Neil Bennett

Neil has been the Minister at CBC since 2004 and believes that He is called to serve God in the community of Catshill, reaching out to others and drawing them into a real and deep relationship with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

God has equipped Neil in the areas of preaching and leading worship. The increase of our membership, the number of Baptisms and the size of our morning and evening services, bears testimony to this.

Neil relates well to people of all ages and he has a deep-rooted desire to see people come into the church and grow in their relationship with God. He believes that the best way this is achieved is by addressing not only people's spiritual needs, but their physical and social needs as well, to this end the Church has several outreach projects covering a large age range.

Neil is a good listener with a pastoral heart. He wants to see God use him for people and to build a church where all people feel, and are, loved and valued. Neil’s enthusiasm coupled with a good sense of humour helps put people at ease and serves to open up sometimes unexpected opportunities to share the message of the gospel. Neil believes in the absolute authority of God’s Word believing that it is fundamental for Christian belief and conduct.

Neil believes in the priesthood of all believers and the responsibility of the local gathered church to discern the mind of Christ in matters concerning its life and work. Neil asks a lot of the church believing that the church meeting needs to seek God’s purposes and respond to His leading. Neil believes in ecumenicalism, where this does not directly conflict with or contradict the views of the church, especially in the area of local mission.

Neil trained for the Baptist Ministry at Spurgeons College and is an accredited Baptist Minister. Neil is married to Karen and they have two children, a son, Christopher and a daughter, Hannah. Neil is a keen rugby supporter, Wales, being his favourite side! He likes walking and is a regular participator, with Christopher, with the CBC walkers.