To his face many of his friends refer to the new director for congregational development as the "James Carville" of the Episcopal Church. Unlike the hyperkinetic Democratic political consultant, the Rev. Charles N. Fulton III prefers a softer introduction.

He said he often likes to start off with a couple of questions: "How many of you have adult children?" he will ask, scanning his audience to see usually a majority with their hands raised.

"How many of them don't go to church?" Typically very few hands drop. With their defenses down, the next question usually seals the deal: "When even the children of staunch Episcopalians aren't attending, do you care?" he will ask rhetorically.

"I usually don't get flak when I ask that question," he said.

Fr. Fulton, 58, will have many more opportunities to ask hard questions in a gentle way following his appointment as director for congregational development at the Episcopal Church Center in New York City. His new duties will include organizing and coordinating the work of the Presiding Bishop's staff in implementing whatever action Executive Council decides to take with a major initiative to double attendance by 2020.

News of his appointment was greeted enthusiastically among members of the special task force charged with presenting an action implementation plan to Executive Council in October.

There is a signal from the Presiding Bishop in this appointment and the timing of the announcement, said the Rev. Canon Kevin Martin, a member of the 20/20 task force as well as canon for mission and congregational development in the Diocese of Texas. "[Charles Fulton] is the real deal."

Canon Martin got to know Fr. Fulton when the two helped found the Episcopal Network for Evangelism, a group which seeks in part to promote the use of methods appropriate to Anglican theological heritage, but in forms attractive in today's and tomorrow's world.

Both priests believe that a number of factors are converging to make this an opportune time to get the "whole system" of the church behind a renewed emphasis on the great commission.

"I think the whole context we're in right now is unusual," Fr. Fulton said. "There seems to be a church-wide convergence around issues of congregational health and vitality. I've never known a time in my life when so many congregations and dioceses were so openly asking questions along those lines. The House of Bishops is more interested in this than at any other time in my history. That is a key piece."

Since he was ordained in 1968, Fr. Fulton said the culture has changed radically. Unfortunately, he said, it has often seemed as if the mission of the church was to act as if its goal ought to be not to change at all.

"I don't hear anyone talking about changing the letter," he said. "Just the envelope we put it in. Too often people don't distinguish between the envelope and the letter."

Good leaders, Fr. Fulton believes, lead by consensus and example. No program or initiative from the Episcopal Church Center can force people to commit to something they don't believe in. A lack of grassroots support has often been cited as a contributing factor in the perceived failure of the Decade of Evangelism.

How does he plan to convince the majority of Episcopalians that the goal of doubling church attendance within 20 years is realistic? Once again Fr. Fulton uses a softer tone.

"The goal of 2020 really just means that each person brings one other person to Christ within 20 years," he said. "Each of us should be doing that several times a year."