It’s that time of year once again—Christmas time! Baking cookies, shopping for presents, listening to Christmas music...it’s our traditions that truly make this time of year magical.

And is there any Christmas tradition more nostalgic and magical than watching a classic Christmas movie? “Home Alone” and “Christmas Vacation”...we all have our favorites because we all enjoy watching the craziness of a Christmas movie play out on screen. But, more often than not, that same craziness can end up playing out in our own lives—we struggle with things like identity and purpose—and suddenly it’s not so entertaining! So how do we survive the holidays when our world starts to play out like a Christmas movie?

November is the culmination of the political season in the United States, as votes are tallied for various candidates up for election. Many will cast votes, passionately believing they’re endorsing the right person…the right thing. But what many will fail to acknowledge is how often their interpretation of the right thing is influenced by one thing: Opposition Research. It’s the term given to the in-depth investigation of a political opponent in an effort to dig up dirt, discrediting the person now for what they said or did then. And it’s not a tactic that is reserved simply for the political realm. Our Enemy—the Accuser—uses the exact same strategy to keep us out of the future God is calling us towards. So how do we fight against the facts of who we were and what we did so that we can become who God has in mind?

Something Wicked

It’s coming…something wicked. A dark shadow—lurking just around the corner—waiting for the right moment to attack. And no, it’s not a monster or a ghost...it’s something far more sinister—Fear. Fear is the killer that comes for us all, looking to rob us of our joy, confidence, and hope for the future. And whether or not fear succeeds in its wicked ways is up to you. So…will you choose to fight or to forfeit? Will you choose faith over fear?

Cornerstone College

It’s fall once again, and you know what that means—class is back in session! And we’re embracing “school spirit” at Cornerstone as we introduce “Cornerstone College”—a new teaching series studying the basics of doctrine and theology on some not-so-basic topics. We believe the better we know the core of who God is and what He desires, the better our relationship with God will get. While we may not be able to know God exhaustively, we can know Him accurately. And during this four-week series, we aim to do just that. So wear your cGear, grab your sermon notes notebook, bring your Bible, and enroll with us at Cornerstone College!

Banner Year Weekend

It’s August 1980 in South Akron. A small-but-growing group of Jesus-followers, led by a 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. August 2020 should’ve been our swan song. But that’s not where the story ends. It’s where the story begins again. August 2020 now marks the launch of renewed ministry at Cornerstone, and a re-establishment of our mission to help people find the Father, a family, and a fulfilling future. It’s the start of what we believe will be banner year after banner year, seeing God moving in our midst. It’s a brand new day—but it’s a lot like our first day...

Without Any Doubt

The Greek word “eidō” is one of the most used words in the Book of John, appearing over two dozen times. It means: “to know without any doubt.” So it’s clear that the writer of this Gospel, the Apostle John, wants his readers to be sure of the point he’s trying to get across, which he articulates in the closing words of his account: “...this has been written so that you may believe [without any doubt] that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that by believing you may have life in His name.” Now, it’s no secret many of us struggle with doubt—doubt about God, the future, our place in the world. And that doubt can be debilitating and overwhelming. But it’s in the midst of that doubt that God wants to point us to the solid foundation that we can know and build our lives on—without any doubt.

killing time

Well, here we are. We are officially past the halfway point of 2023. Before you know it, the summer will give way to Pumpkin Spice Lattes and football—and another year will almost be in the books. So...how’s it going? Your year? The things you wanted to do, the person you wanted to become, the goals you wanted to achieve? Be honest with yourself. Have you been seizing the moment in 2023—or have you been killing time? If you’ve neglected the opportunities God has given you this year, there’s good news—there’s still time! You don’t have to squander one more second to start living the life God designed for you. As the saying goes: “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time? TODAY.” It’s time for us to stop killing time and start seizing the moments God has given.

Roller coasters & Airplanes

The average roller coaster ranges in height from 150 to 250 feet at its highest point, and travels 60 to 70 miles per hour. The average commercial airplane flies at 35,000 and travels 550 miles per hour. Yet a higher percentage of people are more nervous about a trip to Cedar Point than they are to Cleveland Hopkins Airport. What’s the deal? It all comes down to one word—desensitization. It doesn’t feel like you’re going that fast or up that high when you’re in an airplane, but it does on a roller coaster. Which is why they induce so much fear...but, it’s also why they inspire so much fun. Did you know your walk with God should feel more like going over the edge on a 300-foot coaster than a routine red-eye to Boston? It’s time for believers to REsensitize our faith and step out in risk. Because when you’re protected from the elements, you’re also protected from the thrill.

