Crestwood—Dan Garland, pastor of Crestwood Baptist Church in Oldham County, has been named director of pastoral ministry and church consulting for LifeWay Christian Resources effective Aug. 16.

Garland, who was called one year ago as pastor of Crestwood, previously served more than seven years as leader of the Kentucky Baptist Convention’s church development and evangelism team.

In his new role with LifeWay, Garland’s responsibilities will include developing strategies for ministry areas such as small churches; church conflict mediation; church starts; church leadership training and development; and church consulting. He also will serve as a primary national training leader for pastoral ministry, collaborating with other LifeWay leaders.

Garland “brings with him rich experience as a pastor and as a denominational leader who has worked with pastors, ministers of education and other church leaders,” noted former Kentucky Baptist pastor Ralph Hodge, director of church relations and consulting at LifeWay. “He will lead our effort to be trusted advisors, teachers and partners to learn from and serve church leadership in America.”

Garland, who has more than 20 years of pastoral experience, served 17 years as pastor of Zion Baptist Church in Henderson. He also is a former pastor of churches in Ohio and served as Crestwood’s interim pastor in 1999-2000.

In a letter to Crestwood members, Garland wrote, “This is a bittersweet time … as we feel the time has come to close our chapter of service at CBC to pursue an opportunity that literally has pursued us.”

Citing “a clear call to this new and exciting opportunity,” Garland added, “We know that God is in control of every season, so we gain confidence about our future because we believe in His sovereignty.”

Emphasizing that “I have a real heart for pastors,” Garland said his primary role at LifeWay will be to help pastors become more effective in ministry.

“I bring a practitioner’s approach to LifeWay,” he noted. “In that, I understand the need for relevant services and training that will lift up the pastor.”

Garland is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Charlene, have one adult daughter, Christy Hale.