David L. Barnhart, Jr., Ph.D., M.A., ALC

David Barnhart is the founding pastor of Saint Junia United Methodist Church, a network of house churches in Birmingham, Alabama.

Rev. Dr. Barnhart works with our clinical providers and as a member of our Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program consulting especially with moral, religious, scrupulosity patients in treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder. _Dr. Barnhart is appointed to serve with Behavioral Sciences as a minister of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church._

He has helped couples prepare for engagement and marriage for 18 years, coaching individuals and organizations on ethics, spiritual direction, and decision-making, and done organizational consulting with non-profits. He has helped teams overcome conflict and understand their strengths and personality differences. He has offered workshops and panel discussions on topics ranging from managing stress to overcoming personal and systemic prejudice and racism.

Dr. Barnhart helps prepare couples considering engagement or marriage to develop a collaborative action plan working toward long-term marital satisfaction. He can provide consultation and continuing education for pastors and laypeople developing a couples’ and family support program in their local congregation. His expertise in social ethics and building teams can help guide your organization in your external community involvement and meaningful participation.

Dr. Barnhart earned his B.A. from Oglethorpe University in 1994, his M.Div from Candler School of Theology in 1997, and his Ph.D. in homiletics and social ethics from Vanderbilt University in 2004. He has been an ordained elder in the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church since 2003. Dr. Barnhart has been teaching Religions of the World as an adjust professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). He is currently working on a Master of Counseling degree at UAB. 

He is the author of What’s in the Bible About Church, God Shows No Partiality, and Church Comes Home: Start a House Church Network Anywhere. His sermons and articles have appeared in the Abingdon Preaching Annual, FaithLink, and Ministry Matters. He is a founding member of Faith in Action Alabama.

He blogs at davebarnhart.net, and lives in Birmingham with his wife and son. He enjoys running, cycling, and making things.