Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to Your Common Questions about Our Church and Community
Visiting Cornerstone
What time is your Sunday service?
We offer one service on Sunday mornings at
9:25 am.
What should I wear when attending Cornerstone Church?
Something comfortable. Most of us dress casually, but if you're more comfortable in a coat and tie or clothing that reflects your heritage and culture, you won't be alone.
Where do I go when I get there?
When you arrive, park anywhere in the lot (we also have spaces behind our building). You will find greeters at the front doors who can direct you to the Sanctuary, children’s areas, restrooms, and a beverage station.
Do you have a children's service or childcare?
In addition to our main service in the Sanctuary, we provide childcare for infants to 3 years of age for the entire service. Bring your older kids into the Sanctuary; we have a children’s church during the sermon for kids 4 to Kindergarten. We also have activity bags for older kids if they struggle to participate in the service. Don’t worry if your kids make noise; we love to have them with us.
What happens during a Sunday morning service?
Our services invite those who gather to participate as fully as they are able. We will invite you to sing, read Scripture, join in prayers, and take the Lord’s Supper. The pastor’s message will last about 35-40 forty
minutes. We emphasize biblical preaching that highlights the gospel and includes practical application. Whether or not you currently consider yourself a follower of Christ, our hope is you experience God and come to know Him deeper.
Church Beliefs
What is your denomination or affiliation?
We are a partner church with the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA.org).
What is your approach to biblical teaching and interpretation?
Our consistent preaching philosophy is expositional preaching through books of the Bible.
On occasion, we will take shorter series into matters of Biblical Theology, Cultural Issues, and aspects of Intentional Christian Living.
What is your stance on social and political issues?
We believe the Bible speaks to every relevant issue in our culture. We also believe that today’s cancel culture on both “the right” and “the left” undermines the spirit of the New Testament.
Our denomination composes a helpful response to recent cultural hot topics in June 2023. We stand by these affirmations and denials:
https://www.efca.org/where-we-stand-in-the-efca-denials-and-affirmations
What is your church’s stance on baptism and communion?
Our church practices and preaches believer baptism (credo-baptism), that is we offer baptism after a person believes in Christ. Baptism is the sign and seal of entrance into the Christian family.
We accept into formal church membership all believers in Christ who have received a Trinitarian baptism (including believing Christians who believe their infant baptism was a dedication or promise to God). This position honors the greater body of Christ and the various evangelical traditions while still holding fast to to our practice of only offering baptisms after conversion.
We invite all believers in Jesus Christ to take the Lord’s Supper. The Supper is the Christian ordinance/sacrament that celebrates our ongoing participation with Jesus Christ and His Church.
We encourage anyone who has not received baptism to strongly consider waiting to take the Supper until after they’ve professed faith with baptism (the sign of entrance into Christ’s family).
What are your beliefs about gender and sexuality?
We believe sin has profoundly impacted every aspect of humanity (mind, soul, body). No one is righteous, no not one. God created us male and female in His image, and stipulated that marriage was to be one man and one woman for life. Since the Fall, men have not been faithful in all aspects of manhood. Woman have not been faithful in all aspects of womanhood. In our distorted image, we have practiced abuse, adultery, and every manner of sexual deviation.
The good news of Jesus Christ offers redemption, renewal, and hope to everyone who has fallen short of the glory of God. The Apostle Paul writes to us in 1st Corinthians 6:9-11: "Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
At Cornerstone, we attempt to live as washed and sanctified souls. We pursue sexual integrity in singleness and marriage. We pursue faithful leadership of godly men in our church and at home (complementarianism). All the while, we continue to fall short and pursue repentance until Jesus Christ calls us home.
Getting Involved
Do you offer small groups?
Small groups have always been an important part of our church community. We see them as an essential place to grow in relationship with God and others. Please contact our office if you’d like to sign up.
How do you handle financial donations and tithing?
God calls Christians to regular, proportional, generous, and glad-hearted giving. We hope that those who call Cornerstone Church their home will join our efforts and give online or in our offering box to the glory of God and the good of His kingdom.
How can I get involved and serve at the church?
We invite all people who call Cornerstone Church their home to find a way to serve others in the body of Christ and their community in the name of Christ.
Contact the church office and let us know where you’d like to serve or if you want someone to reach out to you regarding opportunities.
What are your policies on volunteer and staff background checks?
All volunteers who work with kids under age 18 receive a background check to begin and are given subsequent background checks in later years.
Our History & Structure
Why is the church called Cornerstone?
Our core team established Jesus Christ as the foundation (our Cornerstone) of this church, emphasizing His central and unifying role in Christianity. Like the cornerstone in ancient buildings, Jesus symbolizes fundamental support, ensuring stability and strength.
How is the church structured?
Cornerstone Church is an elder-led congregationally ruled church.
This means we believe God has equipped and called shepherd leaders forward for the guidance and maturity of the flock, but ultimately we believe the members of Cornerstone Church are responsible before God for the major decisions for the church body (issues of doctrine, membership, large financial decisions, the call of pastors and elders, etc.)
Communication
If I miss a sermon, can I hear it later?
Yes, it is available as audio on Cornerstone’s website usually by Sunday evening. All our online services can be watched on YouTube.
How does Cornerstone communicate?
- Emailed updates: churchnews@cornerstone-
marion.org & prayerchain@cornerstone-
marion.org - Quarterly newsletters by mail.
- Sunday morning bulletin & service
announcements. - Website – Check recent announcements/blogs under our Media page.
If you’d like to receive email and postal updates, please alert the church office office@cornerstone-marion.org or call 319.447.1688.
Our Culture
What is your approach to worship and music?
Each Sunday our service is filled with songs, hymns, and spiritual songs. This includes updated hymns, classic hymns, and brand new praise songs.
We intentionally set the volume of our music to allow the voice of the congregation to be the primary sound raised up to the LORD.
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