One of the things our church has done, since the very beginning, is carve out one night a month for corporate prayer and song. We call it our monthly prayer night. This is a step-by-step guide to what that looks like.
Read MoreYesterday our church (Downtown Cornerstone) celebrated three years of life together following Jesus in our great city. It has already been quite an adventure. Thanks for sharing in our joy.
Read MoreOur church, that gathers in downtown Seattle yet scatters throughout the city, is around two and half years old. This last September we celebrated our third annual summer beach baptism and barbecue - and just completed the video that captures a snapshot of that evening on the shores of Lake Union. Without question, this was among one of the top highlights of the year. I share this with you so that you can share in our joy.
There is nothing that will stoke, shape, and transform your relationship with Jesus than consistent, focused, and intentional time in the Scriptures, the Bible. Though many of us know this theoretically, we struggle to implement it in the every day. Often, at least in my life, this is due to the fact that we don’t have a plan. I need some structure to my reading, otherwise it can devolve into a mere emotional exercise of “What do I feel like reading today?” So, if we’re discouraged, we go to Ecclesiastes. If we’re angry we go to Judges. If we’re happy we go to Philippians. If all else fails, we go to the Psalms. Having some sort of Bible reading plan can help keep our reading fresh, structured and moving forward. It’s helpful to sit down, open your Bible and know where you’re going. Over the years, I’ve used a number of plans but inevitably there were aspects to each I found cumbersome or less than ideal. So, two years ago I combined my two favorite readings plans to leverage the benefits of each – M’Cheyne Bible Reading plan and the Navigator Bible Reading plan. [From the Downtown Cornerstone Church blog.]
Yesterday, we began a new sermon series through the Gospel of Mark and used the clip above to capture some of the events in chapters 1-8. I love what our creative team did with it. This is an old story, with significant present day implications. Nearly 2,000 years ago, in a small rural province of Roman-ruled Israel, there was a man who claimed to not only be a king, but the King; not only one sent from God, but the Son of God. His name was Jesus. In dramatic detail, the Gospel of Mark tells the riveting story of Jesus’ brief years of ministry in sixteen short, action-packed chapters. Mark, an assistant to the apostle Peter, is a masterful story-teller. Using a style of writing that is simple and original he recounts the life, death and resurrection of Jesus; events which form the very center of cosmic and human history. Join us as we explore the life and work of the One who fulfilled all the Old Testament hopes for the coming Christ, the Messiah, and see first-hand how only his story makes sense of our own. [From the Downtown Cornerstone Church blog.]
From the Downtown Cornerstone Church blog:
Downtown Cornerstone Church is committed to building a great city, not just a great church. Our desire is to see gospel renewal take place from the avenues to the alleyways of this city that we love. On July 20th over 100 people from DCC partnered with Dunlap Elementary School in Rainier Valley to help with some much needed maintenance. We serve because we have been served, in Christ. The following clip gives a great recap of our time together serving the city. MORE...
“But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”
From the Downtown Cornerstone Church blog:
In my personal and pastoral experience, there is no better way to keep the gospel central, clear and uncluttered than memorizing particular passages of scripture that deal explicitly with the gospel. The act of memorization forces you to define the gospel biblically. The result of memorization is that the gospel is now within you, ready to be recalled anytime you need some gospel encouragement or have an opportunity to share. Below are ten verses on the gospel to consider memorizing. You don’t have to memorize them all. Start with your three favorite verses and go from there.
Nearly three years ago a small group of us began praying about planting a new Jesus-loving, Bible-believing, Gospel-centered church in the heart of downtown Seattle. After ten months of prayer, planning and preparation we marked our birth on the first Sunday of April 2011. A week ago, by God's grace, we celebrated our second birthday. It has been a challenging and joy-filled stretch. We put this clip together to recount our brief history and some of the most significant evidences of grace along the way. Thanks for sharing in our joy.
I try to keep the content here generally applicable to everyone, but from time to time I like to share what's happening on the ground in our local gospel work to solicit prayer, offer encouragement and spread the word. There's always a risk of appearing self-promoting, but its worth the risk if it results in prayer for our newly forming flock in the city. This Sunday we're starting a new series through First Timothy. Would you pray for our church? Would you pray for our city? Would you pray for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit that results in new, and re-newed, awakenings to the reality of God? If you're not currently connected to a local Jesus-loving, Bible-believing, gospel-centered church in the area, consider joining us. If you know anyone with questions and/or interest in the person and work of Jesus, feel free to send them our way and we'll make sure they get taken care of. Thanks in advance. With you, in Christ.
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