Communications

Growing More Inspired and Informed People for Change

Communications

Growing More Inspired and Informed People for Change

Communications

Inspiring Growth in People

Many are aware of the vast challenges in people and places around the world, but few find meaningful, personal responses. It’s urgent that more people are mobilised into the arena of action if we are to see lasting change. Therefore, we seek to grow more inspired and informed people through our books, speaking and media work.

Books

Anji Barker’s first book Missionary, Not Just a Position is our first book published under Seedbeds Communications. Shane Claiborne writes of this book: 

“There are few people I respect more than Anji Barker. For decades, she has been putting flesh on the Good News of Jesus. This intimate book reads like a diary, with scrapnotes and stories of God at work in the world, through ordinary people who choose to do life a little differently. If you want to see what a life devoted to Jesus and the mission of God looks like, read this book, and follow Anji Barker. For two decades I’ve followed her and Ash from Australia to Bangkok to Birmingham. We’ve tracked through open sewage and chased runaway llamas. Every moment is an adventure, and every page of this book is a gem.” 

Anji’s book is available to buy here from Amazon. 

Ash Barker’s ninth and latest book, No Wastelands: How to grow seedbeds of Shalom in your neighbourhood, has just been released.

In No Wastelands Ash Barker shares his odyssey of serving on the front line of urban poverty on three continents. Through stories, scriptures, and challenging insights, Ash inspires readers to release the unique potential of their local communities. This book is for those who deeply love their neighbourhoods and suspect more is possible. Let Ash’s experiences spark your imagination to grow seedbeds of shalom where you live.

Brian McLaren wrote of this book:

“Whoever you are, ‘No Wastelands’ will help you learn what I have been learning from Ash over the years: that making a difference is neither as simple as we think nor as impossible as we think.”

No Wastelands is now available here on Amazon with details of book launches in 2024 here.

Other Books by Ash Barker

  • 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.

Speaking

Ash and Anji Barker are experienced communicators and have inspired people into action around the world in events, conferences, universities and churches. They are available for keynote addresses, lectures, retreats, seminars and sermons, in return for a donation to Seedbeds (Newbigin School for Urban Leadership).

To book, please contact: sharon.fraser@seedbeds.org

An example of Ash speaking at Wheaton College chapel, USA is here.

An example of Anji speaking is at a Richard Rohr Conference is here.

Media work

Ash and Anji have been the subject of TV, radio, news and media stories around the world and can be available for interviews.

An example of the Barkers media work is here on BBC Songs Of Praise.

For availability, please contact: sharon.fraser@seedbeds.org

 

Seedbeds YouTube Channel

Inspiring films of people engaging with Seedbeds including ‘Meet the Change Makers’ and the ‘Newbigin Public Lectures’ series that can be found on Seedbeds YouTube Channel.

Seedbeds blog and newsletter

We have a regular newsletter and blog that helps to share news and views with supporters and readers. Read our blogs and sign up here to our mailing list.

Rev’d Dr Ash Barker – Bio

Husband to a force of nature (Anji) and Dad to two amazing young people (Amy and Aiden), Ash has spent over 30 years living and serving on the front line of urban poverty and has a passion to release the unique potential of urban people and places.

Since 2014, the Barkers have been based in Winson Green, inner city Birmingham, UK. They founded Newbigin House which started two new local congregations as well as innovative organisations such as Newbigin Community Trust (NewbiginTrust.uk), Red Letter Christians UK (RedLetterChristians.org.uk) and Urban Shalom Society (UrbanShalomSociety.org). Ash and Anji are also United Reformed Church Ministers of Lodge Road Community Church in Winson Green with Anji also leading Newbigin Community Trust.

A strategic focus for Ash is leading Seedbeds (the public name for Newbigin School for Urban Leadership) that grows leaders and communities into fullness of life. This includes ‘School for Urban Leadership‘ accredited programmes and ‘Change Makers‘ emerging leaders programmes, ‘Change Incubator‘ empowering leaders in Myanmar and ‘Newbigin Pioneering Hub‘ nurturing a community of pioneers. 

An inspiring speaker and lecturer, Ash earned his PhD on the rise of urban poverty from the University of Divinity, Melbourne. He has lectured in Theological Colleges around the world, as well as designing and leading accredited programmes with Nazarene Theological College (University of Manchester), Stirling Theological College (University of Divinity, Melbourne) and Tabor College (Melbourne). Ash is the author of eight books including Risky Compassion, Make Poverty Personal and Slum Life Rising with his new book No Wastelands due out in 2024.

Ash is an instigator. For over 20 years he co-founded and led Urban Neighbours of Hope (UNOH.org 1993-2014) beginning in his native Melbourne in 1993 before relocating to Bangkok’s largest slum in 2002 for 12 years. Ash led UNOH to grow 12 neighbourhood transforming teams in five cities in Australia, New Zealand and Thailand as well as developing training, conference and publishing arms. He also started and handed on leadership of Surrender Conferences (Surrender.org.au 2003-2007), Urban Shalom Society (UrbanShalomSociety.org Nov 2012-2018, formerly known as International Society for Urban Mission) and Red Letter Christians UK (RedletterChristians.org.uk 2018-20) all of which are led by others. 

Rev’d Anji Barker – Bio 

A qualified social worker and a United Reformed Church Minister, Anji has spent the last 30 years living in poor urban communities in Australia, Thailand and the UK. She is passionate about social justice and grassroots transformation. Her faith has lead her to jump in boots and all fighting for those who are pushed to the margins. Anji shares openly and honestly about faith and doubt, the challenge of raising children in difficult places, as well as the joy that this life brings. She reminds us that our mistakes and failings can be our assets and that God delights in the strangest, most unlikely bits of who we are. Her stories will make you laugh and cry, inspire and encourage you. Since 2014, the Barkers have been based in Winson Green, inner city Birmingham, UK. They founded Newbigin House which started two new local congregations as well as innovative organisations such as Newbigin Community Trust, Red Letter Christians UK & Urban Shalom Society now led by others.

For more information please contact:
Anji Barker at anji@newbiginhouse.uk
Ash Barker at ash.barker@seedbeds.org
or Sharon Fraser at sharon.fraser@seedbeds.org