ABOUT FRED

Rev Fred Harrell

Fred is a native of Central Florida and a graduate of the University of Florida and Reformed Theological Seminary.

In 1996 he founded City Church San Francisco and led it to a congregation of over 1800 congregants. During that time, the church spawned auxiliary ministries in Counseling, Education, and Social Transformation.

In 2006, Fred helped move the church to an egalitarian position, cutting ties with the Presbyterian Church in America and realigning with the Reformed Church in America. Then, in 2015, he led City Church to an open and affirming position for those in the LGBTQ community.

In 2023, Rev Harrell established Cultivate, a ministry dedicated to promoting the well-being of pastors and fostering thriving churches.

When queried about the source of his joy, Fred responds, "Anything that draws upon my 35 years of ordained ministry experience." He is determined to leverage those three decades of experience to benefit others in their ministry journey. Currently, Fred is finishing certification as a Spiritual Director through the "Art of Spiritual Direction" program offered by San Francisco Theological Seminary.

Fred and his wife, Terely, have been married since 1986 and have four adult children. 

  • Fred is a gifted pastor and an engaging, curious, and insightful mentor and coach. He listens well and then uses his experience to offer ideas and encouragement. In one session, I walked into our meeting feeling stressed. Afterward? I felt empowered and confident of my next steps.

    Rev Beth Carroll, Oakland City Church

  • Fred has a way of gently and succinctly naming the heart of the matter, finding the challenge, the hurt, or the bigger question just beneath the surface. He’s one of the few cis-gendered, straight white men I still turn to for wisdom and advice. I highly recommend connecting with him and taking every opportunity you can get to learn from his wisdom and experience.

    Jen Fisher, M.Div, Launchpad Partners, Co-Founder 

  • Our time with Fred was reassuring and comforting. He’s someone with deep convictions, experience, and understanding of the complexity of the issues we face. Our group was encouraged and blessed.

    Elder Board Chair, Conversation on Inclusion