Membership Matters: How Cornerstone Became Our Family

The fall of 2022 was a very difficult time for our family. My husband Sam and I had recently moved to Marion after stepping away from a ministry position that we loved. We were dealing with deeply rooted church hurt, fractured relationships and broken trust, and the death of the vision we had for our early twenties. 

On top of it all, I was growing sicker by the day from an undiagnosed illness that no doctor could seem to solve. (Little did we know that I would be handed a life-altering diagnosis just a few months later. Debilitating pain. Lifelong treatment. The whole shebang). 

This whole scenario created a perfect storm of loneliness, depression, and hard questions about our faith and call to ministry. 

We had been coming to Cornerstone since the summer, but we were scared to go all in after the prior hurt we experienced.

We knew the importance of getting involved and finding community, but it was SO hard to regain our ability to trust and be vulnerable. It took some time and a lot of prayer!

We had some connections from an old Cornerstone college group we attended, but we were still afraid to put ourselves out there. Queue the text message that changed it all: 

It was a message from our friends, the Allens, to come check out a Cornerstone small group hosted by Nathan and Tia Ralls. We pushed down our nerves enough to agree to ONE Saturday night, which quickly turned into another and another and another.

By the end of that October, we had completed First Steps and were officially Cornerstone members. As I reflect back on it now, I can see the providence of God comforting and guiding us every step of the way as he used those people to bind up our spiritual wounds. 

Now, in the fall of 2024, we have the privilege of celebrating the 25th anniversary of Cornerstone Church! I could write whole books on why church membership matters from a scriptural and theological standpoint, but I'd rather let you in on how it has changed us personally.

For starters, Cornerstone has given us the closest group of friends we have ever had. After the Ralls had to end their group for a season, the Allens started their own and invited us to come along with them. It would be impossible to overemphasize the impact that has made on us!

In our prior church, we had no one to do life together with. We spent years praying to meet people our age or in a similar life stage, but it never happened. We even asked to be discipled and attempted to join other groups, but to no avail. However, after joining Cornerstone, we were ushered into the most life-giving kind of community we have ever experienced.

Our small group has seen us through the initial fears and treatment options of my diagnosis. The ups and downs of family drama. The stress of a high risk pregnancy. The highs and lows of daily life. And we've been able to do the same for them! This would have never been possible if we had stayed anonymous spectators in the Sunday service!

Secondly, Cornerstone has given us a plethora of opportunities to plug in and use our spiritual gifts. Sam and I have always had a heart for students. Cornerstone has given us the gift of being leaders in the Jr. High and High School ministry. Sam gets to regularly exercise his preaching and teaching gift during the lesson time, and we both get to disciple students in small groups every single week. It's a blast!

We have also gotten to use our love for learning and theology to Table Lead some of our Institute classes here at the church. And I get to use my writing gifts and knack for content creation for the glory of God every day by being on staff as the Resource Coordinator! 

Lastly, Cornerstone has given us a spiritual home and a family. Just like any family, it's not perfect. Cornerstone has its fair share of brokenness. Messy people. Difficult situations. After all, churches are run by sinful people just like you and me, and they don't always get it right. The difference is that (also like a good family) we are committed to each other!

Sam and I know that this is a place where the word of God will be faithfully preached. The name of Jesus will be exalted in worship. The love of Christ will be extended to the community. The fellowship of the saints will always be evident in the ways that we care for one another as the body of Christ. 

Despite any of our differences or baggage, we know that we are united by the gospel of Jesus and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit...and that is a priceless commodity!

If you're on the fence about making Cornerstone your church home, I would encourage you to pray. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's the one God has for us. Maybe it's the one he has for you, too.

Our story is also just one of hundreds. Seek out those stories for yourself by stepping outside of your comfort zone, meeting people, and getting involved! It may be less scary to come to church as a consumer (we were there, too!), but it can't build you up or bring you life the way membership can.  

I can't think of a better way to celebrate this 25th anniversary than seeing some new faces at the family table. As Dustin says from the stage every Sunday, you are welcome here. You are wanted. You are more loved than you can possibly know.

If God can use Cornerstone to radically change our lives, He can do the same for you. 

So, what do you say? 

Come be a part of our mission to help people follow Jesus!