GENESIS

An Overview of GENESIS – A Missional Community

Purpose answers the question of why we exist. So why does GENESIS exist? To love God and love people. That is our ethos, what we value most – to be a diverse community of people, both demographically, ethnically, socially, and economically; loving God and loving ALL people. Loving God and people does not come naturally, so that is why we are seeking to do this in the context of community – we all need one another in order to accomplish this purpose.

Mission answers the question of what is our task. So what is the mission of GENESIS? Begin, Belong, Believe. These three words encapsulate our task, our mission. GENESIS is a place where people can begin their journey with God-whether that be for the first time, anew, or be encouraged and equipped in the journey already begun. Humanity longs to belong to someone or something, so we are inviting people to belong to a community that is healthy, dynamic, authentic and Biblical. It’s a community about relationships – first and foremost with our Creator and then with one another. We believe a lot of things, but not all of what we believe leads to true transformation. We believe that the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ will not only impact our lives, but the lives of those around us.

Vision answers the question of what the world might look like if the mission was accomplished. Two words – cultural architecture. GENESIS is a missional community engaging, serving, and loving ALL people by being the hands, feet, mind and heart of Jesus; thus influencing, impacting and shaping the culture in which we live for the Gospel.

Missional – what does this mean? GENESIS has intentionally decided to take the posture of a missionary in the culture we live in. Everything we do is seen through the missional lens. Much like missionaries, GENESIS sees itself as a “sent one.” We have been SENT to ALL peoples, with the life transforming message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and it is the Spirit of God that empowers us to live as “sent ones.” At the heart of a missional community are the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 – “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”
Structure of GENESIS

GENESIS is a large community made up of a lot of small communities called Lifegroups. As GENESIS continues to extend its reach into culture, we are committed to protecting the oneness of the community. Lifegroups are smaller communities of people who are committed to doing life together because we realize that no one was created to live in isolation.

How does one do life with another? How we answer that question has shaped what Lifegroups have evolved into. Lifegroups are Bible Studies, but there’s more to doing life with someone than studying the Bible together. Lifegroups serve, pray and fellowship together. The health of a Lifegroup community is not so much seen when they gather, but what happens in between gatherings. What keeps each Lifegroup connected with the larger whole of GENESIS is the mission. Whether its our Sunday gatherings, or Lifegroup gatherings – GENESIS is a community of people that are on mission. The mission is not community, but to be a community that’s on mission together.
Future of GENESIS

Beginning September 1, 2008, GENESIS will begin a six month discernment process as to the whether or not God is leading the GENESIS community to plant itself as a separate church sent by Hope Christian Church. A Task Force comprised of nine people has been established to turn over every stone imaginable in regards to church planting. Specifically, the task force will be looking at five areas: real estate, finance, cultural research, and the implications that church planting would have on Hope Christian Church as well as the GENESIS community.

All for His name, His renown, His Glory and for the sake of the Gospel.