City Life, News

Parking warning! The Pride Parade is set to begin this Sunday, June 24th at 11am. Please note that 4th Avenue will be closed all the way from Union to Denny, but should be avoided beginning at Cherry (see map below). Free street parking will be very difficult to find as Westlake Park will be the staging area of the parade. If you are planning to join us for our Sunday gathering, we recommend arriving early to help set-up, enjoying breakfast in downtown, or parking in Pioneer Square then taking the free bus tunnel over to Pacific Place. Please spread the word!

For more info about our Sunday gatherings, go here.

News, Teaching | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

I have some exciting news for you!

We are quickly coming to the end of our ten month series in the book of Acts. Starting Sunday, July 8th, we will begin a brand new series (tentatively) titled, Church Membership: What it means to believe, be and belong, that will run for eight consecutive weeks. The content of this series will serve as the primary content of our ongoing membership process. I am genuinely excited to see what God is going to do in, through and among us in this next season.

What Jesus’ Local Church is NOT

Unfortunately, there tends to be much miscommunication, misinformation, and misunderstanding when it comes to church membership. To become a member of a church is not the same as becoming a member of Costco, AAA or a country club. The church is not a club, nor a voluntary association, nor a customer service provider, nor an optional exercise for “really committed Christians”, nor merely a friendly group of religious people that tend to be free most Sunday mornings.

What Jesus’ Local Church IS

Rather, Jesus’ church begins with this simple fact: Jesus Christ is Lord of Lords, King of Kings, Savior and Redeemer. He died to forgive the sins of everyone, everywhere, who trust and follow him. He then brings those who have responded to his call together, within a given local context, and calls them his people, his church, to live underneath his gracious and sovereign reign.

In this way, the local church functions as an outpost of the kingdom of God that serves to affirm our faith in Christ and give shape and direction to our Christian lives.

The Bible uses a host of metaphors to explain the relationship of Jesus to his people, and Jesus’ people to Jesus. For example, the church is called a “flock”, “household”, “body”, “branches”, “living temple” and more. Each of these metaphors is intended to highlight that our relationship to Jesus is not merely individual, but corporate.

In other words, we are saved, in Christ, to be a people. When you choose Jesus, you choose Jesus’ people too. If we’re to love what Jesus loves, we must love the church, which he loved to the point of death on a cross. If we’re to be committed to what Jesus is committed to, we must be committed to the church – not merely in an abstract I’m-part-of-the-invisible-universal-church-sense – but in the sense that I belong to a real, flesh-and-blood, imperfect, local community of fellow believers.

Therefore, we demonstrate our common allegiance to Jesus and his people by becoming covenant members of a local church, thus church membership.

You Might Have Some Questions…

I hope you do! That’s why we’re going to take eight weeks to walk through what it means for a Christian to believe, be and belong to a local expression of Jesus’ people. So, I encourage you to pray and prepare as we go into this new season together as a newly forming church. I’m going to invite everyone who calls Downtown Cornerstone Church their primary church family to commit and covenant together. If you’re not yet a follower of Jesus, this series is for you too. It should help you gain clarity around what Christians actually believe and what it means to follow Jesus.

FIVE steps to becoming a member of Downtown Cornerstone Church.

In order for you to be adequately prepared, I wanted to get the five steps to becoming a member in your “hands” so that you can begin to pray, process and prepare accordingly:

So, all that said, we’ll be rolling out more information in the coming weeks. If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to email us. Together, let’s ask Jesus to do what only He can, as we move into this exciting new season of life together.

Baptism, Event, News

You’re invited to join us on Thursday, August 16th @ 6:00pm for our second annual summer BBQ & Baptism celebration. We’ll gather on the west side of the new South Lake Union Park (see map below).

When we repent of our sin, trust in Jesus Christ for our salvation, we should be baptized (Mat 28:18-20; Acts 2:38). In baptism we identity with Jesus in his death (being immersed under water) and his resurrection to new life (being brought out of the water) for the forgiveness of sin (Rom 6:1-10; Col 2:12). Learn more about baptism here.

If you would like to be baptized with us in August, please fill out this form or email us with any questions you might have.

LOCATION: South Lake Union Park

PARKING: There is ample street parking on either side of the park that is free after 6 pm. Also, consider taking the South Lake Union Trolley which runs from 5th & Olive to the park.