THE SUNDAY Scaries

It’s been a perfect weekend. Everything went better than you could’ve hoped. In fact, you don’t want it to end…and that’s when it hits you—Monday is coming. Suddenly, a sense of impending doom invades your thoughts, and your mind begins to race with deadlines, responsibilities, and challenges that lie in the week ahead. This feeling is called "The Sunday Scaries"—a very real phenomenon in our culture. But let’s be honest...your anxiety and worry don’t only go to work on Sunday nights. They can strike at any time and any place. And to be the people that God designed us to be, we can’t always live in the grip of our fear and worry. It’s time for us to break free from “The Sunday Scaries” and inject hope and confidence into our lives.

The Verse After the Verse

It’s not a stretch to say that some Bible verses loom larger than others. They’re the ones we have hanging on our walls or tattooed on our arms. They’re the verses of Scripture that we love, we memorize, we cling to. But have you ever stopped to consider: “What about the verse after the verse?” I mean, there’s Scripture that immediately follows all of our favorite, most well-known verses. And in many cases, the verse after the verse grants us a deeper understanding of the context and meaning of these well-known passages, and how they apply to our lives. It’s time we stop settling for a sliver of Scripture, and open our minds and spirits to the fullness of God’s message to us through his Word.

Here & Now

“The best is yet to come!” This statement has often been a popular rallying cry, especially for the Church. It’s a declaration rooted in the belief that God has great things in store for his people just beyond the horizon. And it’s a sentiment we’ve shared and stated here at Cornerstone...but, not anymore. Of course, we still believe the future is bright. But who has time for what’s to come when we’re too busy being blessed by what is? You see, the best isn’t “yet to come”—it’s here and now! God is on the move, and he is doing a new thing now, in the midst of our present circumstances. Instead of focusing on the future, we’re determined to fix our attention and follow God’s lead, right here and right now.

Easter at Cornerstone

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the ultimate turning point in history—and not just on a grand, worldwide scale...but on a personal level, as well. All of our fears, doubts, worries, cares, and anxieties? None of them should look the same now that we are living on the other side of Easter Sunday. Jesus has put death to death, and now all that remains is life!

Already, but not yet

Followers of Jesus live in a constant tension—it’s an ”Already, But Not Yet” state of being. We’re already saved in Christ (Ephesians 2:8), but not yet saved in Christ (Romans 5:9). We’re already sanctified in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:2), but not yet sanctified in Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24). Confusing? Join the club! There is no doubt that this can be a tricky and difficult concept to understand, but we need to understand it. If we don’t embrace the truth of the “Already, But Not Yet” state of tension in the Christian life, we will inescapably misread Scripture—and misread Scripture results in a misled life.

Better

The Bible is God’s Word—from Genesis to Revelation. It is inspired, trustworthy, and just as applicable to us today as it was when it was written. But did you know that when Jesus appeared on the scene, it wasn’t just a new chapter in the same story Scripture had been telling? There’s a reason for the split between Malachi and Matthew. From the moment Jesus’ first cry was heard in Bethlehem, it all changed. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus were all the end of one story and the start of a better one—with a better covenant based on better promises, leading to a better relationship with God. And the promise that Jesus offered still stands: a promise to change lives for forever and for the better.

Mindset Masterclass

Trust me—you can’t trust your mind. You think it’s rational and wise. You think it can be trusted. But that’s just because you aren’t paying enough attention to what’s going on upstairs. You see, many aspects of your day-to-day thinking are controlled by automatic mindsets. Your active mind is consumed with navigating a plethora of high-level problem-solving, so your automatic mindsets kick into gear to handle the rest. That’s where the mistrust of our mind comes into play, because most of our automatic mindsets are a mess! And allowing these messed up mindsets to manage decisions in our life will only lead to frustration and confusion. What we need is a Mindset Masterclass; life-changing knowledge straight from God’s Word that will shift our perspectives and transform our mindsets.