Gloo
Steven Smith
Steven Smith leads in Donor Relations & Development at Gloo supporting movements & organizations like the He Gets Us Campaign. Prior to Gloo he spent 16 years in pastoral ministry, most recently serving as the Executive Pastor at Highpoint Church with locations around Chicagoland & Northern, IL. Under his leadership the church grew from one location to seven, launched an international church planting network and a subsidiary outreach ministry, developing physical Care Centers around Chicagoland. He is married with three children and lives in the western suburbs of Chicago.
What is the ministry challenge keeping you up at night?
Unlocking the latent donative capital within the Christian ecosystem that is searching for the right opportunities, with the right strategy and the right spiritual outcomes, in which it can and should be deployed for Kingdom impact.
What is the greatest hope for God’s work in 2023 you’re dreaming about?
Accepting & adopting innovation within the local church and Christian non-profits. There is significant untapped potential in the day we're living in to bring technology, relationship, connection, the Bible and faith to sit at the same table.
What is a non-ministry activity that brings you joy and energy?
Family time in the mountains.
What are the top 1-3 essentials for the Church in America to address to reach those who are spiritually open, but not yet following Jesus?
1. To be willing to take the risk. and absorb the disruption it might cause within the church, to share the message of Jesus with a new tone, new approach and new tactics. What worked yesterday is not going to work tomorrow. 2. For Christians to truly live, interact and respond (not react) like the Jesus of the Bible. our culture's perceptions of Jesus vs. the perceptions of Christians/the church has far too great of a gap. 3. Simultaneous to 1 & 2, not to waver from biblical truth and power of the Holy Spirit.