David L. Odom

Executive director, Forum for Congregational Life

dodom@div.duke.edu

Congregations are essential to the fabric of Dave’s life and ministry. He was raised by his family in congregations in Alabama and Florida and worked in and with congregations since his teenage years in a range of roles from custodian to pastor. 

In 2026, Dave led the effort to establish the Forum for Congregational Life to nurture a “network of networks” to support congregations. The Forum hosts conversations, publishes stories and offers grants. He is a leader of the coordination programs for Thriving Congregations, Thriving in Ministry and Ministry in Rural Areas and Small Towns. The Forum builds on the work of Leadership Education at Duke Divinity where Dave was a part of the founding team and worked as executive director from 2008 to 2026. 

In addition, Dave supervises select initiatives at Duke Divinity School, where he serves as an associate dean and consulting faculty. He teaches courses on strategy and leadership along with consulting on program and staff development. 

Before coming to Duke, Dave was the founder and president of the Center for Congregational Health in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, which supported healthy communities of faith through consultation, leadership development, interim ministry training and vocational discernment. 

For more than 30 years, he has been active in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. He is an ordained Baptist pastor and graduate of Furman University, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Princeton Theological Seminary.