[5][7] From 1987 to 1988, he was a pastoral assistant at St Luke-in-the-City, Liverpool,[5] In 1988, he entered Edinburgh Theological College to train for ordination.

He later undertook post-graduate study at Durham University and received his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 1996.

[8] His doctoral thesis was titled "How the Church performs Jesus' story: improvising on the theological ethics of Stanley Hauerwas".

[11] Wells was also involved in the 'Body, Mind and Spirit' project at St Elizabeth's Earlham, offering children opportunities to participate in creative play.

[18] In his review of How Then Shall We Live?, Walter Brueggemann wrote, "Sam Wells arguably has the liveliest, most agile, best informed, critically disciplined mind in the entire Christian community.

In this book he ranges over a cluster of complex issues and at every turn his sound judgement instructs us as he moves easily from life to Scripture and back through church tradition.