Nine years ago, we were searching for a community to belong to when we discovered Genesis Metro. We joined a LifeGroup and finally found the relationships we had been longing for. For two years, we attended and enjoyed a community that didn’t cost us anything. Pastor Tim preached a sermon series called “Not A Consumer”, and we felt called to serve with students. Over the past seven years, we’ve had the privilege of mentoring kids and watching them grow through Fuse. Even our own children have learned about the joy of serving others!

We started tithing, giving our first 10 percent, in response to God’s calling. In the beginning, it was scary as we had only one income and Erin was in school. We didn’t know how it was all going to work out, but we decided to trust God in the process, and He provided for us financially every step of the way. When we had no money to pay for home repairs, we received a check from Justin’s grandmother for just the amount we needed. When tuition was due, we always had enough to make the payments. Experiencing God’s blessing & faithfulness in response to our obedience is something we wouldn’t trade for anything.

Five years ago, I had what seemed like a random encounter, but years later realized that it was God working, and proved to be one of the most impactful moments of my life.

What started as a standard day going to the lake to fish, turned into a day that completely changed my life. As I was standing on the edge of the lake, a man on a boat came my way. After hellos & the standard finishing remarks were exchanged, he posed a question that I hadn’t heard from a stranger; he asked about my faith and religion. He introduced himself as Tim, the pastor at Genesis Metro Church, and invited me to come check out a service. Easter was a few weeks away, so I decided to visit. I enjoyed the service but had notions about what church was, and stayed away. Over the next few years, I attended occasionally and Pastor Tim’s sermons moved my heart, but I was scared that fully devoting myself to God and church would expose my flaws, and I wasn’t ready to see myself as I truly was.

Two years ago I had reached the end of myself. I was tired of being unhappy, lonely, and unworthy, and I had no more answers. Genesis Metro had always made me feel special, and my faith was the one thing I never fully decided to commit to. I made the decision to surrender to God, and he gave me a family at GM.

God opened doors I would have never found on my own. The staff and leaders invested in me, and I found community, got baptized, and began serving. My soul was saved and I had purpose again!
Today, the man on the boat is my Pastor and Genesis Metro Church is my Home. I now know that God moves intentionally in our lives, and he placed Pastor Tim on the lake that day for a reason. Not just to save my soul, but to position the next person to Jesus. I am forever grateful for the gift of Genesis Metro Church!

On April 15, 2018, our family was introduced to Genesis Metro through tragedy. Pastor Carrie joined us at our kitchen table in the midst of the worst time in our lives. Our sweet daughter, Ellie, had just died. 

Carrie learned of our family’s loss and offered to provide a place to celebrate her life. She grieved with us and spoke truth into our lives. 

Four days later, we celebrated our Ellie at Genesis Metro Church. They had never met us, but they loved us. We were never once asked to pay for the use of the building, their services as pastors, the programs they printed, or even the food they provided to our family. The staff, elders, and church members provided us with unconditional love and faithful support, reflecting Jesus’ love & care for us.

Within a few weeks, our family was attending Genesis Metro every Sunday. The entire GM family continued to invest in us, meet our needs, and challenge our family to experience Life Change for the glory of God. 

In 2020, we felt compelled to become more involved because we wanted to give others exactly what was given to us, a community that lives and breathes for Jesus. We committed to tithing and serving because we are called to give all we have so others can experience the Life Change our family has.

We started attending GM in 2005. We had a core conviction that we felt something was missing in our lives; we needed a God-centered community for both our marriage and our future family. It was one of the best decisions that we’ve ever made. 

For the last 18 years, we’ve experienced the consistent DNA of Genesis Metro and an incredible community of love, dedication to people, and a culture of radical Life Change. We’ve seen marriages restored and lives changed. Our own kids have been impacted by students who have gone before them, earnestly serving Jesus prompting them to do the same.

When we began to sow our own time, talents, and resources into GM, the blessings of God poured over us in measures we could never imagine. When we stepped out in the obedience of sacrifice, God blessed our businesses in a way that could have only come from Him. Everything changed when we allowed Him into the space of our finances and began tithing. We didn’t take that step for over ten years, but when we did, the increase we saw was astronomical, and we knew it could only come from God. 

One of the many reasons we choose to remain in this amazing community and continue investing in GM is because God continues to move within His church. My children’s lives have been forever impacted. Our kids keep us on our “spiritual toes” and have the purest hearts to serve. It’s not only my kids but a culture that has been created for all ages. I know Jesus is moving through His people and community at GM, and I’m invested in seeing His will through the astounding Life Change that occurs continually. It’s real, and it’s worth it.

I moved back home from college in 2022 and began looking for a new church community. On my first Sunday at Genesis Metro, I was welcomed as though everyone had known me for years. Although I liked the idea of community, I wasn’t yet willing to invest in others. I had built up walls, was afraid to trust, and was scared to start from the beginning.

Despite my reluctance, God had given me people who genuinely wanted to know me and my story. The walls I had built quickly came down and the fears I had were gone when I saw how loved I was. Several months later I was encouraged to serve in a leadership role but felt unprepared and incapable. The staff and leaders of Genesis Metro see the potential in people and are willing to invest in them. They believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. Soon I began leading 6th grade Fuse Students and serving in GM Kids, where I’ve learned how important it is to invest in the Next Generation. In GM Young Adults, I have found people who challenge me to be the best version of myself every day.

Serving at GM has taught me the value of a soul, and that my sacrifice is always worth it. The people of GM will walk with you in the dark until you reach the light. I’ve learned what it truly means to live out Galatians 6:2, which is to carry each other’s burdens, and that you will never grow until you step out in faith and just say “yes” when God calls you through His church.