The Genesis Church | Woburn, MA

• Michael Davis
• Feb 20, 2010
• Series: Church Profiles
• Categories: Church Planting Articles

Briefly describe your story of your call to plant a church

After working at a church doing youth ministry for a few years in the late 90's, God began the work of breaking my heart for His church. I loved the kids, but I could not say that of the church. I was convicted and inspired by Paul's words in Ephesians 5:25 - "Husbands love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her..." I wanted to love what Jesus loves! Over the next season of life (ministry & seminary), God's call on my life to plant a church began to take formation. I am thankful that as I began to understand God's call on me to plant a church, that it began with a deep love for what Jesus loves - that was and remains to be crucial!

How did you build up your core? What advice would you give to guys in the core-stage?

I focused on building a lot of Christ-centered relationships. I was not under the impression that if I just stood on a stage and preached, the masses would show up. It took years of a lot of relational investment in people, but there has been a great return on that type of investment. My advice in building a core - do the messy work of building into people which is not always easy, but its worth it!

What were the biggest challenges you faced in planting your church (and/or currently facing)?

The biggest challenge GENESIS faced was whether or not the church where GENESIS got started as a young adult ministry would in fact support and bless GENESIS as an independent church. It took two years of discerning, but I am thankful that GENESIS is able to say that we have a church that sent, commissioned and blessed us as we entered into God's call on our churches life.

How did you become involved with Acts 29? What have been the biggest benefits of being in the network?

A few years back, I was looking to go to a conference with some solid teaching that would challenge, sharpen and encourage my soul. I came across a conference being held at Mars Hill Seattle in which Mark Driscoll, John Piper and CJ Maheny were speaking. I learned about the network from the conference and the rest is history.

What advice do you have for men who are wrestling with the decision to plant? 

Don't do it unless you are convinced that God has told you to do this. Also, if at all possible, work and fight hard to have a sending church - it is worth it!

How do you pastor your family?

Love Jesus with all my heart! That is the greatest gift I can give to my wife and kids. Love my wife like crazy - outside of loving Jesus, which will be the greatest gift I can pass along to them. Pastoring my family means being intentional with them - meaning, not divorcing spiritual from leadership. Too many husbands are spiritual with their families, but they are not spiritually leading their families. So pastoring my family means that I am intentionally leading them much like I seek to intentionally lead the church towards healthy growth.

How can we pray for you?

Stay faithful in loving Jesus more then anything else!

Church Profile: The Genesis Church
Launch Date: September, 2009
Location: Woburn, MA 

Mission, Vision, Values of Church

GENESIS is a missional community seeking to glorify God by living for His fame and renown. GENESIS is committed to honoring the Great Commandment and living out the Great Commission. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is foundational to who we are and how live as a church community.

GENESIS exists 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.

The mission of GENESIS is articulated in three key words – Begin, Belong, Believe. GENESIS is a place where people are invited to BEGIN a relationship with God through Jesus Christ whether that be for the first time, anew, or be encouraged and equipped in the relationship 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, with one another and the culture around us. We believe that the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ will not only transform the lives of those who BELIEVE, but the community and culture in which we live.

What is your philosophy of community in your church and what does that look like practically in your church? Of evangelism?

'Will the mission be community, or a community that is on mission for the Gospel. That was a question I heard Mark Driscoll ask once and it was helpful in forming how GENESIS does community. Knowing that we are a church who seeks to be on mission has helped us in knowing what to say yes to, and knowing what to say no to. Meaning, there are a lot of good ideas, but some ideas serve as only distractions from keeping the community on mission. Simply put - if the activity will help advance the community being on mission then we will do it, but if the activity will seek only to advance a community hanging out, then we seek to avoid those activities. There is certainly value in friendships getting formed within the community, but we really have tried hard to keep the mission (the Gospel) at the center as to avoid GENESIS becoming a club.

What are some examples of God's grace that you have seen in your life and/or the life of your church?

The process that GENESIS went through to be planted was painful at times, but God used that to sharpen and prepare me as well as the community. There were many evidences of God's grace throughout the discernment process, but none more clear then the many men and women He raised up to be part of establishing GENESIS as a brand new church. God has been more then generous to our community which has led to a community learning how to be generous in response to God.