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Our Youth Rock!!

December 13, 2011 in Church with 0 Comments

Our interim Youth Leader, Christopher Slagley, just tweeted this update today about how are youth are helping to lead the way with the “Food Drop 2012”…

First of all, Christopher is doing a phenomenal job of leading our youth to know and serve Jesus (he’s doing this while traveling and working at his full-time job). I’m so impressed with his servant’s heart and “make it happen” attitude.

Secondly, I am equally impressed with our youth who continually rise to the challenge when our church puts out the call to do something big. They get it! I think about Paul’s words to Timothy…

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”

Many times our young men and women are jumping over whatever bar we set! They are setting an example for all of us.

Great job Christopher and Cornerstone Youth!!

Rusty

Food Drop 2012, etc.

December 8, 2011 in Church with 0 Comments

I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Jesus’ birthday than by serving others in our community! I think He is pleased and honored to watch his followers offer mercy, compassion and kindness in a way that shines a bright light into the darkness of our world.

I’m excited to be a part of a church that loves sharing Christ by filling a box (or boxes) full of food and feeding families right here in East Alabama who will be struggling in the first part of the new year. I love watching people carrying these boxes into the worship space with a big smile on their face. Then there is always the question – “how many do we have so far??”. As of right now we probably have around 170 filled boxes in the worship space and around 800 boxes that have been taken but not yet returned to the church. We would really like to have 1,000 boxes in the worship space by Christmas Eve (hint, hint!). My family and I are working on putting ours together this week. Also, remember we will have the little gift boxes available again this Sunday with the card you can send to someone if you would like to put together a box of food in their honor. For more information on the food boxes, go to Food Drop 2012.

There just seems to be a lot of “buzz” and energy within our church right now as we are filling boxes, wrapping gifts for free and preparing for the launch of our new site in February! I just want to say “thank you!!” I really appreciate the way we are all responding to God’s calling on our church as we exponentially impact the people around us for the sake of the Gospel.

Rusty

What Does it Mean to Multi-Site?

August 6, 2011 in Church with 1 Comment

(This is a guest post by Cornerstone’s admin guy Jack Fisher)

I grew up in the United Methodist Church. For as long as I can remember we got dressed up, went to Sunday school, then to the worship service and after that we went out to lunch. For our family that is what going to church meant. It was a few hours where our lives centered around visiting the big box called church and then getting to go out to eat.

Things have certainly changed for me since those days. I discovered something called “contemporary worship” when I started attending Cornerstone in 2000. It was a little odd at first, no hymnals, no Sunday school and I didn’t have to get dressed up. But the odd experience soon turned in to a deeper relationship with Christ that I had never had before. For me the contemporary style of worship eliminated some of the barriers I had growing up. These barriers kept me in a mode of playing church rather than experiencing Christ.

Now we are talking about a multi-site church strategy here at Cornerstone. For many people, like me, who grew up knowing only one style of worship, multi-site might be a little hard to grasp. It’s not a church plant, it’s not a church split, it is Cornerstone in many locations. The same church, the same leadership, the same beliefs and values and definitely the same mission. And to be honest it’s really not a new strategy, it’s how the New Testament church grew almost 2000 years ago.

Take about two minutes and watch the video above if you haven’t already. It has a simple explanation of what it means to multi-site as a church. Yes, it’s also a promotion for a couple of books. But, those books were part of the process that helped us decide to move forward with the multi-site strategy here at Cornerstone. Oh, and by the way, you can buy them in our bookstore.

Visit the Leadership Blog weekly for more updates on our progress towards our first multi-site location. And if you have any questions don’t be afraid to ask the church leadership and staff.

Good in the Midst of Disaster

May 6, 2011 in Church with 0 Comments

Myself and several others from our church went up to Dadeville last Saturday to help in any way we could with the relief effort from the ef-4 tornado that hit that area hard. We got there and were given a couple of places to drive to and see if anyone needed help. As we drove down this one road and then down another and eventually out to a point on the lake where several houses were, I found myself speechless and stunned by the destruction. Homes completely obliterated and debris strown everywhere you looked, and huge pine trees twisted and snapped in half. It was somewhat chaotic as power company trucks were trying to get certain areas, clean up crews were maneuvering equipment into tight places and property owners were trying to salvage personal items. We helped this elderly lady (she was in the house during the tornado) move furniture, pictures, china and anything that was still in tact to a trailer where someone else was ready to haul it to warehouse. The interior walls of her home had been lifted up off the floor and then dropped. But while the walls were up in the air, several items were blown up under the walls before landing back on the floor. I found a picture frame holder sticking our from under a wall! Her garage was picked up and moved 30 feet. The front door casing along with the French doors were sucked out and blown somewhere unknown. It was shocking.

Our new friend was so thankful that her life was spared and grateful that we had come to help. She was so amazed that we had just showed up out of nowhere! She cried as she expressed her appreciation. We prayed with her, her family and some other helpers before we left. Galatians 6:9-10 comes to mind in light of our time spent serving this lady. It says,

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

I really believe our church gets this! I love being the pastor of a church that wants to reach out to people. I also believe our state gets this! I’m proud to live in a state that takes care of it’s own people. I really believe God designed every person with the capacity to do good and reach out to others in need. (whether we exercise that ability or not is up to us). Sometimes helping makes us tired and is not always easy. It costs something to help others. But, there is a return on that work. God is taking our effort and turning into good that sometimes is seen and oftentimes isn’t.  The success of our effort is when it’s done ultimately to the glory of God.

