The Promise Gospel Vision of Cornerstone Church
This is the story we are living in and living out together.
This is the story we are living in and living out together.
Our story is found in the Bible where we learn both the true story of the whole world & our place in that story. This is our vision for life, church, and all creation as those who follow Jesus.
At the beginning and center of our story is God: the Maker, Designer, and Definer of all of creation and every creature. He is not hidden in or by creation but reveals Himself to all people, who are made for relationship with Himself. People, all people, possess inherent worth and identity independent of their ethnicity, status, beliefs, capacities, and actions because all were created male or female, to bear God’s image in family, work, and culture. All of this God calls good! (Genesis 1-2)
The Problem in our lives and world is that, like Adam and Eve, all people insist on choosing right and wrong, good and evil, for themselves instead of trusting God’s Words, designs, and plans. This problem, called sin in God’s story, is both personal and corporate, displayed in every relationship and community humanity forms. (Genesis 3-11)
God Himself initiated the restoration from sin that all humanity is trapped in by His Promise to Abraham. Restoration would come through a son of Abraham. Repentant faith, trust that returns to taking God at His Word, would be humanity’s handle on the Promise and their way out of the maze of their self- centered definitions and designs. (Genesis 12-22)
This Promise to Abraham is the agenda of the Bible and history! The seed of the Promise produced both an event of salvation and a “people” through the Exodus. In Leviticus God provides a way of grace for His people of Promise to draw near to Himself, reconciled and restored by the blood, to live lives that are “holy” to God. In Numbers God continues to unpack His Promise (and the problem) by Israel’s inheritance of the land. In Deuteronomy Israel’s identity is renewed and restored once again by God Himself in the gracious renewal of the Promise. (Genesis 23-Deuteronomy)
Our story, the Bible, continues to display the problem of humanity through the downward spiral of Joshua, Judges, Kings, and Chronicles. Shining in these dark times is a glimpse of God’s good and gracious Kingdom in the kingdom of David. The son promised to Abraham will also be a son promised to David, God’s Messiah, who will graciously reign as King forever. The prophets continue to hold forth the light of all God has Promised: mercy and restoration for those of repentant faith in the LORD and a Day of final judgement for all who insist on the maze of their own designs. (Joshua – Malachi)
Finally, all of God’s promises were kept to humanity in the birth of a son of Abraham, son of David, the son of the virgin Mary, Who is the Son of God: Jesus. The Gospels show us that by His life, death, and resurrection God has come to us in Jesus, keeping His Promise to restore all people from captivity to sin, and back to His story. Every people, person, relationship, and issue finds restoration or salvation by repentant trust in Jesus. Jesus is the person and historical event that defines all things, not merely our personal spiritual experience. (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
Jesus comes personally to indwell all who repentantly trust in Him; individually and corporately. The Holy Spirit is the presence of Messiah to transform hearts and lives and to empower men and women to be witnesses of His Promise/Gospel to all humanity. One day, Jesus will return in complete fulfillment of all God’s promises. This is the Gospel of His kingdom.
When God restores humanity to His story in Jesus, He restores us from the maze of our broken communities to “new community” with Himself (Father, Son, and Spirit) and one another: the Church. A Church is not a place to go to, but a people who gather and go, with the Spirit of Jesus. The “new community” is not a perfect community but a recovering, discipleship community that is learning to live in and live out the gracious reign of King Jesus in order to fill every relationship, issue, and endeavor with His Gospel reign.
