Ash Barker, Ph.D., Visiting Lecturer in Humanitarian Development and Social Justice, Nazarene Theological College and International Director, Seedbeds.
Rev Dr Ash Barker is a leadership developer, shalom activist, communicator and Pioneer Minister. He has intentionally lived and served on the front line of urban poverty for over 30 years, beginning in his native Melbourne, before 12 years in Bangkok’s largest slum and, since 2014, inner city Birmingham, UK. Ash believes all urban people and places should have the right to grow into God’s fullness of life. He founded “Seedbeds” (Seedbeds.org) to help this happen through community leadership and capacity building programmes. An inspiring speaker and lecturer, Ash earned his PhD on the rise of urban poverty from the University of Divinity, Melbourne and leads post-graduate courses with Nazarene Theological College (University of Manchester). Ash has authored nine books including ‘Risky Compassion’, ‘Make Poverty Personal’ and ‘Slum Life Rising’ and his new book 'No Wastelands' published in 2024. With wife Anji, Ash is a URC Minister at Lodge Road Community Church and lives in community at Newbigin House in Winson Green, Birmingham, UK.
Publications
No Wastelands: How to Grow Seedbeds of Shalom in Your neighbourhood. Seedbeds Publishing, 2024.
Risky Compassion. Birmingham: Urban Life Together Publications, 2014.
Slum Life Rising: How to enflesh hope within a new urban world. Melbourne. UNOH Publishing, 2012.
Make Poverty Personal: Taking the poor as seriously as the Bible does. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2009.
Make Poverty Personal: The Bible’s call to end oppression. Melbourne; UNOH Publishing, 2007.
Surrender All: A call to sub-merge with Christ. Melbourne; UNOH Publishing, 2005.
Finding Life: Reflections from a Bangkok slum. Melbourne. UNOH Publishing, 2003.
Ash Barker with John Hayes. Sub-merge: Living deep in a shallow world. Melbourne; GO Publications 2002.
Collective Witness: A theology and praxis for a missionary order. Melbourne; UNOH Publishing, 2000.
Making Connections: Stories, exercises and questions to help encounter Jesus today. Melbourne; Vital Publications, 1998.
Research Supervision
Gabriel Marquez
Email: ash.barker@seedbeds.org