was born in 1943 in Roanoke, Virginia to Claude and Myrtle Barber. He
grew up in a loving home and shared his father's love for fishing. He played
basketball in high school and college, rightly so since he stands 6' 7" tall. He
graduated in 1968 and served in ministry for seven years before being saved in
October of 1975. He pastored his first church in Switzer, Kentucky in 1978 and
moved to Lexington, Mississippi the spring of 1979. In 1981 God called him to
Chattanooga, Tennessee to pastor the congregation of Woodland Park Baptist
church for the next 18 years. While in Chattanooga, Wayne developed a good
relationship with Jack and Kay Arthur, who founded Precept Ministries and
attended Wayne’s church. He became a co-teacher at Precept Ministries for 14
years. He learned to exegete scripture through weekly meetings with Dr. Spiros
Zodhiates, one of the world’s leading Greek scholars. Wayne shared a radio
broadcast with Dr. Zodhiates. Wayne has taught around the world for AMG
International, Dr. Zodhiates’ outreach ministry. On March 24, 2002, Wayne Barber
became Senior Teaching Pastor at Hoffmantown Church in Albuquerque, New
Mexico.
Along the way, Wayne met and married Diana. They have been
married for more than 31 years. They have two grown children, Stephanie and
Steven, a son-in-law, Erik, and daughter-in-law, Ann, and two grandchildren
Hollen and Jonathan.
Wayne
also enjoys the out of doors. He is a fisherman, hunter, skier, and occasional
golfer, but watch out if you are on the same golf course with him. He has been
known to leave behind casualties at area courses! As a part of his teaching
style, Wayne often shares one of his many "sport illustrations," which probably
explains why so many men, as well as women, say that the Bible comes to life as
Wayne teaches.
"
Living the Christ life is daily surrendering to His will and Word which allows
us to enter into His divine enablement. I must decrease and He must increase. As
I am willing to deny self, and surrender to Him, He takes it from there and
energizes my very being, empowering me to do what He has commanded me to do. My
favorite verse in the Bible is Philippians 1:21, 'For to me to live is Christ
and to die is gain'."
