One Purpose: To Glorify God
The purpose of Genesis Church is to glorify God. When we reflect back on the account of creation, we see that humans are unique. Only humans were created in the image of God. They were not God but they were “God-like”...or in a word: “godly”. They reflected God and his nature. They were good. They could selflessly “rule” creation. Later God tells Adam to “work” and “keep” his creation. The Hebrew words used here mean literally, “to serve and protect” - a godly attribute, that humans were created to do, and to do well.
Because of humanity’s rebellion against God, we no longer “image” God well. We were created to purely reflect, or glorify, God to all of creation like a mirror. But now that we have turned from God, the glass is shattered. We are broken mirrors which is why God came to restore us. We are born separated from God and soon find that we are at odds with other humans and the creation we were meant to serve and protect. Jesus died in our place that we may live. He was resurrected to show that we too may have eternal life. For those whose faith is in him, there is an ongoing process of restoration to godliness through the Holy Spirit of God.
This process not only happens in our individual lives, but also in the community of those who follow Jesus, the Church. So as individuals and as a community, our purpose is ONE: We are to reflect or glorify God to all of humanity and to all of creation. We believe we do this when we love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, when we love our neighbors as ourselves, and when we make disciples (teach others) to do likewise. Loving God and loving others is called the “Great Commandment”; making disciples is called the “Great Commission.” Jesus ordered both to us. As one church planter put it, “Obeying the Great Commandment and living the Great Commission produces a Great Community.” Loving God, loving others, and nurturing other followers glorifies God; this is Genesis’ one purpose.
