At Cornerstone Chapel, it is our desire that you see the love of Jesus Christ reflected through the systematic, verse by verse teaching of the Bible and through heart-felt, contemporary worship lifted up to God.
Whether a person comes to faith in Jesus early in life or late in life, the reward is the same—forgiveness of sins and the assurance of Heaven upon a person’s death. Jesus teaches a parable in Matthew 20 to caution those who have gotten saved early in life not to be jealous of those who get saved late in life who receive the same rewards. The “benefit package” is the same for ALL who trust Christ as Savior, no matter when they get saved or what kind of terrible sins they’ve committed. God is generous with His grace and does not give us what we deserve. We should all be thankful for that! Follow today’s study with Pastor Gary entitled, “Grace is Not Fair.”
According to recent polls, the majority of Americans see themselves as “basically good.” But the Bible teaches otherwise. And when people believe the narrative that they are basically good, they will not see their need for God. In Matthew 19 there is a story about a rich, young man who is a picture of the majority of the world—he’s a good guy who thinks that doing good things is the key to getting into heaven. But he was wrong, and so are those who believe the same. Pastor Gary shares the answer to the young man’s questions, “What good thing must I do to have eternal life?”
The Bible teaches us that God has a big heart for all people, but especially for children. Between Matthew 18-19, children are mentioned nine times. In particular, those references teach us (1) the example of children, (2) the warning against harming children, (3) the angelic protection of children, and (4) the eternal reward for children. Have you ever wondered what happens to children when they die before they have a chance to accept Jesus? What happens to the souls of aborted or miscarried babies? What can we learn from children? Join us for a Sanctity of Life teaching as Pastor Gary shares about the value and importance of children.
There are many views about the identity of Jesus. Was he just a good teacher, an enlightened man, or popular prophet? Modern religions think so. But Jesus is more than those things. In Matthew 16, Jesus takes His disciples to a place called Caesarea Philippi to discuss His true identity as the Christ, the Son of God. Join Pastor Gary as he exposes the historical and modern myths about who Jesus is and then takes us to Scripture to prove His true identity.
Join us for our Annual Question and Answer service.
In the Christmas carol, O Holy Night, there’s a line in the first stanza that reads: “A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices.” If ever there was a time when a weary world needed something to rejoice about, it’s now. 2020 has been a challenging year for many people on many levels. The world is more discouraged than ever before and feeling pretty hopeless. But the source of true hope entered the world 2000 years ago when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. He came to save us from our sins by dying on a cross. In today’s teaching, Pastor Gary invites you to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior—the greatest gift every given to mankind.
At Christmas we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, which is good news for all! For the Christian, this brings great joy. But what is true joy exactly? Is it the same as mere happiness or is it different? How does one experience real, genuine joy? Join our study today as we look into God’s Word on how Joy is something that is not temporal, but eternal.
The CDC put out a report in late August saying that nearly half of American adults reported struggling with mental health or substance abuse due to the pandemic. Having peace is something that alludes many people today. However, the word “peace” is mentioned 420 times in the Bible, and it also appears at all three significant stages of Jesus’ life: His birth, death, and resurrection. Why is peace so greatly emphasized at all three stages of His life? And how can I finally be at peace with God, peace with others, and peace with myself? Join our study today to see exactly why the Christmas season can always be remembered as the time where Peace for the broken human heart entered the world.
Who is “king” of your life? In Matthew 13, Jesus teaches about “the Kingdom of Heaven” where Jesus is king and those who have surrendered their lives to His rule and reign make up the Kingdom of Heaven. “The Kingdom of Heaven” is both a physical kingdom (because Heaven is a real place) and a spiritual kingdom (because it’s about God ruling not just in a “place” but also in a “person”—our hearts and lives). In Matthew 13 Jesus teaches seven parables, six of which are specifically about the Kingdom of Heaven. What can we learn about this Kingdom? Who can be a part of it? How can we be sure that we belong to the Kingdom of Heaven and that we will enjoy all the many benefits as citizens of that Kingdom? Join us for today’s study from Matthew 13.
Every year on the Sunday following Thanksgiving, Pastor Gary Hamrick and Marwan Rifka give an update on how and what Cornerstone Chapel is doing. It is a way to draw attention to the goodness of God and to give Him thanks and glory for all the wonderful ways He has blessed us and used us for the Kingdom. In this service, we highlight the various ministries of the church, give a financial update, and explain how we are endeavoring to impact the world for the glory of God.
Our annual Thanksgiving Eve service of testimonies and giving God praise and thanks for all He has done over the past year.
God has created a “pause” for our work week with what the Bible calls a “Sabbath”. The Sabbath is to be a time of rest and is intended to benefit us both PHYSICALLY and SPIRITUALLY. We need to rest physically—to be “off” and recharge our batteries, so to speak. But even more than that, we need rest for our souls that can only be found in a relationship with Jesus. There are a lot of tired and weary people in our world—tired of running from God, tired of an empty life, tired of the lies, and the shame and the weight of sin. Jesus invites us to come to Him and find rest for our souls. But there are three things that can hinder entering God’s Rest. Join Pastor Gary as he discusses these things and teaches about what it means “to find rest for your soul.”
Many times in life we get disappointed when things don’t go according to what we had expected. When that happens with God—when He doesn’t do what we had hoped or expected—it can lead to a frustration with God. In Matthew 11 we see this happening with John the Baptist when he finds himself in prison and God seemingly ignoring his situation. John begins to question whether Jesus really is the Messiah. Have you ever struggled with frustration or discouragement because God didn’t do what you had hoped He would do? It’s not uncommon. And God can handle our discouragement. In fact, He is the One who can help us through it. Follow along with Pastor Gary in today’s Bible study entitled, “Expectation Frustration.”
