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What happens when a neighborhood church opens a donation-based coffee shop and commits to long-haul presence in Portland’s South Tabor? Meet Brett Prior (lead/founding pastor) and Taylor Bolan (associate pastor) from The Genesis Project Portland and The Porch coffee shop. We dig into belonging vs. loneliness in PDX, why trust takes time, partnering with Kellogg Middle School, launching student ministry, and how a black-painted house next to a white-steeple church became a bridge to real relationship.

In this episode:

• Why “belonging” beats branding—creating spaces where everyone can belong in Jesus’ name
• The Porch: donation-based coffee, volunteers, and everyday ministry (8am–1pm, Mon–Fri)
• Trust in Portland: slow, consistent presence is better than quick wins
• Partnering with public schools (yes, the vice principal knocked on their door)
• From porch to pulpit: calling, resistance, and faithfulness
• Building tribe, not transactions: discipleship beyond Sundays
• Launching student ministry + next steps for GP Portland

Connect with today’s guests:
🌐 GenesisPortland.com
☕ Visit The Porch (attached to GP Portland) — open Mon–Fri, 8am–1pm
📷 Instagram: linked from their site
👋 Best way to meet them? “Come by the Porch and say hi.”

Join the conversation (drop a comment):

• What’s ONE small, consistent way your church could show up for your neighborhood this month?
• If your church vanished tomorrow, would your neighbors miss you? Why or why not?
• Have you seen a coffee-shop-plus-church model work? What made it click?

If this encouraged you, like, subscribe, and share it with a pastor or volunteer who cares about their city.