A B O U T
Glenn Swanson serves as the Senior/Lead Pastor at Bayside Baptist Church located in Chesapeake Beach (Calvert County), Maryland. Pastor Glenn has a passion for preaching and teaching the inerrant, perfect Word of God and in pointing people to the saving grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Pastor Glenn was born in Washington, DC and was raised in Upper Marlboro, Maryland (Prince Georges County). He accepted Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior at the age of seven, and accepted the call to ministry at the age of 17. His parents, Roger (deceased) and Tillie Swanson were instrumental in leading Glenn to Christ. Swanson married his wife Sherri in 1987 and they are the proud parents of three grown children: Matthew (married to Emily), Luke (married to Natassia) and Anna, who was adopted from Ekaterinburg, Russia as a baby. They also had a son, Timothy, who passed away as an infant. Glenn and Sherri are also the proud grandparents of Jayne and Jeremiah Swanson.
Before coming to Bayside in 2008, Pastor Glenn served as a bi-vocational youth minister at the First Baptist Church of Upper Marlboro for 25 years. He has also had a career in accounting, management and law enforcement. Swanson holds an Associate’s Degree in Business Management from Prince Georges Community College, a Bachelors Degree in Accounting from Bowie State University and a Masters in Theology Degree from Liberty University.
Pastor Glenn has always had a heart for missions and the Great Commission. Since arriving at Bayside, he has led the church in their giving and support for the Cooperative program through the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCM/D), the Potomac Baptist Association (PBA) and the Southern Baptist/Great Commission Baptist Convention. In addition to his home state of Maryland, Swanson has led mission trips to California, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Bayside also supports church plants in Baltimore City, Bath, Maine and Pittsburgh, PA. Bayside is also involved with international missions in Guatemala and the Hope of Life Ministry. Pastor Glenn’s desire is to live, lead and serve from Jesus’ command found in Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8.
Pastor Glenn also has a passion for prayer, evangelism and in sharing the Good news of Jesus Christ with others. He has led Bayside in their “Love God – Love People” campaign the past several years. Mark 12: 30-31 reminds us to, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.’ Being on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, Bayside has an active outdoor summer ministry emphasis. This has included community prayer walks, boardwalk ministries, community block parties and church appreciation events for local business, fire fighters, first responders and police officers. Bayside also has a weekly food pantry/bible study ministry which helps feed those in need throughout the community (both spiritually and physically).
Swanson has also been a leader in his community in promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Bayside Church in public forums. He has been invited to speak and pray at local town council and county commissioner meetings, veterans’ groups and other forums. Through his preaching and teaching, Swanson has also promoted racial reconciliation and has received the National Congress of Black Women’s Community Service Award. Swanson is also on the Board of Directors for the SSG Christopher W. Swanson Foundation, which was established for his nephew Chris, who was KIA in 2006 while serving on his third tour of duty in Iraq. The foundation ministers to wounded warriors and those going through spiritual and physical battles.
In 2021 Pastor Glenn led Bayside in the implementation of its new 12nine Adult Abilities Ministry. Based on 2 Corinthians 12:9, Pastor Glenn’s wife Sherri leads an active weekly ministry to reach adults with disabilities and to remind believers everywhere that there is a place for everyone in the Body of Christ! Their now adult daughter Anna has disabilities and is an active part of 12nine. Pastor Glenn and Sister Sherri have also participated in several BCM/D March for Life events in Annapolis and have spoken across the state about their passion for adoption, foster care and life at all stages, “from the womb to the tomb.” The Swanson’s are also leading Bayside in their James ONE-27 Orphan and Foster Care ministry which has expanded to include human trafficking awareness.
In addition to leading Bayside, Pastor Glenn has served as the two-term President of the 450-plus churches of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware and as officer of the General Mission Board (GMB) and Administrative Committee. He truly believes that Christ-centered, bible believing churches are “better together” and can impact this world together for Jesus Christ. In addition to John 3:16, one of Pastor Glenn’s life verses/motto is founded on 1 Corinthians 10:31.
DIGG. “Does It Glorify God”.
“In all that you say – and in all that you do – do it for the Glory of God!”
Rev. Glenn Swanson
glenn.swanson@baysidebaptist.com
