ABOUT
REV. JOHN D. BARRY
AUTHOR, CHAPLAIN, FOUNDER, BIBLE SCHOLAR
Rev. John D. Barry is an author, chaplain, nonprofit founder, and Bible scholar. John’s writing and speaking draws on his unique experience in biblical studies, alleviating poverty, entrepreneurship, and pastoral ministry. After a career in publishing and Bible software, John and his wife, Kalene, dedicated their lives to spreading the gospel and empowering the impoverished. Together, they founded and led Jesus’ Economy, an innovative 501(c)(3) nonprofit that created jobs and churches in the developing world from 2012–2020. Today, John’s time is dedicated to chaplaincy.
John is the author or editor of 30 books, including the widely endorsed Jesus’ Economy: A Biblical View of Poverty, the popular daily devotional Connect the Testaments, multiple Not Your Average Bible Study volumes, and the Bible commentaries Cutting Ties with Darkness and Resurrected Servant. He is the general editor of Faithlife Study Bible and Lexham Bible Dictionary, used by over one million people, and the former editor-in-chief of Bible Study Magazine, a product he launched. John’s video curriculum, DIY Bible Study, has taught thousands how to study the Bible. He has also authored over 200 articles.
As CEO and President of Jesus’ Economy, John led efforts to fund community development in an extremely impoverished region of Northeast India, where few had heard the name of Jesus. Grants from Jesus’ Economy empowered women through business training, sponsored church planting, and provided clean water and literacy training. In addition, Jesus’ Economy sustained hundreds of developing world jobs through an online Fair Trade Shop.
John and Kalene also served as missionaries with Resurrect Church Movement, the division of Jesus’ Economy that equipped U.S. churches to effectively alleviate poverty and bring people to Jesus. In a primarily unchurched area of the U.S., John has served as: missional pastor for an established church; president of a church plant; founding minister of an outreach and pastoral care ministry; chaplain in an addiction recovery home; and in chapel and executive leadership for a large homeless shelter.
Formerly, John also served as founding publisher of Lexham Press, an imprint of Faithlife Corporation / Logos Bible Software. Under John’s eight-year tenure, Lexham matured into a dynamic publishing house offering innovative biblical, theological, and pastoral resources as print and enhanced digital editions. John has been a scholarly, editorial, and media advisor for multiple ministries and organizations, including both U.S. Bible societies; and trade magazines have cited John’s advice on publishing.
In addition, national radio shows and magazines have featured John as a subject expert in Bible study and alleviating poverty; his byline has appeared in major Christian magazines; and his former blogs, “Jesus’ Economy” and “Infinite in Everything,” were staples of high-traffic Christian websites. As a public speaker, John has offered multiple keynote addresses and presented papers at the annual meetings of Society of Biblical Literature and Evangelical Theological Society. For his alma mater, Trinity Western University, John has served as an instructor in business leadership, teaching assistant, and researcher in ancient papyrus, New Testament manuscripts, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. John began his career as a drafter for a refinery, percussion instructor, and musician. John is originally from “the last great frontier,” Alaska, and spent much of his life in “the city of subdued excitement” in Northwest Washington state—a fact evident in his love of gray skies, good coffee, mountain hiking, sea kayaking, road tripping, and “being off the beaten path” with his wife, Kalene, and their dog Milton.
EXPLORE JOHN’S WRITING / EDITING
ORGANIZATIONS LAUNCHED BY JOHN
JOHN’S DEGREES / CERTIFICATIONS
- Ordained Minister of Word & Sacrament (Rev.), Reformed Church in America (RCA)
- Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Trinity Western University and Seminary (ACTS Seminaries; 4.07 GPA) with transferred coursework from Western Theological Seminary—Church Ministries concentration
- Licensed and Examined Candidate for Ministry, Classis Cascades, Reformed Church in America
- Certificate of Fitness for Ministry, Ministerial Formation Certification Agency of the RCA (4.0 GPA)
- M.A. in Biblical Studies, Trinity Western University (Great Distinction; 3.90 GPA)
- M.A. Thesis: The Resurrected Servant in Isaiah 53:10–12
- B.A. in Biblical Studies, Trinity Western University (Honors / Dean’s List; 4.16 GPA)
- A.A. degree in General Studies, Whatcom Community College (Honors), including studying art history and British literature abroad in London, U.K. for a quarter
- Leadership Whatcom (County) Program Graduate, Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce—an eight-month government and nonprofit focused training program
- Clinical Pastoral Education (1-Unit Equiv.) Seminar, Ministerial Formation Certification Agency, RCA—for grief and crisis counseling
- Counselor Training in Relapse Prevention and Overcoming Addictions, Genesis Process
- Prepare–Enrich Pre-Marriage and Marital Assessment Facilitator, for couples counseling
Languages studied: Advanced graduate and undergraduate courses in Koine Greek. Advanced graduate and undergraduate courses in Classical, Qumran, and Rabbinic Hebrew. Graduate coursework in Classical Syriac. Working knowledge of Classical Latin as well as Biblical and Qumran Aramaic.
FOLLOW / CONTACT JOHN D. BARRY
Want to contact John? Due to his full-time commitment to chaplaincy, John is no longer taking on new writing, editing, consulting, and speaking opportunities; and thus will not be responding to new inquiries. Likewise, John is unable to respond to comments and questions from readers and is no longer active on social media. Thank you for engaging with John’s content.