So, keep up the good work.

 

An Incredible Holy Week and Easter at Cornerstone

April 26, 2011 in Church with 0 Comments

What an incredible Holy Week and Easter we had at our Church! Words can’t describe how God moved in the hearts of those who were a part of our Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter experiences. However, our IT director did a great job of putting into words our Maundy Thursday experience (complete with incredible pictures). Thanks Scott for all you do! Here are his thoughts…

Maundy Thursday 2011 at Cornerstone

Last night from 8pm to 8am (that’s Maundy Thursday from 8pm until today, Good Friday at 8am) our church, Cornerstone, had its annual observation of what Jesus and his disciples did on that Thursday night as explained in the Gospels. Our observations follow that tradition with communion, feet washing, and then an open area for prayer and Christian meditation similar to what Jesus and his disciples did in the garden of Gethsemane.

It is actually hard to explain. I was trying to find words, and obviously some photos, to explain the night to someone who wasn’t able to be there in person, but nothing I can think of gives an adequate representation of the night, and the experience I believe is different for each individual who moves through the worship setting. Each year I come expecting, expecting something specific, some preconceived notions of what the night will bring, and each year those are basically thrown out the window by the time I get in the car to come home. Last night was no different. While I didn’t spend as much time in the “garden” area last night, I did experience something new as a believe, and I had the privilege of helping others come into the worship experience who had never been here before.

Something interesting happens when we as believers take a moment to set aside time to spend with God without distractions, without cell phones beeping, without people running about. Our lives are so busy, so hurried from one thing to another that we rarely have time realistically observe Psalm 46:10, to just “be still and know He is God”. That is what last night typically tries to achieve. It isn’t something that just pops out of the air, it takes a lot of preparation, and a willing spirit.

Below are a few photos of what was the main part of the room. The photo above is Rusty preparing to serve communion and out of the photo behind me is a foot washing station. After communion people were able to proceed into the main area through the garden around the “I AM” statements of Christ where they could read scripture, contemplate on information about each area, write on an adjacent board with chalk, feel the grass of the garden, or just sit and pray.

Tonight, on Good Friday, we turn our eyes towards the cross and the amazing sacrifice Jesus made by dying for the sins of the world. It’s all connected, all part of the same story, part of my story. For some additional photos see Maundy Thursday, Chalk Board Prayers, Easter Sunday, or the Holy Week Gallery.

Swimsuits & Beach Towels!!

April 15, 2011 in Church with 0 Comments

I just wanted to plug something that is happening in our pre-teen ministry this Sunday. Our Cornerstone Preteens have partnered with BigHouse Foundation to collect swimsuits and towels to help foster children throughout Alabama get ready for summer. Foster care is an area in our state and local community that is in real need of some love and attention. We are glad to work in conjunction with the BigHouse to minister to Foster families.

BigHouse is a Christ-centered non-profit organization designed to meet the needs of children in foster care.  Their mission is to connect the needs of foster families with the generosity of our community through the love of Christ.

There are 6,000 children in foster care in the state of Alabama and we want to help each one of them have a new swimsuit and towel this summer.

Our collection day is this Sunday, April 17.  Please bring NEW swimsuits and/or towels and drop them in our collection bins near the kids’ check-in stations.  All sizes, infant through adults are needed.

For more information about BigHouse you can go to their website.

I would love to see our church go over the top with this!!

Thank you for your amazing generosity!

See you under the ball,

Rusty

 

I AM The Gate, Lenten Reader Day 15

March 22, 2011 in Church with 1 Comment

Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. John 10:7-9

My family and I spend a lot of time down at “the farm” in Dale county just outside of Ozark. In order to get to certain parts of the property you have deal with a gate. The gate is actually two gates that swing together and have a chain wrapped around them with a lock on it. So in order to get into that particular part of the property you have to open the lock, take off the chain, swing open the gates and then drive through. Once on the other side you have to close the gates, put the chain back on, and close the lock. Sometimes it’s a hassle when you’re running late to get in the deer stand or setting up on a turkey! But there’s no other way to get where you want to go than by going through that gate.

In this passage in John chapter 10 Jesus is telling us something very profound about gates, sheep and sheep pens. He said that we are like sheep who need a sheep pen. We need to be in a place that is different from everything outside the sheep pen. In fact, we need to be rescued from everything outside the sheep pen. Inside the pen is security, community, hope, joy, rest, peace and salvation. Outside the pen is loneliness, fear, insecurity, hopelessness, anxiety, worry and death.