Following the 2020 election results, Pastor Gary Hamrick delivers a reminder from Matthew 10 on how we are to live as followers of Christ no matter who occupies the White House. The American Christian life has been too comfortable for too long. But times are changing. Lines are being drawn in the sand. Christians cannot remain silent or complacent. Just look at the early disciples and how they were martyred for their faith! Jesus says that when we live for Him we should expect opposition and hostility even from within our own families. He is sending us out “as sheep among wolves.”
In today’s teaching, Pastor Gary challenges Millennials and GenZ young adults to prioritize their compassion for others and to be guided by objective truth rather than subjective emotion. Is it OK to be a “single issue voter”? Should abortion be more important than other issues in an Election like immigration, health care, the environment, and social justice? Pastor Gary answers these questions and more in today’s study from Matthew 8. He also reminds us that at the end of the day, no matter who gets elected, our hope is in the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth.
In Matthew 8, Jesus heals a man with leprosy. In Biblical times leprosy was a debilitating, deadly disease. It was commonly thought that God would strike a person with leprosy as punishment for sin in his/her life. But that wasn’t true; leprosy wasn’t a punishment for sin but it was a picture of sin. There are several parallels between leprosy and our sin nature. And the cure that the man in Matthew 8 received for his leprosy is the same cure that we need for our sinfulness—a miracle from God. Through his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus offers us that miraculous cure for our terminal illness (our leprosy). We can be cleansed from the disease that is killing us and be made brand new creatures in Christ!
On the eve of the 2020 Presidential Election, Pastor Gary delivers a sermon to challenge the church in America to “wake up!” Our nation is at a crossroads and our only hope is for Christians to stand for righteousness and vote our values! To be disengaged and apathetic will result in the advancement of a liberal, progressive, demonic-inspired agenda that is bent on the destruction of America. Christians need to wake up and realize that we are in a spiritual battle for the heart and soul of our nation and the heart and soul of the next generation. Stand up for righteousness! Stand up for truth! And let your voices be heard for the glory of God!
In the closing verses of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges His hearers about whether they really belong to Him or not. The lengthiest sermon ever recorded that Jesus gave is not just about how to live, but whether or not we will do what He says. Being on “Team Jesus” means we have a relationship with Him and will obey Him. The Sermon on the Mount is not just about words, but a way of life for followers of Jesus Christ. He is the narrow way that leads to life. He is the Rock on whom we build our lives.
We are familiar with the “Golden Rule” that Jesus taught (treating others the way we want to be treated), but there are also some other “Golden” principles that Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount about prayer and about how God rewards those who diligently seek Him. Prayer is a vital part of our walk with the Lord and Jesus has much to say about Asking, Seeking, and Knocking. In today’s message, Pastor Gary focuses on the topic of prayer from Matthew 7.
Contrary to popular belief, Jesus didn’t say that we can’t judge others or even that we shouldn’t; in fact, in Matthew 7:15-16 He says that we should be judging when it comes to certain people like false prophets. We have to be wise and discerning about others. But it can’t be based on assumptions, appearances, or our personal preferences. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us the difference between making right judgments (which is good) and being judgmental (which is bad). Join Pastor Gary today as he tackles this topic in today’s Bible study from Matthew 7.
How are Christians supposed to be responsible for the material aspects of life without the need for material things becoming a greed for material things? The material is certainly not sinful; it’s needful. But how much is enough? And how can we use what God has given us to make an eternal difference in the lives of people? These are questions Pastor Gary answers from the counsel Jesus gives us in the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 6. Join us for today’s study on “Material Management”.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us about three particular disciplines of the faith—GIVING, PRAYING, and FASTING. Spiritual disciplines are NOT religious rituals; they are habits, practices, and experiences that are designed to develop, grow, and strengthen one’s spirit—to build the “muscles” of one’s character as a follower of Christ. So why are we to practice these? And how? Follow along in today’s study as Pastor Gary shares on the topic of “holy habits.”
The standard that Jesus sets about how to relate to others is very different from the world’s standard. Jesus teaches things like: we are to keep the promises we make; we are to “turn the other cheek” when insulted; and we are to love those who mistreat or malign us. The world’s approach is completely the opposite. But as Christians we must follow His example even when the rest of the world lives and acts differently. Jesus is not calling us to be pacifists or to roll over and let people take advantage of us. But He is calling us to take the higher road, to honor Him, and to let God deal with those who might mistreat or malign us.
Jesus had many uncomfortable things to say in His Sermon on the Mount. Among the issues He covered was the topic of divorce. And as uncomfortable as the subject is, as followers of Jesus Christ we must have a Biblical understanding of marriage and divorce. In today’s teaching, Pastor Gary shares the two Biblical grounds for divorce and sensitively discusses the topic with grace and truth.
Unity is challenging to find in today's divisive world. Together we study the unity in Christ that the Church of Ephesus and the Apostle Paul enjoyed, and the fellowship believers today can benefit from.
The story of the Apostle Paul as recorded in the Book of Acts is a great example of the transforming work of God. The story reminds us that a life that is surrendered to God can be transformed by God. In this study, we examine three principles of a transformed life taken from Acts 11-15.
Christianity is not a religion; it’s a relationship with Jesus Christ. We will see 3 characters in Acts 8-10 that will discover this truth - that doing religion without a relationship with Jesus is worthless.
The Holy Spirit can often be a controversial topic in the church. Some spheres of the church seldom talk about the Holy Spirit because it makes them feel uncomfortable; while other spheres of the church put an unhealthy emphasis on the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit. In today’s message, Pastor Austin addresses who the Holy Spirit it, what His purpose is in our lives, and how we can be filled with His power.
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