What We Believe
Our Core Values
- Christian love is the plumb line for Christian living, and loving relationships should penetrate every aspect of church life.
- Those who are lost matter to God and ought to matter to the church.
- Relationships are more important than institutions.
- Christian believers should yearn for continuous spiritual growth.
- Worship should be culturally relevant, yet pure in the pursuit and expression of scriptural truth.
- Anointed teaching is the catalyst for transforming individual lives and the church.
- Excellent music is a vital component of transformative worship.
- Cornerstone's mission is best served by a unified community with HPUMC.
- The United Methodist faith proclaimed at Cornerstone is best described in the four elements of founder John Wesley's so-called Wesleyan Quadrilateral:
- Holy Scripture - the primary source and standard for Christian doctrine.
- Tradition - we witness the development and growth of our faith through the centuries,in many nations and cultures.
- Experience - a Christian individual understands and appropriates Christian faith in the light of their own life.
- Reason - a Christian individual brings discerning and cogent thought to their Christian faith.
Taken together, these four elements bring the individual to a fulfilling and mature understanding of the Christian faith, and to the required response of worship and service. Christian believers are obligated to the pursuit of perfection as expressed in the denominational foundations of John Wesley.
Salvation
By the grace of God, we are afforded a spiritual beginning. By grace alone - the word means "a favor we didn't earn" - we begin the Christian life. Though it is a beginning for us, God has worked behind the scenes long before we responded. He literally came to the world in the person of Jesus Christ; and by means of crucifixion, He paid our crippling debt of sin. As He did then, He comes to us now in the person of the Holy Spirit and moves among us in our waywardness to renew our spiritual direction and afford us salvation. Cornerstone's mission is to share the news of that salvation through excellence in worship, service and community in the name of Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Life
Our spiritual life reflects our response to God's grace in our lives. Our walk with God begins by grace and continues by grace. But just as we can underestimate the extent of God's work in initiating our Christian life, we can easily surrender to thinking that our own work and compliance with doctrinal rules automatically produce spiritual maturity. Cornerstone's purpose is to invigorate both seekers and believers in their committed walk with God through the spiritual disciplines of prayer, small grouping, Bible-study, Christian service, giving and worship so they might mature spiritually in their daily lives.
But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 3:18a
Holy Scripture
We believe that the Bible is the divine-inspired word of God, and that it contains all things necessary for salvation. We believe that it is the Church’s primary source and standard for Christian doctrine. A thoughtful process of discernment and active engagement with the Bible is the foundation of our ministry.
Christian Service
On Earth as it is in Heaven!
As recipients of grace, we believe we are obligated to evidence that grace in the world. We believe that Christians ought to pursue improvement in the world as it reflects the Kingdom of Heaven. Our differing skills, roles, talents and gifts energize the church in that effort. Cornerstone's mission is to help believers identify those gifts and engage in their thoughtful application toward the betterment of society. We fully endorse and work to implement the social principles of the United Methodist Church.
Website: UMC Social Principles
Website: UMC Social Creed
Evangelism
Jesus Christ had a mission. He came to earth from Heaven knowing His purpose. Even as a child at age 12, He told His parents, "Did you not know I had to be about my Father's business?" (Luke 2:49) His single-mindedness, determination, and reliance on His Father's guidance ensured that at the end of his ministry, He could pray confidently, "I have accomplished the work which You gave me to do." (John 17:4) It's the mission of Cornerstone to carry on that work, and to be about God's business. Toward that end, we recognize that the lost matter to God, and, therefore, they ought to matter to the church. As instruments of evangelism, we're committed to sharing the news of our mission with the lost.
Stewardship
As a community of believers, Cornerstone is called to provide economically for the mission of our ministry. To that end, mature Christians give in the following manner:
- Generously. All that we have comes from Christ, and we know that Christ owns all that we have. In that, we make efforts to return to Christ what comes from Him.
- Proportionately. They are committed to giving a percentage of their income.
- Regularly. As resources flow in, they offer the "first fruits" back to God, honoring God before others.
- Locally. Recognizing Cornerstone as their spiritual home, they support the ministries from which they derive benefit.
- Liberally. As they are able, they go beyond giving to their own church community and contribute globally to the cause of Christ.
- Cheerfully. Knowing that the heart is transparent to God, they do not give to God begrudgingly or under compulsion, but with a joyful spirit as their resources enhance the mission of Christ and service to the world.
- Expectantly. Counting on God's promise of provision, as they give they anticipate seeing God use their gifts as He continues to work in their lives.
Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7
