Reflection Paper On Cornerstone

To the Cornerstone family:

April 24th began like any other Sunday for Cassandra and I. As we prepared for church that morning we expected to walk into the doors and experience church as we had always experienced church. We expected to worship. We expected to take communion. I expected to preach. We expected to shake hands and learn names, but It was not long before we realized that what we expected was far different than what we saw.

We saw Community. Cornerstone 's emphasis on family was tangible. The moment we walked through the doors we were greeted with warmth and welcome. The entire congregation worshipping their Lord and Savior in one voice truly served as a snapshot of the Kingdom. As we sang I was reminded of the words of David

The excitement began for Cassandra and I before church ever began. As we were pulling into the parking lot we looked around and saw an entire neighborhood city filled with opportunity. So many names, people, stories, so many opportunities for the love of Jesus to be shared through the family at Cornerstone. “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Cornerstone has been given this amazing opportunity to share in the work of the Lord. Can you imagine the impact that you can have on the lives of those living across the street? Or those living throughout the rest of Joplin? Or those living throughout the rest of the world? I believe we serve a God powerful enough to change the world through a little church in Joplin, Missouri. I believe we have been given an opportunity to take the good news of Jesus to the men and women of Joplin as well as the rest of the world. I believe we can. I believe we

We saw a church that is centered on Jesus. We saw the body of Christ. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). We saw disciples eager to make disciples. As we returned home from church Sunday afternoon I was filled with joy as I realized God had answered our prayers. He had blessed us with a family who knew its identity.

Throughout the past few months as Cassandra and I discerned what God had planned for the next stage in our lives we consistently prayed, “Lord, if you would have us go would you rip the doors off the hinges? Lord, if you would have us stay, would you close it on our fingers.” We realized the moment church had ended that God was ripping the door off the hinges and allowing us to serve at Cornerstone. We are so excited to follow God’s calling on our lives and spend the coming years becoming part of the family at Cornerstone Christian Church! Thank you for accepting us into the