 12,500 parishes, covering more than 99 per cent of England, was a significant resource for evangelism.
“Our vast network of churches must be poised and ready to reach millions of sheep who come searching for the Shepherd,” he wrote.
Although this will be his first term on General Synod, Gumbel has previously been involved in debates about the denomination’s direction.
In 2023, he was among 27 evangelical leaders who wrote to Church of England bishops arguing that the decision to authorise prayers of blessing for same-sex couples should be made by General Synod rather than the House of Bishops alone.
General Synod comprises the House of Bishops, the House of Clergy and the House of Laity, with elected members serving five-year terms.