Everyone wants what’s in the pen! But, not everyone accepts the responsibility that comes with “pen Life”. In some form or fashion, I wonder if we all haven’t done this. We want to have all the benefits from having Christ in our life (grace, salvation, joy, peace, etc.) but don’t want to do the work of faith. Things like genuinely offering unconditional love to other people; forgiving people (with words AND actions) who have hurt you or undermined you; sharing your faith with others; not compromising when we are tempted to do the wrong thing; caring for others when it invades our comfort or limited time and on and on! The gate of Jesus is one that requires something of us when we walk through Him. If we only take the benefits of salvation and not the responsibility, we cheapen the precious grace that cost God His only son.

I pray that your life reflects the glory of the shepherd who has laid down His life for us. I pray that you are living the FULL life that he has for you.

And so I’ll leave with these questions I asked on Sunday at the close of my message…

  • Do you need to confess and repent of anything today?
  • How about your walk with Christ, is it all it should be right now?
  • Have you given up, compromised, settled or been listening to other voices that have led you away from Jesus?

Are you ready to make a change?? Ready to give your whole heart to the One who gave it all for you?? He is waiting for you with unmerited grace and deep love.

Who’s Preaching This Week?

March 11, 2011 in Church, Leadership with 0 Comments

Wow, Allen Whittaker did a phenomenal job this past Sunday preaching on the Trinity. He nailed it! That’s a tough subject to handle especially when you’ve only been at a church for a few months. I’m glad to have him and all of our other guys who share the Word on Sundays.

In light of that here’s some thoughts on the preaching rotation for 2011. Now that we have several gifted preacher/teachers on board I’ve become more aware of the need to be intentional about giving up the platform every now and again. So, throughout the year you may be hearing from me, or any one of these guys: Josh Agerton, Brian Johnson, Lee Cadden or Allen Whittaker. I expect you’ll be hearing from me about 35 of the 52 Sundays.

While I love to preach and would do it every Sunday, I also know that if I preach three services, every single Sunday of the year, my burnout meter will be pegging by Christmas! That’s 156 sermons a year, plus other speaking engagements. In fact, many preachers today are realizing the same things I’ve realized about this matter.

Things like, preaching every week can be a drain. It can actually be a deterrent to creativity and passion. It’s good just to be away for a few Sundays to recharge. Also, I’m not the only one who can offer the word of God. It’s good for all of us to hear the Word preached through other pastor’s experiences and views.

I believe in each one of these Godly men! They have been called to minister and teach scripture. I hope you’ll encourage them and pray for them when it’s their turn on the platform.

An Example of Living out the Mission of the Church

March 7, 2011 in Church with 0 Comments

Our Pastor of Connections, Josh Agerton, recently posted a great story on his blog called Living the Mission. I thought it really needs to be retold as much as possible. It’s about making Jesus real to people. So, here you go…

Living the Mission

So last night Leslie told me that Ms. Mary, the custodian where she works – Wrights Mill Road Elementary – came to her and said, “I need to talk to you about your church – Cornerstone.” Leslie’s first thought – “Oh no – what’s going on? What happened”. A little later in the day Ms. Mary came to Leslie and began to tell her story. Tears streamed from her eyes as she said, “Some people from your church came to my house last Saturday to help me.” She went on to explain how they stepped into her life simply to offer some help around her home on North Gay Street. They put on a new front porch, cleaned up the overgrown yard and told her they would be back in two weeks to keep their work going. She was completely blown away by this act of love and told Leslie how “I’ve never had anyone do anything like this for me before in my life.”

So after talking to a few more people I pieced together more of the story. Turns out it was a Small Group from Cornerstone that showed up at Ms. Mary’s house. They had been talking in their group about how they could go beyond themselves and serve the community in some way – specifically desiring to do something nobody else was doing. A few calls and connections were made that led them to meeting Ms. Mary – a hard working woman accustomed to helping others but doing little for herself. They asked her what her wish list was for her home and began to prioritize some projects starting with the front porch that was falling apart.

Amazing story here isn’t it. But what I love about this was the initiative that was taken on their own. It wasn’t directed by a church program or blessed by a staff person. It was just a normal expression of people following Jesus and giving their lives away for the sake of another. You could say that these people are living out the mission of Cornerstone – Leading People to Know and Serve Jesus.

I wonder what could happen in this community and our world if this kind of stuff became the new normal for small groups at Cornerstone? It’s definitely a picture of the church at its best and I pray that we see more of this among us in the future.

The Doctrine Series Notes, Week 2 and 3

February 22, 2011 in Church with 1 Comment

Wow, I’m amazed at the response by many in our church regarding this sermon series on the doctrines of the Christian faith. I think it reveals that inside every person is a deep desire to know the Truth. We all want to be reminded of the very basic and important beliefs about the critical issues of life, death, salvation and eternity.

As promised I am providing my sermon outline with the scriptures in case you missed them. I hope this helps you track along with us throughout this series.  The notes below are provided in a Adobe PDF document where all you have to do is click on the link below to access the file.  Also, please keep in mind these are my raw notes as I prepared for each message. They are not intended to be a polished scholarly work, but an additional resource to accompany the message on Sunday.

You may also want to download or listen to a copy of the podcast while reviewing the notes.  You can listen to the podcast right from the website by going to each message, The Doctrine of Salvation Podcast, or The Doctrine of Eternity Podcast, or download it into mp3 or subscribe to the podcast through iTunes.
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