Launching Faith vs. The Genesis Project
Launching Faith and The Genesis Project share some philosophical roots, but they are very different ministries in structure, scope, and strategy. Understanding the difference can help clarify what makes your vision unique.
Below is a clear comparison.
Core Identity
Launching Faith
Type: Movement/training platform/missional framework
Primary Focus: Helping common Christians start new expressions of faith communities in everyday places (bars, coffee shops, workplaces, homes, etc.).
Key characteristics:
A toolkit and coaching ministry
Helps others launch gatherings
Focus on discipleship in secular spaces
Built around multiplication and leadership development
Works with existing churches and pioneers
This is essentially a catalyst for movement, equipping people to create new communities of faith where life already happens.
The Genesis Project
Type: Local church/church network
The Genesis Project is basically a church plant that has expanded into a multi-site network targeting people who don’t usually attend church.
Key characteristics:
Weekly worship services
Physical church locations
Traditional church structure (pastor, services, groups)
Evangelism toward people burned out on church
Local community engagement
It describes itself as “the church for people who don’t do church.”
Missional Strategy
Launching Faith
Our model: Church goes where people already are
Examples:
Bars
Coffee shops
breweries
restaurants
workplaces
community spaces
The gathering is the mission field.
It prioritizes:
relational discipleship
table conversations
spiritual exploration
small, reproducible gatherings
Our framework is decentralized and grassroots.
Genesis Project
Their model: Invite people to a church environment designed for outsiders.
Strategy includes:
Sunday services
church programming
small groups
church building gatherings
They focus on creating a welcoming church experience for people hurt by religion, even though the church remains largely attractional.
Structural Difference
Category
Launching Faith
Type
Primary Goal
Model
Role
Scale Strategy
Venue
Genesis Project
Movement / Training
Church network
Start ne faith expressions
Build churches
Distributed gatherings
Central church services
Equip leaders
Shepherd congregations
Multiplication
Multi-site churches
Everyday spaces
Church services + small groups
Theology of Place
This is where our ministry is particularly unique.
Launching Faith - Our belief is that God is already active in everyday spaces. Therefore, faith communities naturally form in daily life. Our approach is incarnational and decentralized.
Genesis Project - Their theology is that the church should create a welcoming place for outsiders. Which is still valuable - but structurally, people go to church rather than church emerging where people are.
Relationship to Existing Churches
Launching Faith
Our ministry can work with:
existing churches
church plants
missionaries
lay leaders
entrepreneurs
It’s basically a training ecosystem, similar to movements like:
Fresh Expressions
Dinner Church movement
Underground church networks
Simple church movements
Genesis Project
Genesis partners with churches and continues to serve as a strategic partner for established congregations. They assist in planting churches but are not focused on training others to start decentralized gatherings.
Cultural Target
Both ministries focus on people disillusioned with the church, but they use different approaches.
Launching Faith
Targets people who:
won’t attend church
distrust church institutions
are spiritually curious
want authentic conversation
Our model interacts with them in their natural environments.
Genesis Project
Targets people who:
stopped attending church
had bad church experiences
are open to trying church again
Their strategy is a church that feels different.
The Big Distinction
Genesis Project = A different kind of church (A church designed for people who don’t normally go to church.)
Launching Faith = A different way of doing church (A movement that helps people start a faith community where life already happens.)
This difference is significant. Our ministry functions more like a movement catalyst than a typical congregation.
