General Synod Election Candidates 2026

General Synod Election Address:
The Rt Revd Dr Matthew Porter (Bishop of Bolton)

Chair of Emmanuel Theological College
Chair of Archbishops’ College of Evangelists
Lead Bishop for Church Planting in York Province Author of books on discipleship & leadership

Why should I be elected?

• I am passionate about Christ and making him known.
I love introducing people to Jesus, and seeing churches grow in confidence in sharing his
good news, through their words and actions. I am committed to the Five Marks of Mission
and greatly enjoy baptism and confirmation services. I live and work to see the church grow
with new disciples of Jesus, who are maturing in faith and impacting society. That’s why the
Archbishops invited me to Chair the College of Archbishops’ Evangelists, which I have done
since 2024.

• I believe in the church.
I want to see more parish churches thriving. I have worshipped and served in a wide range
of parochial settings, almost all in the North, including inner-city Doncaster, semi-rural and
suburban Sheffield and city-centre York, from areas of extreme deprivation to significant
affluence, so I have experience of ministry in a breath of sociological contexts. I now serve
as Bishop of Bolton, in the Diocese of Manchester where 48% of parishes fall in the 10%
most deprived nationally. Before I was a bishop I was 27 years in ordained local church
ministry, which is one of the longest of any present bishop, so I bring with me much
experience and understanding of local church life and highly value the parochial system. I
support the 5 Guiding Principles. I have experience of starting new initiatives, of planting
new churches and revitalising fragile churches. I am Lead Bishop for Church Planting in the
Province of York, working to see many ordinary parishes grow, especially through church
planting and revitalisation.

• I teach and write, especially about prayer and spiritual disciplines.
I seek to be a prayerful person. With Thomas Aquinas I believe that virtues are formed by
habits, and so I speak and teach regularly on spiritual disciplines like prayer, fasting, solitude,
and giving, as well as less celebrated habits such as journalling and reading. I greatly value
intercession and long to see an even more humble and prayerful church emerge in the
coming years.

• I am praying and working to see more vocations.
While Christ is Lord of the church and the bringer of growth, much of church life is
dependent on having servant-hearted, missional ordained and lay leaders at the helm. This is
something I have particularly encouraged in my leadership, having a good track record of
raising up local leaders from a range of diverse ethnic, social and economic backgrounds. It
is something I am strongly encouraging in the Diocese of Manchester. As a training priest I
have trained many curates and have sat on the boards of three different theological
institutions. I have recently been appointed Chair of Emmanuel Theological College, the
college supporting the seven North-West dioceses.

• I want to see dioceses become more financially sustainable.
The key to this is for dioceses to grow, with increasing numbers of worshippers. A fresh
emphasis on evangelism and church planting will assist. But we also need people to give
generously and to use our assets wisely, both locally and nationally. I have written about my
experience of learning about giving in The Art of Giving, which the national church purchased
for all diocesan giving advisers.

• I offer a reflective and considered opinion
I am called to be an author, writing to help people come to faith and grow in faith. My
writing is reflective and practical. My latest book, published in this Year of Reading is The Art
of Reading.

• The voice I bring is visionary, strategic and practical.
I think big picture and long-term, wanting decisions made to be helpful in 20, 50 and 100
years’ time. I am a strategic thinker and value a good plan, aware that surprises come, and
learning is required so flexibility is important. I recognise the decisions must result in actions
that are workable.

It would be an honour to serve as a suffragan bishop in the House of Bishops and on
General Synod, should I be elected.

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