Ministry is the “new community’s” proactive work showing and telling God’s story for the restoration of all things. Ministry cannot be defined as what “happens at a church building.” Jesus has kept His Promise. Now He is bringing this promised restoration to all people and creation through His Gospel, through His church, in every relationship, issue, and endeavor… until He returns. (Acts – Revelation)
At the beginning and center of our story is God: the Maker, Designer, and Definer of all of creation and every creature. He is not hidden in or by creation but reveals Himself to all people, who are made for relationship with Himself. People, all people, possess inherent worth and identity independent of their ethnicity, status, beliefs, capacities, and actions because all were created male or female, to bear God’s image in family, work, and culture. All of this God calls good! (Genesis 1-2)
The Problem in our lives and world is that, like Adam and Eve, all people insist on choosing right and wrong, good and evil, for themselves instead of trusting God’s Words, designs, and plans. This problem, called sin in God’s story, is both personal and corporate, displayed in every relationship and community humanity forms. (Genesis 3-11)
God Himself initiated the restoration from sin that all humanity is trapped in by His Promise to Abraham. Restoration would come through a son of Abraham. Repentant faith, trust that returns to taking God at His Word, would be humanity’s handle on the Promise and their way out of the maze of their self- centered definitions and designs. (Genesis 12-22)
This Promise to Abraham is the agenda of the Bible and history! The seed of the Promise produced both an event of salvation and a “people” through the Exodus. In Leviticus God provides a way of grace for His people of Promise to draw near to Himself, reconciled and restored by the blood, to live lives that are “holy” to God. In Numbers God continues to unpack His Promise (and the problem) by Israel’s inheritance of the land. In Deuteronomy Israel’s identity is renewed and restored once again by God Himself in the gracious renewal of the Promise. (Genesis 23-Deuteronomy)
Our story, the Bible, continues to display the problem of humanity through the downward spiral of Joshua, Judges, Kings, and Chronicles. Shining in these dark times is a glimpse of God’s good and gracious Kingdom in the kingdom of David. The son promised to Abraham will also be a son promised to David, God’s Messiah, who will graciously reign as King forever. The prophets continue to hold forth the light of all God has Promised: mercy and restoration for those of repentant faith in the LORD and a Day of final judgement for all who insist on the maze of their own designs. (Joshua – Malachi)
Finally, all of God’s promises were kept to humanity in the birth of a son of Abraham, son of David, the son of the virgin Mary, Who is the Son of God: Jesus. The Gospels show us that by His life, death, and resurrection God has come to us in Jesus, keeping His Promise to restore all people from captivity to sin, and back to His story. Every people, person, relationship, and issue finds restoration or salvation by repentant trust in Jesus. Jesus is the person and historical event that defines all things, not merely our personal spiritual experience. (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
Jesus comes personally to indwell all who repentantly trust in Him; individually and corporately. The Holy Spirit is the presence of Messiah to transform hearts and lives and to empower men and women to be witnesses of His Promise/Gospel to all humanity. One day, Jesus will return in complete fulfillment of all God’s promises. This is the Gospel of His kingdom.
When God restores humanity to His story in Jesus, He restores us from the maze of our broken communities to “new community” with Himself (Father, Son, and Spirit) and one another: the Church. A Church is not a place to go to, but a people who gather and go, with the Spirit of Jesus. The “new community” is not a perfect community but a recovering, discipleship community that is learning to live in and live out the gracious reign of King Jesus in order to fill every relationship, issue, and endeavor with His Gospel reign.
Ministry is the “new community’s” proactive work showing and telling God’s story for the restoration of all things. Ministry cannot be defined as what “happens at a church building.” Jesus has kept His Promise. Now He is bringing this promised restoration to all people and creation through His Gospel, through His church, in every relationship, issue, and endeavor… until He returns. (Acts – Revelation)
How will we cultivate this Promise/Gospel in and through Cornerstone?
We will cultivate our Gospel identity in three specific ways. We are…
Worshippers:
(The Lord) A people saved from their idolatry, whose identity and worship now center on
the Living God and tell the Gospel story. Matt 28; Jn 4; Acts 2; Rom. 1; 1 Cor. 12-14; 1 Pet 2; Hebrews
The New Community:
(The Body) A people who are being reconciled and restored
in relationship with God and each other by mutual discipleship in the Promise/Gospel.
Matt 28:16-20; Jn 13; Acts 2; Eph. 4; 1 Pet 2
Witnesses:
(The World) A people being restored and empowered for God’s mission
to reconcile all people and all things in creation to Himself, by His Gospel.
Matt 28:16-20; Lk 24; Jn 17; Acts 1; Phil 1; Col 1; 1 Pet 2
May we live fully three dimensional lives
in relationship with the Lord, His people, and the world.
May we seek, serve, and share all we have with the LORD, each other, and the world.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9
1 Peter 2:9