The leadership team at CGC are proposing that Barney replaces Matt Frost as senior pastor when he moves on in the summer of 2009. As part of this we have put together a potted biography of Barney to give people some more info about him:

Barnabas Anthony Richard Skrentny, Age 44, one wife, four children, lives in Tufnell Park.
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 running a homeless hostel (the Gate House) from 1987-1988.
Married to Shirley in 1988 (first ever City Gates wedding) and moved to South East London, 1989, to plant and lead a church in Deptford Park, SE8 (1991-1996). Ministry Assistant to Roger Mitchell (former Ministry Assistant to Roger Forster) 1996-2001, and congregation leader of Passion for Camden Town, a pub church. After both churches subsequently began to be involved in the deconstruction movement and for all intents and purposes eventually disappeared, (after he had handed leadership of them on to others) became interested in theological education in order to engage with the "what is church?" debate from the point of view of information rather than speculation. 

Moved to Canada in 2001 to study theology at Regent College, Vancouver and received Master of Christian Studies degree (Practical Theology) in 2004. Returned to UK even though Vancouver is the one of the best loved cities in the world, because still felt called to London. Upset long suffering parents by doing so, who are still waiting for him to get a proper job. Began PhD with the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, in late 2004, which must be finished soon! Current title: "Ecclesiology and ecclesiogeny: issues of church planting within the British New Church Movement." Joined City Gates Church, joined a cell group; worked to create a more unified community in North London for City Gates folks. Joined the Leadership Team in 2006, appointed Associate Pastor in 2007. 

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 based understanding of spirituality, and sees the church as the place where we create practices that promote the key virtues of mutual love, holiness and outreach. 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. An agitator for the kingdom, Barney's ministry does not always make people comfortable; in later years however, some have returned to thank him for this! He wants to be involved with encouraging households of peace, communities of mutual care and goodness, training Christian leaders, and church planting. He has enjoyed working with Matt for the last few years, and would want to do many of the same things, even if they get done in a different way. He is a "prophetic" according to Andy Raine's motivational gifts book, "Given for Life," ENTJ or "Field Marshall" according the Myers-Briggs personality types and a synthesist/analyst according to Harrison and Bramson's "Art of Thinking," a book on thinking styles.  He enjoys playing the guitar, family walks, restoring and painting old furniture, wikipedia, and of course being married to Shirley and having lots of children!