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The Church of England has done a really good job of compromising itself, lowering the standard to where people are, rather than calling the people to something greater in the church. I think we sell ourselves short when we sing only one song, because it will make the service thirty minutes instead of forty minutes, but will take away from the beauty of the service. Maybe it's actually the beauty of the service and not the timing [that draws people].

Do you think of yourself as a missionary?

Yes. I am a missionary; this is mission work. It's not the same as the great missionaries who went where there was no written language and tried to translate the Bible, living in a place for twenty years before they had one convert. I think of those people, and in comparison, what I'm doing is hard, but not as hard as other missionary endeavors around the world.

Going to Wheaton College, where there's a great emphasis on missions, I never pictured myself as a missionary. I'm laughing at myself, looking at the situation I'm in now. It's humbling—really humbling. We never know where God's going to take us.

Copyright © 2005 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Channel 4 has more about the show, including a clip.

Articles elsewhere include:

Branding God | Huddersfield marketing man Julian Kynaston has completed his toughest assignment - selling God. Mr Kynaston, who lives at Upper Denby, was given the job of boosting attendances at a struggling South Yorkshire church - and the results can be seen when Channel 4 screens a three-part series, Priest Idol, next week. (The Huddersfield Daily Examiner, UK, November 11, 2005)

American know-how helps vicar breathe new life into parish | An American vicar hired to resuscitate a dying parish has more than quadrupled his congregation with an innovative marketing campaign. (Daily Telegraph, UK, November 11, 2005)

In God they now trust | The village church in Lundwood, Yorkshire used to have a congregation of just three. Then a young American vicar, a marketing company and a TV crew arrived … (The Observer, UK, November 6, 2005)

Channel 4 to screen 'Priest Idol' | Channel 4 will screen a new series which aims to boost a congregation in a parish with poor church attendance. (BBC, September 16, 2004)

Thank heavens for reality TV | 'Priest Idol' show helps to save church that didn't have a prayer (The Independent, UK, November 11 2005)

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November (Web-only) 2005, Vol. 49