Elaine Storkey calls for "prophetic voices"

12 Feb 2010

Church Army's Director of Training, Dr Elaine Storkey, is the new Chair of the Church and Media Network.

In her opening address as the new Chair of the Church and Media Network Dr Storkey has called on the Church and media to forge a new relationship and seize the opportunities of the digital media environment. Her comments came in advance of a debate to be held at the Church of England’s General Synod this week concerning the marginalization of religion on mainstream TV channels.

The appointment comes just weeks after Church Army launched an innovative email-based course, called Now a Christian, helping people discover what it means to having a living faith with Jesus Christ.

Dr Storkey said: “We need to recognize that the industry has changed and continues to change at a dizzying pace. I hope we will go beyond defensive self-interest. This is a time for prophetic and supportive voices.

In this new digital media environment the Church needs to find fresh ways of working with the major broadcasters.”
In recent years, Church Army has been one of the pioneering Christian organisations in the digital media environment, investing in web based films and social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter and developing a new website Make Jesus Famous to encourage young Christians to share information and ideas on mission and faith sharing.

Mark Russell, Church Army's CEO, said: "Elaine is at the forefront of leading our new mission-based training programme and I know that she will make an excellent contribution to the network as its Chair and help to build an improved relationship between the church and the media."

The Network has issued a briefing paper to Synod members outlining the “huge missional opportunities” offered by the new digital environment and calling on the Church to find “a new positive mode of engagement.”