Philosophy of Ministry

What drives our church?

These are the deep convictions that govern us.
If you want to understand the bedrock underneath what we do and why and how we do it, here are the simple but profound truths that drive us.


OUR FOUNDATION

We are driven by two great realities: the sovereignty of God and the sufficiency of Scripture.

— Ps 90:2; 115:3; Col 1:16-17; 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:3

OUR MISSION

To preach the Gospel plainly and boldly and to make mature disciples who know, love, trust, and obey Jesus.  

— Matt 28:18-20; Col 1:28-29; Eph 4:11-12; 1 Thess 2:1-12

OUR VISION

To be a faithful church influencing the mid-valley and supporting Gospel expansion.

— 1 Pet 2:9-10; 1 Thess 1:8; John 20:2; Acts 1:8

OUR PURPOSE

To glorify our great God by joyfully worshipping him above all else.

— Ps 115:1; Rom 11:36; Phil 2:10-11; 2 Cor 5:14-15

our distinctives

Expository
Preaching

Preach the Word
Biblical preaching unleashes God’s power as His message is proclaimed accurately. For preaching to be faithful it must not depend upon clever speech, human wisdom, or personal experience. Instead, true preaching evokes the authority of God and the power of the Spirit as the preacher clearly explains the meaning of God’s word, exposing the motives of the heart, exhorting the will, and exalting Jesus Christ such that the hearers encounter the living God through the preaching event.

Biblical
Shepherding

Tend the Flock
God designed the church to flourish under the servant-leadership of qualified men who lead, feed, care, and protect his flock. Elders (a. k. a. pastors and overseers) serve the church by devoting themselves to the ministry of the word and prayer and caring for God’s people with joy and eagerness. A call to eldership is evidenced by godly character, competency in handling the Scripture, a personal desire for the work, and proven effectiveness in the spiritual gifts of teaching and leadership.

Vibrant
Bodylife

Love One Another
One of the greatest spiritual blessings to a Christian comes from participation in the lives of other believers. In the church, members are served and serve as each one uses their unique spiritual gifting to build up the body. Vibrant body life includes the sharing of spiritual resources through proactive discipleship, biblical counseling, and sacrificial service. The result is growth into maturity by the power of the Spirit according to what each member supplies.

Christlike
Growth

Pursue Holiness
It is God’s will for his people to grow in conformity to the likeness of his Son. While it is true that the Christian life is challenging and often described as a battle, Jesus himself guarantees that his disciples will grow because they are connected to him and have every spiritual resources needed for obeying him from the heart. He also describes our life in him as new, abundant, fruitful, powerful, and victorious. For the Christian, obedience to Christ is not burdensome, but a delight.

church membership

If you are a Christian, it's God's will for you to belong to a church body. A body where you will exercise your spiritual gifts and be cared for by others. Joining a church is a tremendous privilege and a serious responsibility. And so we want to be clear about what we believe and what we expect of church members.

At CBC we offer a four week new members class for those interested in learning about the ministry. Each week you will have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with others. Once you've completed the class if you decide you would like to join Cornerstone, then you will fill out an application and meet with a couple of church leaders before being welcomed into the fellowship. To download the material, use the buttons below.