Letter to Cornerstone

Dear Cornerstone Church,

The Time has Come

I am excited.  I am increasingly convinced that God is preparing our church for its next mountain top experience.  This I believe has been confirmed by a convergence of God’s leading and directing among the leadership of the church.  Independent of one another, God has been directing the church leadership in paths that converge with the same message.

God wants Disciples

But what is a disciple?  It starts with a decision to follow.  Sadly, the church as a whole has traditionally been weak at providing the framework for its members to know what is required and how to be successful followers.  Often after the initial decision the followers are left to a wayward journey of “growing in Christ” (as a church we need to be more deliberate / intentional in the making of disciples).   The Western church has been lapse in its responsibility to challenge its followers to greater levels of devotion and commitment.  It is only when we identify the expectations and responsibilities of a disciple and we ourselves choose to take that step of obedience that we can truly see God at work in our lives.

Discipleship is more than Bible Study

If discipleship was just Bible Study then the church would be dead.  Unfortunately, the Western church often succumbs to the cultural value of “ME”.  Consider this picture:

There is a banquet room filled with people.  But this banquet is different.  The food keeps coming, it doesn’t stop.  The people keep eating and eating until they are immobilized due to their consumption.  Even then, more and more food still comes.

Ironically, the purpose of food is to nourish and strengthen our bodies for the tasks that are required of us, not to immobilize us.  Yet, that is exactly what the Western church does when we continue to feed the members yet do not challenge them to greater application.  We are all guilty of it, we are to be a community, a family which iron sharpens iron.  Consider the church of Laodicea (Rev.3:14ff), the lukewarm church.  Is this not an ample description of the Western Church?  A church that is comfortable with itself.  Comfort is dangerous because it means that you are no longer moving forward.  The problem is that not only have you stopped walking forward, but you have stopped walking and are standing on an escalator going the opposite direction!

If the 12 disciples had been satisfied with Bible Study the church would not exist.  We are called to something more!

AN EXCITING FUTURE

The discipleship process is simple: God’s challenge leads to our obedience giving us as followers of Christ  greater devotion and greater passion. As this pattern is followed we have a greater propensity to follow through on the next challenge God presents to us.  When we are obedient to God’s calling, exciting things happen!

I am Excited

I believe that within the context of the vision for our church, God is calling us to be disciple makers.

I believe that He is calling us even more so to be more radically devoted to Him and the work that He would accomplish through us.

I can say with confidence that from the parable of the seeds (Mat 13:1ff) I will not be the one that dies, gets choked or withers because I have drawn a line in the sand and said “I will go!” (Isaiah 6:1ff)

I can say with confidence that from the parable of the talents (Mat25:14ff) I will not be the one that stands before the Lord and says that I have buried my treasure.  No! I will not be satisfied with being comfortable.  As the challenges come I will stand and take hold of them, stepping forth in obedience.

And so I challenge You

Will you stand with me.  Will you take hold of the challenges God brings forth to change your life and grow His Kingdom?

What does this mean?  Simply prioritizing God and what He wants you to be obedient in and accomplish.

We as a church will be issuing a number of challenges in the year ahead.  Join In.

We as a church will be providing the training needed to be obedient to what God has called us to.  Join In.

Yours in Christ,

Clayton Lane

Cornerstone Church Moderator

P.S.  A good place to start is reading the book “Radical. Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream.” Platt, David.