The Revd David Neil: 1929–2023
The memories of a good man are a blessing indeed. Many people throughout the Baptist Union, in England, Scotland and beyond, will have cause to look back with thankfulness to God for the life and ministry, friendship, and encouragement that flowed from this godly man and minister of the gospel
Born in Ohio, USA, David returned with parents to Scotland where he enjoyed a happy childhood, in spite of great deprivation and poverty. As a family they attended church and were active in the Christian Endeavour Society. David professed his faith, was baptised and became a church member at 14 years of age.
He loved most sports and enjoyed playing football, cricket and cycling. It was through the encouragement of a teacher who spotted David’s potential and appreciation of music that he learnt to play the organ and piano and applied to be an organ scholar at the Royal Scottish Academy of music in Glasgow. A place he was never to take up, because of his call up for National Service in the RAF. Nevertheless his love of music remained throughout his life.
During his time in the RAF, he was promoted to Corporal and served in Egypt. He had met Ruby and their courtship had begun, despite him serving abroad.
On his return, Ruby being seriously ill, they shared together their hopes and dreams during her long convalescence, and they were married in 1955.
It was during David’s time working in publishing back in Glasgow that he felt the call of God to ministry. He trained at the Evangelical Baptist College in the city and applied for accreditation through the residential selection conference route.
Possibly because he didn't attend the Scottish Baptist College, he didn't secure a settlement in Scotland and therefore moved south to take up an appointment as the minister at Wainsgate Baptist Church in Yorkshire in 1955. A tough and challenging pastorate, three years later he received a call to Woodseats Baptist Church in Sheffield. From rural to urban ministry, it was at Woodseats, under David's ministry that many people came to faith in Christ, notably young people from unchurched backgrounds.
David spent much of his time in discipling others and produced a discipleship course for over 120 people and through such measures saw lives transformed, friendships made, as the church grew. Mid-week meetings in church premises were replaced with home groups, greater participation from all members of the church was encouraged in Sunday services and other areas of the church’s ministry.
It was a willingness to change, experiment and innovate that enriched David's life and played a significant part in broadening his ministry. Preaching from John 15 one day led to David to explore the path of Christian spirituality which helped to counter his propensity for activism. Embracing the spiritual disciplines of quiet reflection, prayer and Bible reading saw David seeking God each day. A pattern and practice that continued throughout his life as an enquiring disciple of Christ.
It was in Sheffield that David and Ruby's dream of a family was realised. Initially fostering and then having four children of their own, close family life has always been integral and a source of great joy to David and Ruby.
After a very fruitful ministry and happy time as a family in Sheffield, David responded to the invitation to be the minister of Whitley Bay Baptist Church in 1971. Twelve years in the church saw many people coming to faith, including many young people.
The discipleship course that David had put together in Sheffield found wider circulation as the Baptist Unions in England, Scotland and Wales published David's book. It was reprinted 19 times and was widely used for many years.
David’s interest in publishing continued and in 1973 he was asked if he might revive The Northerner, the NBA association magazine which had been discontinued. Under David’s editorial leadership and vision and Ruby’s invaluable support, for the next 15 years circulation never dropped to below 1400 copies!
David not only saw the church grow at Whitley Bay, but he involved himself in wider Association life. He organised missions, exchange visits to the USA and was a much-loved encourager and mentor of younger ministers. In the midst of all this, he somehow found time to complete his degree with the Open University. He became very interested in the emerging Church Growth movement and began to implement its principles not only in the church in Whitley Bay to great effect but saw its impact in the NBA as membership of the churches within the Association in the 1980s rose by over 10 per cent, the first time an increase had been seen in over 60 years.
It was no surprise that in 1982 David felt the call to wider ministry and took up the appointment as the NBA Association Minister and Association Secretary, primarily focusing on the smaller churches within the Association. He and Ruby, in leaving Whitley Bay moved to Durham and under his ministry many of those churches grew and were able to call their own ministers.
It was also during this period that David was the Vice-Chair of the Billy Graham mission in 1982, having responsibility for the training of counsellors and the supervising of the follow-up for enquiries, which saw nearly 12,000 people making a commitment to Christ. David had envisaged working with the Association until his retirement but in 1987 he was approached by the Baptist Union of Scotland asking if he would be willing to be interviewed for the newly created position of Mission Field worker.
So it was to Scotland that he returned, back to Glasgow. An appointment that would see him working with Baptist churches throughout the length and breadth of the land, guiding them in their mission, encouraging experimentation, as well as new ways of relating to a changing culture and being contextually relevant.
He travelled extensively sharing the fruit of his many years of ministry. He represented the Scottish Baptist Union at international gatherings, enjoying the opportunities of travelling and ministering in Russia, the USA and Switzerland.
Another period of fruitful ministry concluded with David's retirement in 1987 and he and Ruby returned to the north-east. They moved to Crook in County Durham where David’s insatiable appetite for enquiry and learning saw him eventually, with Ruby’s encouragement, writing what many regard as the definitive history of the town. The fruits of such labours led not only to a recording of the past but a contribution to much needed community initiatives that would help Crook and the surrounding area reimagine its future.
David and Ruby became members of the Baptist church, and he accepted the role of honorary pastor in 1994. He continued to preach and serve other churches within the Association. His series of four lectures on Baptists in the north of England in 2005 led to the publication of another book, the fruits of which benefited many people in understanding the context in which Baptists exercise their ministry and mission in a changing north-eastern culture.
Upon reaching his 73rd birthday David came to the conclusion that it was time to relinquish all the responsibilities that he held and the decision was taken with Ruby to move to Houghton-le-Spring where they became members of Bethany Christian Centre. They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 2005. In 2014 Ruby died and her loss was greatly felt by David. The graciousness with which he came to terms with being a widower and his later years of failing health, was a mark of the gentleness, humility and contentment of a man who knew that his life was in God’s hands. As the Apostle Paul, writing of his own condition to the church in Corinth, states, “though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.”
I was privileged to be with David at his home just days before he died. We talked, he enquired about things that he clearly kept abreast of; happenings in the Association and wider society, alert as ever. I shared with him from Psalm 16 and as I was reading from the scripture, David simply recited the words. I closed my Bible and allowed him to continue reciting the words he knew so well.
A true disciple of Christ. Sadly missed but fondly remembered.
The Revd Roy Searle, Northumbria Community and Pioneer Ambassador, Baptists Together.
David’s Service of Thanksgiving takes place on Monday 16 October, 2:30 pm at Bethany Christian Centre, Houghton-le-Spring. The service will be live streamed. See: youtube.com/live/eUJuerGC2ag?feature=share