Dr. Barney Wells

An interesting fact about Dr. Barney Wells is that he’s one of less than a dozen people in the world with a DMin in Rural Church Work. Considering that worldwide, the church exists most prolifically in rural places, his research is certain to appeal to a sizeable audience! In a similar tone, Wells loves to play the banjo and looks for any and all opportunities to talk about his favorite instrument. Being married to a children’s minister, Marcia, has its perks – he gets to play “bouncer” in the children’s ministry department at their church.

“We’re quite fond of saying that at LCU, ‘we don’t teach you what to think, we teach you how to think.’ We don’t expect students to just parrot back what faculty say, but we encourage and train them to think for themselves. That unique approach to learning fosters a unique approach to faith. As students work through their own questions, they develop a faith of their own—not their professor’s or their parents or their preacher’s. LCU provides a safe environment to ask and explore, with faculty to help frame the right questions and point to where answers may be found.”

Dr. Barney Wells, Graduate Academic Dean and Associate Professor of Bible and Ministry