FOOD: Bring your own meat to grill. Side dishes, beverages and desserts to be provided by Cornerstone Communities. Condiments and paper products will also be provided.

Community, Ethnic Harmony | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

If you’ve asked this, you’re not alone.

More than one of you have asked this very question – and it’s a good one. Maybe you’ve thought, “There is no one like me here.” Or, “No one is interested in the same things.” Or, “No one is in my season of life.” Or, “I’ve tried but just don’t seem to connect.” Those thoughts inevitably leads to other thoughts like, “Maybe I should go somewhere else.” Or, “I should be with people who are just like me.” Or, “Perhaps Christianity isn’t for people like me.” My concern is for where the initial question may lead, not with the initial question itself.

We have a new, growing and very diverse church.

We have younger and older singles; younger and older marrieds; couples with and without kids; college, post-college, and no-college; rich and poor; out-of-shape and in-shape; tattoos and no tattoos; healthy and sick; employed and unemployed; extroverts and introverts; mature and immature; consistent and inconsistent; faithful and unfaithful; recovering drug addicts and current drug addicts; Christians, non-Christians and I-potentially-want-to-be-a-Christian’s; white, black, latino, asian, and native american; and more. It doesn’t surprise me if you may feel a little different or out of place. I feel different and out of place.

But, don’t miss what Jesus is doing in you and us.

Only the saving, forgiving, reconciling work of Jesus Christ could bring such a diverse group of people together. Jesus is creating a people for him, out of all the people of the city of Seattle, and we get to be part of that work, together. The very thing we find challenging (i.e. our diversity) is the very thing that brings Jesus deep joy and glory. It’s the very thing that causes visitors and newcomers to ask, “What in the world is going on here?” I love that question. The answer? The gospel of Jesus Christ is at work. Listen to how the Apostle Paul describes this work in his letter to the church at Ephesus:

“[Jesus] came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we [all] have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Eph 2:17-22

When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of sin and life with God, we simultaneously become part of a new people, the church, with a new identity. Paul says we are “no longer strangers and aliens” to God and to one another, rather we are “fellow citizens”, “members of the household of God”, and a “holy temple” of living stones “being built together”. In other words, in Christ, we are now citizens of the same kingdom, members in the same family and living stones in the same building. We are a new people and our identity is found in him, and one another, before it is found anywhere else. Read this story that highlights this point so clearly:

“Listen to how the fourth-century Roman historian Eusebius described one early Christian named Sanctus, when Sanctus stood before his torturers in the year AD 177: ‘With such determination did he stand up to their onslaughts that he would not tell them his own name, race, and birthplace or whether he was slave or free. To every question he replied, in Latin, ‘I am a Christian.’ This he proclaimed over and over again, instead of name, birth place, nationality and everything else, and not another word did the heathen hear from him.” Jonathan Leeman, Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus, p32

You might say, “Ah, but Pastor Adam, does Jesus know what it is like to be so different, misunderstood?” Yes. God became man in Jesus Christ. God. became. man. Literally, there was no one like him. Talk about feeling out of place. Yet, he humbled himself for those who were very different and had nothing in common with, entered our story, died for our sins and rose again to new life in order to rescue and create a new redeemed people out of all the peoples of the earth. You and I are part of that great redemptive masterpiece of God, in Christ. Our diversity is a sign that Jesus is at work. Don’t run from that, embrace it.

So, practically speaking…

First, many of you are new to Downtown Cornerstone. That is great! Though we work to create a culture that is warm, welcoming and hospitable, you will also have to step out in faith to pursue others, start serving, join a community, etc. to begin to enter into the lives of others.

Second, we all have to work to create the culture we want – that Jesus wants. If we wait for our ideal church to appear, we’ll be waiting a long time (read: forever). So, if you wish folks would invite you over for dinner; start by inviting them over. If you feel misunderstood, try first understanding others. If you feel out of place, try making others feel at home.

Third, make a decision to embrace the diversity, and the accompanying difficulty, as good. The diversity within our church is from Jesus and he wants to use it to continue to form more of himself in you (cf. Rom 8:29) for your good, the good of others and His glory.

