By Ariana Johnson, student news writer
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - Dr. Wayne Barnard, director of student ministries for International Justice Mission (IJM), will be speaking on human rights issues at Campbellsville University Tuesday and Wednesday, March 8 and 9.
Barnard, whose duties include building and supporting model IJM Campus Chapters, will speak as part of the Kentucky Heartland Institute on Public Policy (KHIPP) series at 5 p.m. March 8 in the Banquet Hall of the Badgett Academic Support Center at 110 University Drive, Campbellsville.
He will speak at chapel the next morning at 10 o'clock in the Ransdell Chapel, located at 401 N. Hoskins Ave., Campbellsville.
Both events are free and open to the public.
IJM is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local governments to ensure victim rescue, to prosecute perpetrators and to promote functioning public justice systems.
With extensive knowledge in IJM education, Barnard provides leadership to mobilize students in kindergarten through college in the work of justice. His job includes strategizing the expansion of student programs and developing relationships with Christian student ministry organizations.
In the years before joining IJM, Barnard worked in higher education for 18 years teaching undergraduate and graduate courses at Abilene Christian University and serving as the dean of students and later overseeing various aspects of student life as the chief student affairs officer.
With more than 25 years of experience in ministry, Barnard served as a pastor, a prison chaplain in the Texas prison system, a youth and family minister counselor and a guidance and spiritual counselor. He has worked as a Texas Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Texas Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Nationally Certified Counselor (NBCC).
In addition to his educational and professional experience, Barnard has served on the boards of Habitat for Humanity in Abilene and Taylor County Texas Child Protective Services. He has also served for several years on the board of Harmony Outreach, an organization providing care and support for special-needs orphans and families throughout China. Along with China, Barnard has traveled to more than 45 countries on five continents by the way of leading university and church short-term missions.
Barnard holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from Abilene Christian University, a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from St. Mary's University and a Ph.D. in family studies with a concentration in lifespan human development and college student development from Texas Woman's University.
Barnard and his wife, Dr. Mimi Barnard, vice president for professional development and research for the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, are living in Washington, D.C. Their daughter is a graduate student at New York University, and their son, who was the former president of the IJM Campus Chapter at Abilene Christian University, is now a senior political/international relations major.
John Chowning, vice president for church and external relations and executive assistant to the president, who founded KHIPP, said KHIPP focuses its attention on “facilitating public policy study and issues debate, while encouraging the involvement of Christian leaders in the public and civic arenas.”
He said KHIPP is committed to preparing Christian civic and political leaders for the 21st century.
“KHIPP invites you, the concerned citizen and student of the American political process, to attend one or more events to be presented this fall on the campus of Campbellsville University,” he said.
Chapel is designed to provide opportunities for corporate worship and exposure through a variety of informative speakers and presentations. All chapels are open to the public free of charge and are televised live on WLCU (Comcast Cable channel 10) and are streamed live on the Internet.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with over 3,000 students offering 63 undergraduate programs, 17 master's degrees and five postgraduate areas. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.