Jim Barnett
Since January of 2003, Jim Barnett has served as the Campus Minister of the Preston Road Church of Christ in Dallas, Texas. He works with college students at SMU and young professionals through groups known as Crosstrainers and Mustangs for Christ. Barnett says his main goal is “to help young men and women realize the most important lesson they’ll ever learn…that God loves them, desires a relationship with them and has a plan for their life!” Another motivating factor for Barnett when deciding to leave the business world and go into full-time ministry was to help kids avoid some of the same mistakes he made in his search for purpose and significance.
Prior to 2003, Barnett was Vice President of Datebook Publishing and had been a part of that company for 14 years since his graduation from college. He grew up in the Dallas area before going to Abilene Christian University where he received a Bachelors of Business Administration. In addition to Campus Crosswalk, Barnett also serves on the Board of Dallas Christian School and is the Co-Chairman of the Campus Ministry Council at SMU (made up of representatives of all Campus Ministers from the different denominations and major faiths that serve SMU).
Jim and his wife Laurie have been married for 15 years and have two children, a daughter Kennedy who is 11 and a son Jensen who is 8. His favorite thing to do is anything with his kids, but his hobbies include “Old Man Basketball” every morning at 6am, golf, fishing and watching any team sport. Barnett and his family live in Rockwall, Texas.
President's Update - July 2010
Do you need practical “nuts and bolts” information on how to build your campus ministry? Looking for ways for your small group to make an impact on a campus of thousands? Need help getting your church to truly support your college ministry? If so, this year’s Connect Conference is for you! Come be renewed and encouraged by old friends and make new friends who share the same hopes, dreams, frustrations and concerns about their campus ministry.
For the last 54 years, a group of men and women from Churches of Christ have gathered each summer to encourage one another, celebrate victories throughout the year and discuss how to best share the gospel with college students on campuses across the nation.
You are invited to join us this year as we gather in Oxford, Mississippi, to celebrate 50 years of ministry on the Ole Miss campus, and to discuss useful, realistic ministry tools. Connect 2010 is a nuts and bolts campus ministry conference offering insight into bringing growth to and reinvigorating the life of your campus ministry. The classes are practical, full of "how to" discussion, and there are built-in conversation times for sharing among campus ministers. Best selling author Dan Kimball will be back with us and anchoring a great group of keynote speakers who will share practical insights to missional ministry and leadership. For more information or to register today, go to the Connect Conference page on this site.
The theme this year is “Breathe…bringing your Campus Ministry back to Life”, and is rooted in the Resurrection….something that many of our campus ministries need and certainly the one thing that our Campus Ministries are all about. I hope you’ll join us in Oxford as Casey Coston and his crew are working hard to put together a great weekend: Thursday, July 29 – Sunday, August 1.
Lord bless,
SMU Campus Minister
Mustangs for Christ