On Spiritual Holiday - Genesis Christian Church

Genesis Christian Church (GCC) began in February of 2008 with 188 people. They desire to be a place of new beginnings, for people to have a brand-new start with God. The church is located just east of Gilbert on Guadalupe Rd. It is situated on a long narrow piece of property so parking is in the rear. Visible from the outside but not on the inside is a beautiful display of stained glass windows. Though we would have opted for its visibility on the inside, it is an amazing blessing for this new church plant to have their own facility.

The main sanctuary looks like it could hold 400. There was close to 200 the day we attended. Seating is spacious, positioned so you need not make contortions as you pass the stationary seated isle saints to sit in the middle. Although the building is over 10 years old, the choice of new wall colors, carpet and seating were warm, inviting and updated appropriately.

Genesis is a sister church of Spring of Life Christian Church (SLCC). SLCC is a sister church of Central Christian Church located in East Mesa. See our blog on Central Christian.

Before attending I had called and left a message to find out if children were welcomed in the service. This is a must have for us and speaks volumes of a church’s response to a biblical world view toward family. Pastor Tim personally called and assured me that children are welcomed in the service. They do have a child care and children's ministry for the grade school ages which begins after the corporate worship. I liked Pastor Tim’s favorite authors C. S. Lewis and John Stott. We overlooked his Seattle Mariners sports preference.

Pastor Tim Kelly went to Western Oregon State University where he played two years of college hoops. After graduating he had a desire to help students grow in their Christian faith. For the next ten years he worked with Campus Crusade for Christ in Colorado and Chile. Tim went on to graduated from Westminster Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity. He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Ministry from Phoenix Theological Seminary. Pastor Tim started Genesis from the ground up. Tim and Lisa Kelly have 3 children ages 5 and under. Lisa is one of the worship leaders and you might recognize her; she is a local CBS News journalist.

Pastor Tim has a relaxed, no-pulpit style of teaching. The week we were there his sermon was on “The Way of the Resurrection,” taken from Mark 16.

Genesis strongly encourages attendees to be active in Growth Groups. These weekly small groups of 10 -12 people meet in homes and ...... study the Bible. Yes! And it is within this context that singles and couples alike have the opportunity to laugh, cry, grow in faith, ask the hard questions, and learn more about God in a loving environment.

Worship was contemporary, and upbeat, just the way the Lewis' like it, however at times it was difficult to know who on the stage was leading the worship, even on Easter Sunday when we visited. The worship was a blend of updated hymns and new songs and the environment lent itself to raising of hands. We sang five songs (Let the Praises Ring, Christ the Lord is Risen Today!, Amazing Grace / My chains are Gone, Jesus Paid it All and You Raise Me Up). The singing was followed by communion and a special musical number “The Way of the Resurrection,” by a classical violinist. We could remember all this because of a section in the bulletin informed us on what to expect in the service.

Along with a strong evangelical doctrinal statement they listed out their values. They noted such items as living generously, practicing prayer, experiencing grace (receiving it and giving it), honoring God (being wise stewards of everything He has given us, including our bodies), changing the culture, building healthy relationships (committed to working through conflict in marriage and friendships), impacting the world (partnering with God's work around the globe) and building up others (encouraging others and refraining from complaining or gossiping) observed by all believers. Great values to pursue; a foundation for a healthy church.

We always look for healthy signs in churches like community partnerships. GCC partners with Crisis Pregnancy Center for the Walk for Life, and Arizona Reservation Ministries , tutoring service for students and various foods drives. Another value that caught our eye is engagement in the culture or changing the culture. If the church shies away from the politically incorrect issues of our day and age then there is no hope for a moral reformation in our country.

If you are looking for a midsized church in order to plant yourself into the lives of a vibrant Christian Community, take a look at GCC and consider a new beginning at Genesis.