Cornerstone Church

It’s October and at Cornerstone that means one thing: It’s “How to Survive a Horror Movie” time once again! But this isn’t simply another sequel. No—we’re dealing with the concluding chapter of a trilogy. And as Randy Meeks, the horror film fanatic from the “Scream” franchise, stated, “Trilogies are a rarity in the horror field, but they do exist, and they’re a force to be reckoned with.” We couldn’t agree more. So we’re tying up this terrifying trilogy in style, as we take one last look at what to do when the movie of our life becomes a horror flick. Are you ready for a frightfully good time? Then lock your doors, grab some popcorn, turn off the lights, and join us as we find out how following Jesus always helps us survive the deadly mistakes and wrong turns in life.

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Out of all the fatal mistakes that are made in horror movies, losing track of the killer may be the worst. How do you take your eyes off the thing that’s intent on killing you? Well believe it or not, we do it every day. We lose sight of our sins and weaknesses. And if we’re not careful to get our focus back where it needs to be, we’re living on borrowed time.

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https://www.cornerstonechurch.info/archiveblog/keep-eyes-on-the-killer

Do you ever talk to yourself? If so, don’t worry! It’s totally normal. In fact, a recent poll found that 97% of people admitted to self-talk. We talk to ourselves to debate a decision, to think through ideas, to give ourselves a pep talk. Some people actually engage in self-talk to create a “presence” around them—something that makes them feel like they aren’t alone. But...what if we’re not alone? What if there is a “presence” around us, but not one that we created? You see, sometimes the voice that we hear isn’t “self”, but something more sinister. Scripture tells us that our Enemy is the Father of Lies—and he is not an idle opponent. He is an active force, feeding us falsehood after falsehood to disrupt God’s work in our lives. But we’re not helpless in our discussion with the Devil. We can answer every lie that the Enemy throws our way with timeless truth from God. We can combat the fear, shame, and hopelessness at every turn. And we can make sure that the Devil never gets the last word.

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We all have a past. We all have mistakes. We all have regrets. And what the Devil tries to do is get us to fall into the mindset that those things define us—that who we were before Jesus is who we still are. But the good news of the Gospel is that those who are in Christ are new people with a new lease on life. And because of that, our past—no matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done—can actually be redeemed and used to the glory of God!

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https://www.cornerstonechurch.info/archiveblog/you-are-your-past

Do you ever talk to yourself? If so, don’t worry! It’s totally normal. In fact, a recent poll found that 97% of people admitted to self-talk. We talk to ourselves to debate a decision, to think through ideas, to give ourselves a pep talk. Some people actually engage in self-talk to create a “presence” around them—something that makes them feel like they aren’t alone. But...what if we’re not alone? What if there is a “presence” around us, but not one that we created? You see, sometimes the voice that we hear isn’t “self”, but something more sinister. Scripture tells us that our Enemy is the Father of Lies—and he is not an idle opponent. He is an active force, feeding us falsehood after falsehood to disrupt God’s work in our lives. But we’re not helpless in our discussion with the Devil. We can answer every lie that the Enemy throws our way with timeless truth from God. We can combat the fear, shame, and hopelessness at every turn. And we can make sure that the Devil never gets the last word.

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One of the most hopeless feelings in the world? Isolation. So naturally, that’s exactly what the Devil wants to foster in a discussion: Isolation. He wants us to buy into the lie that we’re all by ourselves—that we’re the only one who sins, the only one who struggles, the only one who fears, and the only one who doubts. But thanks to God, we never have to feel isolated! God has given us Himself and His Church to ensure we never face life alone.

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https://www.cornerstonechurch.info/archiveblog/oure-the-only-one

Do you ever talk to yourself? If so, don’t worry! It’s totally normal. In fact, a recent poll found that 97% of people admitted to self-talk. We talk to ourselves to debate a decision, to think through ideas, to give ourselves a pep talk. Some people actually engage in self-talk to create a “presence” around them—something that makes them feel like they aren’t alone. But...what if we’re not alone? What if there is a “presence” around us, but not one that we created? You see, sometimes the voice that we hear isn’t “self”, but something more sinister. Scripture tells us that our Enemy is the Father of Lies—and he is not an idle opponent. He is an active force, feeding us falsehood after falsehood to disrupt God’s work in our lives. But we’re not helpless in our discussion with the Devil. We can answer every lie that the Enemy throws our way with timeless truth from God. We can combat the fear, shame, and hopelessness at every turn. And we can make sure that the Devil never gets the last word.

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Let’s not sugarcoat it—life is hard. Health issues, relationship struggles, work problems. All of these situations pop up time and time again. And every time they do, the Devil whispers in our ear, “The amount of problems you have is linked to the amount of love God has for you.” Our Enemy wants us to believe God hates us, God is mad at us, God wants nothing to do with us. But the actual truth? Nothing could be further from the truth. God loves you!

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https://www.cornerstonechurch.info/archiveblog/god-hates-you

Do you ever talk to yourself? If so, don’t worry! It’s totally normal. In fact, a recent poll found that 97% of people admitted to self-talk. We talk to ourselves to debate a decision, to think through ideas, to give ourselves a pep talk. Some people actually engage in self-talk to create a “presence” around them—something that makes them feel like they aren’t alone. But...what if we’re not alone? What if there is a “presence” around us, but not one that we created? You see, sometimes the voice that we hear isn’t “self”, but something more sinister. Scripture tells us that our Enemy is the Father of Lies—and he is not an idle opponent. He is an active force, feeding us falsehood after falsehood to disrupt God’s work in our lives. But we’re not helpless in our discussion with the Devil. We can answer every lie that the Enemy throws our way with timeless truth from God. We can combat the fear, shame, and hopelessness at every turn. And we can make sure that the Devil never gets the last word.