Fourth, demonstrate a holy violence against all relational bitterness, division or disunity. Our enemy loves to undermine the work of Jesus, particularly through the use of Jesus’ own people. Hebrews 12:15 says it well, “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.” Bitterness effects the entire church, particularly at our stage.

Lastly, remember we are all, individually and corporately, a work in progress. Above, Paul says we are “being built together” which means we are still under construction. This calls for grace, patience and prayer.

Discipleship, Marriage, Uncategorized | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Our church is predominantly single, which makes sense given that singles are the primary demographic in our context. Given the lack of godly, Jesus-loving, potential spouses, a common issue among Christian singles is, “Should I just date a non-Christian?” This has become an increasingly common issue within Downtown Cornerstone, so I thought I’d take a brief opportunity to address this practical issue and open it up for discussion. Just so you know, I’m not writing this about a single incident or individual but a general trend.

Dating

The Bible doesn’t talk about “dating” because “dating” as we know it is a fairly recent phenomena. In ancient times into the 19th century, marriages were ordinarily arranged – typically for social and financial motives. (Note: There are perks to living in 2012!)

That transitioned into courting, sometimes referred to as “calling”, that was typically done in the context of family and community, overseen by the parents.

Then, somewhere in the early 1900’s dating came onto the seen, which removed the entire process from the context of the family and made it about the individual with a new emphasis on entertainment and “just having fun” – away from the idea of marriage as the primary goal.

Today, we live in a hook-up culture where marriage is only seen as one of many potential results of dating; definitely not the primary goal and often the last. Clearly, a significant shift has taken place.

So, the first thing that must be highlighted is that all Christian dating or courting or “dorting” should have marriage as the primary goal. This doesn’t mean you can’t sit down, have a cup of coffee and a conversation. But, it does mean that both folks involved know the ultimate goal. This is counter-cultural, but it is biblical. Just think of all the emotional, psychological, and physical destruction that would be avoided if this were the rule and not the exception.

Non-Christians

Additionally, the Bible does assume that followers of Jesus will marry other followers of Jesus. For example, in 2 Cor 6 Paul says do not be “unequally yoked with unbelievers…” Similarly, in 1 Cor 7:39, Paul says, “A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.” There are also continual warnings throughout the Old Testament to the Jewish people to not marry non-Jews (cf Numbers 12). The concern at hand is not interracial marriage, which the Bible does not prohibit, but rather inter-faith marriage. Lastly, Ephesians 5 tells us that the purpose of marriage is to point to the relationship of Jesus and the church, which is impossible to fully realize in a “mixed” marriage.

Objections

So, why would the Bible place these types of prohibitions on marriage? Is the Bible just being narrow? Are these just fundamentalistic interpretations? No. In fact, they are very practical. If you’re a follower of Jesus and your partner is not there are two inevitable results. I’ve seen both of these play out over and over again. On the one hand, if you keep Jesus central to your life, your non-believing partner will need to remain on the periphery of your life – which will inevitably lead to conflict, distance and aggravation. On the other hand, if your non-believing partner is central, then Jesus will need to move to the periphery of your life (this is far more common) – that of course, is spiritually soul-shrinking.

Often people will say, “Oh, he/she doesn’t mind that I follow Jesus…” But, what that really means is that that person doesn’t really understand the most important thing about you and about your life. If she/he doesn’t understand your faith, ultimately she/he doesn’t understand you. Often then, people will just put Jesus on the periphery to keep the peace, while elevating the more superficial aspects of the relationship (e.g. “But she loves canoeing!”)

So, don’t misunderstand. This doesn’t mean you can’t have a decent marriage or that you’re no longer a Christian should you be in a relationship with an unbeliever. But it does mean you can’t talk about God together, what you’re learning in the Scriptures, conviction of sin, application of the gospel of grace, pray together, have a ministry to your neighbors, raise up your kids in the faith, share the same eternal hope, etc – in other words, share the most important things in life together. God will, by necessity, get pushed out of your life. If you end up in a marriage like that, you’re stuck without a supernatural intervention by Jesus.

Last Note

In saying all that, it is important to keep in mind that you’re not just looking for someone to “pray a prayer” or “sign the dotted line” so that you can start/continue a relationship with them. I have an unbelieving friend who “became” Mormon to marry a girl and another who “became” Catholic to marry another. It is known to happen. You’re not just looking for a checkmark, you’re looking for character and a life that has been gripped by the King. You don’t want to just marry a church boy/girl – you want to marry a godly man/woman.

