The Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) has announced the appointment of the Bishop of Birkenhead as its National Director. 

The Rt Rev Keith Sinclair will take up the post on 27 April 2021, the 100th anniversary of the birth of CEEC founder John Stott. 

His new position will begin just after his retirement as the Bishop of Birkenhead next March.

Bishop Sinclair said: "I am delighted and humbled to be afforded the opportunity to contribute to the ministry of CEEC at this critical time for the Church of England.

"I thank God for our Anglican inheritance which I believe is a rich expression of the Apostolic faith, taught in the Scriptures, which was once for all entrusted to Christ's church.

"My overriding objective will be to ensure that CEEC affirms our belief in the truth and goodness of this inheritance, embraces it as a gift from God our Father for the flourishing of all humanity, and that a deeper commitment to evangelism and discipleship will be a consequence as we serve Christ together in the power of the Holy Spirit."

The CEEC said the bishop's appointment as National Director came at a "time of both great challenge and opportunity", and would strengthen evangelical witness and engagement with the issues facing the Church of England.

"However, it would be wrong to ignore the fact that theological differences and tensions exist within the Church which threaten to fracture the life and witness of parishes and dioceses up and down the country," the group said. 

CEEC President, the Bishop of Blackburn, Julian Henderson, said: "I am delighted to welcome Keith as our first National Director for many years. Keith and I have long worked together as episcopal colleagues, and I know that he will be a National Director whose heart's desire is for the Church of England to be strengthened through the clear teaching of mainstream Christian doctrine, as found in Scripture, and thus be equipped for the re-evangelisation of England."

CEEC Chairman, the Rev Hugh Palmer, commented: "Bishop Keith's leadership of CEEC will undoubtedly be characterised by his habitual graciousness, underpinned by a deep love of Jesus Christ and the Scriptures.

"He has always been willing to stand firm and give a clear account of his faith, and I thus have every confidence that he is just the person we need as our National Director at this challenging time for the Church of England."