Barry & Andrea Garland

Barry Garland is a veteran minister of the gospel and for nearly 40 years of ministry has served in diverse roles within the church such as youth pastor, minister of music, worship leader, missions pastor and associate pastor. Throughout his ministry, spreading the gospel through music has been a passion of Barry’s. Barry grew up in the church and as young man was heavily influenced by the musical talents of several family members, including his grandmother Ethel Bryson, his aunt Janice Bryson, his cousin Terry Lowry and his parents Jimmy and Jerrie Garland. While a student at Cartersville High School in the late 1970’s, his musical accomplishments would grow as he was named to the Georgia All-State band for two consecutive years, chosen for the prestigious Governors Honors Program in Music and was also selected to serve as drum major for the Cartersville High School Marching Band.

After high school, Barry attended Lee University where he would later earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Church Music. While a student at Lee, Barry served as Student Director of the Lee Singers under Dr. Jim Burns. He studied conducting under Dr. Delton Alford, orchestration and arranging under Lari Goss and worship leading under Dr. David Horton. An anointed worship leader and singer, Barry has led worship for many international events including the World Pentecostal Conference, the Church of God General Assembly, Music Explosion, Empowered21, as well as the Church of God in Africa Conference in Lusaka, Zambia.

Barry served for more than 21 years as Minister of Music at the Eagle’s Landing Church of God in McDonough, GA (formerly Morrow Church of God) from 1984-1992 and again from 1994-2005. In 1992, Barry received a nomination for Distinguished Music Minister of the Year. Barry also served as Orchestra Director at Mount Paran Church of God in Atlanta, GA in 1993. Barry and his wife Andrea were founding members of Crown Pointe Community Church where he served as Worship Leader and Creative Arts Pastor as well as the World Missions Pastor from 2006-2009. While there, Barry served as a Senior Consultant for the Dozier Family Foundation during the formation of the Dozier Center for the Performing Arts at Mount Paran Christian School. From 2009-2017, Barry served as Pastor of Worship and Music Ministries at North Rome Church of God in Rome, GA. He is credited with reviving one of the largest theatrical events in the city of Rome, The Rome Passion Play. Barry Garland served as its Executive Producer and Musical Director from 2010-2016.

Garland served on the Church of God International Music Ministries Board from 1996-2000. He served nearly 30 years on the State Music Board in North Georgia and as Chairman from 2004-2006. He serves as an International Teen Talent consultant and advisor to youth around the country. Barry conducted the 240-voice American Festival Choir for the 2013 World Premiere of The Song of Christmas at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

While much of Barry’s work within his ministry has been focused on music, he also has a strong passion for missions, both at home and abroad. His work in the mission field has resulted in over 80 mission trips around the world, in places like Central and South America, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Africa, the Middle East, and inner-city America. His outreach to share the Gospel has taken him to 59 countries on five different continents. He has been a guest speaker at the European Theological Seminary in Kneibis, Germany, Semisud Theological Seminary in Quito, Ecuador, Discipleship University in Eldoret, Kenya, and at the Pentecostal World Conference in Jerusalem, Israel.

Barry and his wife Andrea have been married for over 35 years and have three grown children, two daughters in law with four grandchildren. Andrea Garland is an excellent and accomplished singer, pre-school teacher, interior decorator, and theatrical set designer. She has designed and produced sets for Christmas and Easter productions including sets and props for The Rome Passion Play. Andrea also has served the church as a worship team singer, soloist and music ministries assistant and has also served as a Teen Talent judge on numerous occasions. They both enjoy traveling, foreign food, shopping for the grandkids and attending concerts and sporting events. Most of all, they enjoy pastoring and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. Barry and Andrea are two people with one purpose – “to serve God while serving others.”