Dori Barber
Teacher, Speaker, Author
Dori is a Jesus follower, a woman happily married to Keith for over 30 years, a mom, a student and teacher of the Bible, a speaker, an author, a creative collaborator to look beyond the obstacle to see the bigger adventure. She holds a bachelor’s degree in theatre from Southwestern University and a master’s degree in theological studies from Asbury Theological Seminary. She spent 15 years on the ministry staff at The Woodlands Methodist Church where she continues to write and teach impactful Bible studies. Before relocating to the Houston area, Dori was Director of Christian Education at FMC, Uvalde, Texas. While there she collaborated with Dr. William J. Abraham in the development of Basic Christianity: A Contemporary Catechumenate. She has also led national training events for both The Logos Program and Basic Christianity.
She is passionate about communicating God’s love and grace. Focusing on transformation, she teaches the Bible with an understanding of the culture where Jesus taught. Dori enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family on the ranch. She plays a mean game of Spades, bakes an amazing pecan pie, and writes poetry for relaxation.
Dori divides her time between the Houston suburb of Spring and the rural community of Medina, Texas. Dori and Keith are parents to three young adult children, Claire, Caleb, and Joshua, and one much-loved but very spoiled Maltese named McCoy.
You can reach Dori at doribarber.com.
New Release
Growing in Grace, Workbook Edition (Paperback)
What Happens When You Stop Trying to Earn God's Love
The Christian life was never meant to feel like an endless performance review. But somewhere along the way, many of us absorbed the message that God's love is something we earn through right behavior, consistent devotion, and spiritual achievement. We live as if grace is the starting gun. Then, we're on our own to maintain what we've been given.
Growing in Grace dismantles that exhausting framework and reveals what grace truly is: not a subset of Christian theology, but the foundation of everything. Through six weeks of study, you'll explore:
How God's grace finds you first — before you're even aware of Him, before you've done anything right, grace is already at work
How forgiveness sets you free — not just from past sins, but from the crushing weight of trying to earn what's already been given
How grace transforms you from within — not through your effort, but through God's power at work in your life
How community becomes the place where grace grows — discovering what it means to walk with others who are also learning to receive rather than achieve
How grace moves you outward — extending to others the love and mercy you've received
This study is rooted in Wesleyan theology and written for everyone.
Each session includes Scripture reading, reflection questions, and group discussion prompts designed to help you move from intellectual understanding to lived experience. This isn't about learning more information. It's about discovering that the foundation you've been standing on is stronger than you ever imagined—and it was never your job to build it.