Don’t misunderstand me here. You’re not looking for a saint, but you are looking for someone with a hungry heart for Jesus. If that’s present, Jesus will take care of the rest. Clearly we’re all at various stages of maturity, faith, etc but what’s common in every stage is a hungry, humble heart for Jesus. Don’t look for perfection, you may have to embrace the gift of singleness for lifetime in that case, but do look for someone who you can foresee becoming your best friend, centered around the person and work of Jesus.

And, I have to add this, instead of griping about the lack of such people, focus on becoming one, and we’ll have an ample supply in short order. Amen? Amen. Yes, it requires patience. Yes, it requires prayer. Yes, it probably involves more awkward conversations with your parents, “So, when are you going to find that special someone…” So, yes its hard, but the alternative is much much much harder.

Community, News | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

CAMPOUT LEAVENWORTH

June 8-10 | Sign Up Today

In just a couple weeks we will be heading to the woods of the north Cascades – actually just a couple miles outside of Leavenworth for those with an allergic reaction to all things rustic. The KOA campground has released our previously reserved camp sites, which means they are now open to the general public. That also means, it’s not too late to sign up! All you need is to call in and reserve a campsite or join a group that is in process of organizing.

Why a campout?

#1 Community.
We’re a newly forming Jesus-people which means many of us are new to one another and to Jesus. Focused time away can go far in forging relationships, breathing unity and giving space to think outside the unceasing movement of the city.

#2 Mission.
Many, if not all, of us have friends, family, neighbors, coworkers that would never set foot in a Sunday gathering but would be willing to join us on a trek into the great outdoors. Opportunities like this are perfect bridges for building relationships and creating space for meaningful conversations about Jesus and his gospel. It’s not a bait-and-switch. Friends won’t find freaky Jesus tracts under their pillows when they wake up in the morning, but they might just become friends with people just like them who need a Savior just as much as them. Who will you invite?

#3 Worship.
Something powerful happens in the soul when out in nature. In addition to the above, this weekend is also intended to serve as a retreat, of sorts, to recharge, reconnect, and just get away. Some of you do that best alone; some of you do that best with others. How you spend your time there is up to you. The itinerary is very open and whether you come with a group or not, I encourage you to grab some time alone at some point.

What if I…

“…have other plans.”
Consider canceling them. Seriously. This is our inagural campout. Don’t you want to tell your kids that you were at the inaugural DCC Campout. Ok. Maybe not. But, you don’t want to miss this. We all have summer plans. We are all busy. We all have conflicts. Change your plans. Consider it a step of faith, a sacrifice to God, to give up doing something else you may even want to do more – then watch Him work. You won’t regret it.

“…don’t have the finances.”
Talk to me or your community lead and we’ll make sure you get taken care of.

“…don’t know how to camp, don’t have camping gear, don’t have anyone to camp with, or am scared of spiders.”
Humans have lived the majority of our existence camping. You’ll be fine. Plus, we have some pro’s that will gladly help you out. Brandy (Campout point person) will help you get set up with fellow campers, gear and may even be able to cure your arachnophobia.

“…haven’t signed up yet. Sounds like it is too late.”
Not to late! We just had to release those sites that were reserved. You can still call in and snag one. Do it today.

“…have to be back on Sunday.”
Perfect. There are a good number of us that will be leaving Saturday, later in the afternoon, in order to be back for Sunday. I will be preaching @ AMC on 6/10 and Deacon David Parker will be leading a informal devotion for those that choose to stay in Leavenworth. As always, if you want to track with our series in Acts, you can catch the recorded audio via the DCC podcast.

“…just don’t want to go.”
I understand that. We’ll be bringing our three kids for a one night stay. Do you know how much work it is to prepare three kids for a one night stay? It’s like preparing for battle against a small nation. It’s a lot of work. Sometimes – no, most times – in life we need to do what we need to do, not only what we feel like doing. Do you know what happens when you do that? You actually want to do the very thing you previously did not want to do. Good things are in store and I don’t want you to miss out.

Community, City Life, Photos