About
Barnabas Anthony Richard Skrentny, (mid 50s) one wife, four children, lives in Tufnell Park, North London. Born in Chicago USA, came to the UK in 1972 aged 8. Yorkshire boarding school education, Law degree from UCL (where he met his wife); worked for Holy Trinity, Cambridge as pastoral assistant, and then with City Gates Church, London running a homeless hostel (the Gate House). Married to Shirley in 1988 and moved to South East London to plant and lead a church in Deptford with Ichthus Christian Fellowship. In 1996 the family moved north again, where Barney was congregation leader of Passion for Camden Town, a pub church.
Moved to Canada in 2001 to study theology at Regent College, Vancouver, and received a Master of Christian Studies degree (Practical Theology) in 2004. Returned to the UK (even though Vancouver is one of the best-loved cities in the world) because of his calling to London. Joined City Gates Church again; became Senior Leader in 2009. Took too many years to complete his Ph.D.: “Historical and Theological Reflection on the Concept of “Church” Within the British New Church Movement, 1950-2010.” Many years after leaving Camden Town disappointed, the option to complete that project emerged in 2016 with the purchase of a pub and the opening of the Living room cafe. in 2020 City Gates has three locations: Soho, City, and Camden Town.
Nicholas Healy says: “the church is the place where the debate goes on as to how best to be faithful to Jesus,” and Barney agrees with this. He favours a virtue led understanding of spirituality and sees the church as the place where we create practices of mutual love, holiness, and service. He loves the Sermon on the Mount and talks about it a lot. Spurring one another on, practical care, personal openness, the pursuit of particular spiritual goals, running the race, and pressing on towards the goal are often mentioned.
He is a “prophetic” according to Andy Raine’s motivational gifts book, “Given for Life,” ENTJ, or “Field Marshall” according to the Myers-Briggs personality types and a synthesist/analyst according to Harrison and Bramson’s “Art of Thinking,” a book on thinking styles. His top five “Clifton Strengths” are Strategic, Input, Command, Self-Assurance, and Connectedness. He enjoys playing the guitar, gardening, interior design, restoring old furniture, and of course, being married to Shirley and having lots of children!