Pure and Faultless Religion

On June 13th, Cornerstone had 4 teams serving at ShareFest Summer of Service. The jobs were varied as painting to moving huge boulders. Our next work day is Sunday June 28th.

I (Andy) worked with a team that did some painting for a widow in old town Louisville. Marie asked me, "Now why are you doing this?" And I told her that in the bible it says that "real religion is to look after orphans and widows in their distress." She responded, "Really? It says that? Well that's me: a widow in distress." I can't tell you how many times Marie thanked us not believing that we would serve her in this way. In the end, I think she most grateful that we took time to pray with her & for her in her kitchen before we left.

James does say a lot about what true religion is. He calls us to be more they just religious followers who hear a message or use religious words but really live out our faith. At the end of the 1st chapter, James says what I paraphrased to Marie that pure and faultless religion is to look after orphans and widows and to keep ourselves unstained by the world. I believe James is talking not just about keeping yourself unstained by not watching R-rated movies or whatever but keeping yourself unstained by a system that says we need stuff to be happy.

The problem we face as followers of Jesus living in America is that we are rich - extremely rich. I know this as I sip my $2 cup of coffee writing this. Half of the world's entire daily income is the price of that cup of coffee and a 1/4 of the world lives on $1 a day. We are rich. We are swimming in wealth - even in a down-turned economy. And its easy to be stained by our world's system that says "I need more. I have to have more. I deserve more". But that's not what God says. God says "He is all we need. If we have him and food & clothing, we have enough". God says "Use what I have given you to look after those without... those on the bottom."

James goes on to wake us up and convict the soul. In chapter 2, he says that really loving our neighbor means not showing favoritism. And that Jesus talk ('be warm and be filled, brother') without Jesus action ('caring for someones physical needs') is worthless. That kind of 'faith' is not really faith at all. It's dead. Real faith is lived out. It's not just talking a good game; its putting your faith to action. It goes beyond the surface and to the heart. That's the life what God wants us to live. That's what the world notices. That's religion that is pure and without fault.

If you are interested in serving for one the remaining ShareFest work days, email brian@gocornerstone.org .

Reaching Boulder

We as a church have partnered with several non-profits and ministries to serve those in our city and the surrounding area. There are places to serve to be light and salt in the city whether among the poor, the elderly, the homeless, the displaced, the at-risk or whomever God lays on your heart.

If we have a ministry geared toward those you desire to serve among, we will help you get plugged in. If we don't, perhaps the Lord will lead you to start on or serve an existing non-profits. We will help you find others with the same heart and/or help you get started. Simply contact us and let us know what help you need.

The Promised Land

Our newest partnership involves getting back to the roots of our faith.  It is taking the message of the Messiah to His Chosen people.  It is presenting this good news in a relational way to those whom the Lord has prepared.  It is serving among the least of these. It is rediscovering our faith by walking in the steps of the patriarchs and our Lord.

Come 2010, we will send out the first ambassador from our church to serve along the Messianic congregations and help start house church fellowships.  In 2010, we also are looking to send over several short-term teams to work alongside this work.

Southeast Asia

SHORT-TERM TREKS

In a closed country of Southeast Asia, we partner with some long-term missionaries who are seeking to plant churches among  two unreached people groups.   These people have little or no opportunity to hear of the Good News of Christ.

  So our short-term mission teams trek in and minister to these people.  Through caring for their physical needs and sharing their  own personal stories, our teams are able to bring the the news of the One who brings hope.

This is a great opportunity for those who love adventure, pionnering and have a heart for those who have never heard.

REFUGEE MINISTRY

We also have an on-going refugee ministry toward people from this same nation.  Lives have been displaced in the world's longest and

 bloodiest war.   Often entire families have known nothing but refugee camps.  our teams help them relocate in Boulder county and serve them in Christ's name.

CHANGED LIVES

Through Cornerstone's glocal involvement in the lives of families from these two nations, we have seen God bring people into His Kingdom.  A growing  church has been planted among both of these people groups and locally we have seen refugees come to faith in Christ.

After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”   ~ Revelation 7:9

South Africa

Every night in Nellmapius a township on the outskirts of Pretoria, children go to bed hungry. Many of these children are orphans who live on their own. Some have parents who can't get a job. Their future seems bleak. They have little hope to experience the life Christ offers.

Our partnership through Cornerstone desires to make a difference in this community. We want to partner with others to help eradicate systemic poverty and give hope to those who live in this community. We want to serve the whole person spiritually, physically, and emotionally. We want to bring the hope of Christ to the hopeless.

MISSIONS TRIPS
This summer will be our 2nd where we have sent a group from Cornerstone and other churches to serve alongside Beam Africa in this township outside of Pretoria, South Africa. Beam runs a development center helping ministry to the basic needs of around 200 kids and helping train adults in the community in basic job skills.

Our mission team will daily help serve BEAM provide hot meals and run a program for the kids using arts & crafts, games and sports. We also hold training classes to equip adults on how to start a business. After these adults finish these classes, we will give microloans to them to enable to start a business that will not only provide jobs for them but others in the community.

CHILD SPONSORSHIPS

We also have created a child sponsorship program with BEAM that helps provide needs to the kids they minister to. Right now 60 individuals are sponsoring kids at a $1 a day to help provide needs for these kids. If you would like to join us in this please email us. You will receive a card of the child you sponsor.

ERADICATING SYSTEMIC POVERTY

Our long-term vision is to come along the community of Nellmapius and partner with those who are doing good work. Our plan in general is to:

1. Listen
2. Innovate
3. Empower
4. Partner with others
5. Evaluate (then repeat)

6. Sustain

7. Leave

Mexico

This Spring we have seen literally that when Mexico  sneezes, the whole world gets the flu.

MEXICO CITY
28 million people. A city of major influence not only in Mexico but all over the Western Hemisphere.

We are believing God for something extraordinary to see the churches planted in every colonia (neighborhood).. to see a city transformed... to see the gospel brought to the poor..  and the captives set free... to see laborers sent out from Mexico City to influence the world.

Our hearts desire is to partner with the body of Christ both in Mexico and in Boulder county to help see organic church planting movements spring up in every colonia of the city. We dream of a vast network of churches, missionaries, church planters, ministries, businessmen, and laymen that make it possible for all 28,000,000 people in Mexico City to know someone who truly follows Jesus.  We desire to see justice and mercy be brought to the city.

Come with us to help change Mexico City and help change the world! We will serve among the poor. We will help the sick find healing.  We will help build homes and dig wells. We will help those living under the oppression of injustice find deliverance. We will help raise up leaders in the church to take the Good News of Jesus to everyone in the city.

We desire for a spiritual epidemic to infect Mexico City and the world.

INTERNATIONAL FAMILY MISSION

Another ingredient of our partnership with Mexico is through IFM.   Teams travel via bus to the border town of Juarez to help serve among orphanages.   We have short-term trips each year were whole families can serve together serving the least of these