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Life’s all about you, right? Aren’t you the main character? After all, when you leave a room, the camera follows you! When the Devil starts a discussion, one of the first things he does is put a spotlight on us...he wants us to believe life is all about US. And if we fall into his trap and believe his lie, we miss the meaning of life—living for something outside self.

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https://www.cornerstonechurch.info/archiveblog/its-all-about-you

Do you ever talk to yourself? If so, don’t worry! It’s totally normal. In fact, a recent poll found that 97% of people admitted to self-talk. We talk to ourselves to debate a decision, to think through ideas, to give ourselves a pep talk. Some people actually engage in self-talk to create a “presence” around them—something that makes them feel like they aren’t alone. But...what if we’re not alone? What if there is a “presence” around us, but not one that we created? You see, sometimes the voice that we hear isn’t “self”, but something more sinister. Scripture tells us that our Enemy is the Father of Lies—and he is not an idle opponent. He is an active force, feeding us falsehood after falsehood to disrupt God’s work in our lives. But we’re not helpless in our discussion with the Devil. We can answer every lie that the Enemy throws our way with timeless truth from God. We can combat the fear, shame, and hopelessness at every turn. And we can make sure that the Devil never gets the last word.

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It all started back in the Garden. The original lie from the Devil that sent the human race on a downward spiral of sin and shame. And that original lie still manifests itself today: “Did God really say?” Our Enemy wants us to question everything from God. His goodness, His love, His character. But as we trust in the Holy Spirit to guide us in truth, He will do just that—and in the process, He will help us refute one of the most tempting lies of the Devil.

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https://www.cornerstonechurch.info/archiveblog/did-god-really-say

It’s August 1980 in South Akron. A small-but-growing group of Jesus-followers, led by a young husband and wife pastoral team, call themselves “Cornerstone Church.” They rally behind the mission of helping people find the Father, a family, and a fulfilling future. And that’s exactly what they do...day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. But as Cornerstone advanced the Kingdom of God, a perfect storm of opposition sought to snuff it out, culminating in the COVID-19 pandemic that brought the world—and many churches—to a halt. In fact, the average lifespan of a church is 40 years. In many ways, August 2020 should’ve been to be our swan song. But that’s not where our story ends; it’s where our story begins again. August 2020 now marks the beginning of renewed ministry at Cornerstone Church, and a reestablishment of our mission to help people find the Father, a family, and a fulfilling future. It marks the start of what we believe will be banner year after banner year, seeing God move mightily in our midst. As we celebrate Year Two of fresh ministry at Cornerstone, it’s a brand new day - but it’s a lot like our first day.

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At Cornerstone, we believe every year is a banner year. We praise God for His goodness in our past, and we advance with confidence into our future. We echo the words of Samuel the prophet: “Thus far, the Lord has helped us.” And today, as we mark Year Two of renewed ministry, we believe we’re barely scratching the surface of what God will do in our church.

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https://www.cornerstonechurch.info/archiveblog/build-the-altar-bring-the-ark

Have you ever experienced something that left you speechless? Something so incredible and so amazing that you didn’t know what to say? In those rare moments—when words fail—the most apt description of what we experienced often isn’t an explanation, but an invitation: “You gotta see it for yourself.” Now what if I told you those rare, speechless moments don’t have to be so rare? Consider this your invitation. Your invitation to come and see the move of God happening every week at Cornerstone. We’re seeing mindsets renewed, addictions broken, relationships restored—people once far from God finding the Father, a family, and a fulfilling future. We’re seeing miracles. But don’t take our word for it. You gotta see it for yourself.

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There tends to be two strategies when it comes to extending the “Come & See” invitation. It’s either “Push Jesus in the conversation!” or “Pray for Jesus to ‘pop up’ in the conversation!” But what if it’s not “either/or?” What if it’s “and?” The fact is that God wants both. So while we wait for opportunities to testify to God’s goodness, we work as a witness to God’s goodness.

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https://www.cornerstonechurch.info/archiveblog/work-while-you-wait

Have you ever experienced something that left you speechless? Something so incredible and so amazing that you didn’t know what to say? In those rare moments—when words fail—the most apt description of what we experienced often isn’t an explanation, but an invitation: “You gotta see it for yourself.” Now what if I told you those rare, speechless moments don’t have to be so rare? Consider this your invitation. Your invitation to come and see the move of God happening every week at Cornerstone. We’re seeing mindsets renewed, addictions broken, relationships restored—people once far from God finding the Father, a family, and a fulfilling future. We’re seeing miracles. But don’t take our word for it. You gotta see it for yourself.

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In legal proceedings, a witness is called to testify to the facts of a case. They’re instructed not to speculate, but to simply give an account for what they’ve experienced. Did you know the same is true for followers of Jesus? We don’t need to argue for God, because God doesn’t need an attorney. God will handle the arguments for Himself—all He asks is for our account.

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https://www.cornerstonechurch.info/archiveblog/the-i-in-testify

The Early Church regularly used the Book of Psalms as an unending source of insight for the Christian life—to inspire faith, to praise God, and to encourage one another. This summer, we’re going to do the same thing at Cornerstone. We’re making a playlist of some of the Psalms greatest hits, compiling a mixtape that we believe will help inspire you and motivate you during the dog days of summer.

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We all face struggles, challenges, and opposition in life. And even with a good support system in place full of family and friends, it can still feel like we face these things alone. But what confidence we can take in the fact that our God isn’t a passive bystander in our life, but an active force who hears our prayers and petitions and makes all things work together for our good.

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https://www.cornerstonechurch.info/archiveblog/hope-because-he-hears