About Glide
GLIDE is a nationally recognized center for social justice, dedicated to fighting systemic injustices, creating pathways out of poverty and crisis, and transforming lives. Through its integrated comprehensive services, advocacy initiatives, and inclusive community, GLIDE empowers individuals, families, and children to achieve stability and to thrive. GLIDE is on the forefront of addressing some of society’s most pressing issues, including poverty, housing and homelessness, and racial and social justice. GLIDE’s mission is to create a radically inclusive, just, and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization.
Glide Memorial Church is a radically inclusive, open, and affirming community where all people and beliefs are welcomed. Grounded in liberation, unconditional love, and transformation, we nurture spiritual connection through recovery, service, justice, and celebration. Together with our partners, we work to dismantle racism and oppression, embodying an extravagant welcome and a steadfast call to love at the frontlines of social activism.
Position Summary
The Senior Minister at Glide Memorial Church (GMC) will lead the church in its Christian practice, welcoming individuals of all backgrounds and beliefs. This leadership will be grounded in principles of liberation, unconditional love, systemic change, and transformation. The Minister will nurture the spiritual well-being of GMC's congregation and community through initiatives focused on recovery, justice, connection, inclusion, transformation, and celebration. The goal is for GMC to be a sacred spiritual community for all who wish to express their connection to Spirit and community.
The Senior Minister will provide visionary leadership to advance the Church’s mission, vision, values, and statement of faith. In collaboration with the GMC Board and GLIDE Foundation business partners, this role will lead the Church’s priorities through ministry management, pastoral care, strategic visioning and planning, administration, stewardship, financial oversight, and community engagement and outreach.
Ministry Management, Preaching and Teaching: Inspire and encourage the congregation through preaching, teaching, and sharing personal examples and journeys of faith and transformation.Deliver inspiring scriptural sermons and messages that resonate with all backgrounds and beliefs, promoting the teachings of God and Jesus Christ, and advocating for transformation through justice, compassion, unconditional love, acceptance, and activism.Lead the ministry team, Church staff, Glide Ensemble, and volunteers to ensure cohesive and spiritually meaningful Sunday Celebration services.Collaborate with the GMC ministerial team, GMC Usher Team, and GLIDE Operations to ensure the safety, security, and welcome of staff, congregants, and visitors during Sunday Celebrations and special events. Pastoral Care and Spiritual Leadership: Ministerial Duties: Oversee and engage in ministerial duties for the GMC community, including premarital counseling, weddings, baptisms, and funerals.Spiritual Guidance: Provide spiritual guidance and counseling to congregation members, congregational leaders, volunteers, and others during times of personal struggle or sickness.Visitation: Conduct hospital, nursing home, and home visits to offer spiritual support and comfort.Sunday Celebration/Event Coordination: Provides leadership to the GMC ministry team for the planning and production of Sunday Celebrations and special events. Strategic Vision, Planning, and Execution: Assess and evaluate the performance of the Church's ministry, programs, and Congregational Life support.Develop an annual strategic plan that:Aligns with the Church's mission, vision, values, and statement of faith.Establishes key objectives and sets two-year goals.Defines and maintains Key Performance Measures (KPMs) and regularly provides the GMC Board and staff with data on the effectiveness of all functional ministry areas.Translates the strategic plan into the annual staff operating plan.Ensures staff goals and priorities are consistent with Church-wide goals and priorities. Administrative Leadership: Lead and guide Church staff and volunteers through regular meetings and support.Oversee the planning, production, and delivery of Sunday Celebrations and other Church/Glide Ensemble events, including livestream and telephonic services.Lead Church staff on the production and delivery of Church communications, encompassing:Posting and delivering Sunday Celebrations on social media platforms.Collaborating with internal business partners to maintain an updated and engaging Church website.Working with business partners to design and distribute the Church newsletter.Designs and implements a process to effectively screen and respond to congregation requests, such as prayer requests or pastoral care requests via walk-ins, emails, or phone calls.Supervise the recruitment, training, and development of Church staff.Oversee the recruitment and appointment of new ministers and ensure the good standing of existing ministers. Stewardship and Fundraising Leadership: Collaborate with the GMC Stewardship & Fundraising Committee to develop and execute effective stewardship and fundraising initiatives.Lead Church Capital, Church Sustainer, and other stewardship and fundraising campaigns.Lead the administration of donations and financial gifts received during Sunday Celebrations, other church and music-related events, online, or by mail. Financial Leadership: Lead the Church's financial and budgeting initiatives.Collaborate with the GMC Finance Committee, GMC Board, and GLIDE Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to develop and implement effective budgeting and cost-saving strategies. Community Engagement and Outreach: Lead, design, and assess Church community engagement and outreach initiatives.Collaborate with Congregational Life leaders to plan, promote community outreach events.Inspire, motivate, and guide the congregation towards a higher level of commitment and devotion to serving and supporting the Church and community.Advance the GMC’s membership program by cultivating, nurturing, and expanding Church membership, while maintaining accurate and up-to-date membership records.Actively engage with the Tenderloin neighborhood and its community partners.Represent GMC at community, city-wide, and Bay Area events, serving as the public face of the Church. Desired Competencies of the Minister: Spiritual Leadership: Spiritual Maturity & Strong Faith: Possesses a deep, personal faith in God and Spirit, demonstrating a commitment to ongoing spiritual growth and a desire to minister to others while fostering the spiritual development of the congregation.Passion for Preaching: Exhibits excellent biblical knowledge and the ability to apply scriptural principles to contemporary culture.Passion for People: Lead by example with empathy, compassion, humility, and care, offering emotional support to staff, congregational members, volunteers, and the wider community. Desires and fosters healthy and meaningful relationships that strengthen the life of the Church.Passion for This Church: Dedicated to serving the congregation and appreciative of its legacy and movement of radical unconditional love, healing, faith, and justice ministry.Passion for Community: Committed to participating and collaborating with other community partners on common goals to improve the lives of individuals in the Tenderloin and neighboring communities.Professional Leadership: Leadership & Management: Ability to supervise, evaluate, develop, and mentor staff, volunteers, and congregational leaders while fostering a collaborative team environment.Communication: Clearly and concisely communicates both verbally and in writing, demonstrating strong interpersonal and communication skills across various media platforms and with diverse groups.Strategic Thinking: Capacity for holistic and strategic thinking, including the ability to create and effectively implement systems, strategies, and plans.Authenticity & Humility: Conveys transparency, authenticity, and a humble spirit in both preaching and daily life.Adaptability: Demonstrates flexibility in schedule and willingness to work off-site as needed to fulfill ministry responsibilities.Continuous Personal Growth: Possesses a deep desire for ongoing personal development through individual study, continuing education, meditation, attending conferences, seeking counsel from other ministers, and consulting with the GLIDE CEO/President and the GMC Board. Preferred Qualifications: Ordained MinisterMinimum of 7 years of ministry experience within a Church setting.Minimum of 5 years of leadership experience as a Senior Minister in a Church, business, or non-profit organization. Education: Master’s level education from a seminary or divinity school.Bachelor’s or master’s degree in business, administration, management, or law; a degree in organizational leadership or non-profit management is a plus. Work Environment: GLIDE’s buildings are located in the Tenderloin neighborhood.GLIDE maintains an "open door" policy to the community and its clients, who frequently enter and leave the building. Physical Requirements: Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Ability to work on a computer and see details of objects at close range. Ability to hear within normal range, and communicate effectively (in person, telephone or zoom). Finger dexterity and the ability to use all standard office equipment. Sit or stand comfortably; and the ability to navigate throughout office spaces (via elevator or stairs). Compensation This is a full-time, Exempt position
