If we’re not paying attention, a glorious Spring season can come and go without reviving our souls or making us glad. After the cold of winter, one would think that Spring would bring a deep sense of gratitude and great joy alongside the greening of the grass and the blossoming of flowers. Unfortunately, some people hardly notice the glory of Spring. In the same way, a season of growth like what we are experiencing here at Cornerstone ought to make us glad; I hope none of us miss it.
I’m thinking primarily of the growth of our kids. I’ve been seeing the remarkable growth for years. I catch a glimpse whenever I pop my head into their classroom on Sunday mornings, just before the Sunday service starts, to greet the kids. And I’ve heard reports from the Sunday School teachers.
But this Spring, I saw it for myself. I had the opportunity to teach them myself. Erin Hernick and Ayesha Dickerson were tremendous helpers that I couldn’t have done without. We spent three months together with about 15 of the kids on Tuesday evenings, getting to know them, and teaching them a Bible verse for every letter of the alphabet.
I am overjoyed by what I saw in our kids. They all did a great job memorizing all or most of the 26 Bible verses (A-Z) we covered. But more than rote memory, they also talked through the meaning of the verses and how they are applying the Bible verses to their lives. Watching them grow over the course of the three months was like noticing the Spring.
In addition to the Bible Memory Club that we had the privilege of teaching in the Spring, there are dozens of other Cornerstone kids who are growing right before our eyes here at our church. There is an expression about kids “growing like weeds,” but the kids of Cornerstone have been growing like beautiful flowers and strong trees. The girls and boys of Cornerstone are thriving. As a parent, that my own kids are thriving is all I need to make me insanely happy. In the same way, the thriving of the Cornerstone kids ought to make every spiritual mother and spiritual father (for that is what we are) full of the joy of the Lord.
It’s not just the little ones who are thriving either. Our Cornerstone teens and young adults are also getting rooted like trees (Colossians 2:8) and growing up right before our eyes (Psalm 1). I get to rub elbows with some of them on the basketball court. Others I see in groups that meet at the church or in houses. Still others we see as they go off to places like Costa Rica, Montenegro, and Birmingham, England on mission trips. I’ve even seen one of our college students on a Christian podcast. I see another meeting with some of his friends from High School to read the Bible with them. Another will be teaching a session at this year’s Men’s Retreat! Still others are preparing for ministry at Seminaries and Bible Colleges! Everywhere I look, I see Cornerstone teens and young adults growing strong in the Lord.
Church, let’s rejoice in a season like this. Notice the weddings, the babies being born, the baptisms by the dozens, and the remarkable growth of our young people.
While we’re noticing, take a look at what God is doing in all facets of life at Cornerstone. The Women’s ministry has new fellowships, while the parking lot remains full on Tuesday mornings. Then you’ve got those Security Team guys; they’ve made this place safer than Fort Knox (they’re protecting more precious treasures!). The TDHP podcast has clips going viral and making a big difference in the world, especially in defense of Jews (Romans 11). The Truth Fellowship is now mentoring 5 young pastors. Cornerstone hosted a banquet for Handi-Evangelism to serve the needy. We largely funded the building of yet another orphanage in Malawi. ConnectCare has been serving needs right here in our own congregation. Marriage Matters just helped another group of couples. A new study on The Shared Life just helped a bunch of believers to abide in Christ. Behind the scenes, our Benevolence fund has helped our own through great difficulties. And I could go on and on for several more paragraphs just like this one. It’s remarkable.
Suffice it to say that Cornerstone is experiencing an incredible Spring. Rejoice in the Lord always! A dozen of our kids could quote you that verse, so I’ll say it again, rejoice! When God does great things for us (Psalm 126:3a), the appropriate response is to be filled with joy (Psalm 126:3b). If we’re not, then we’re like grumpy bears emerging from the winter but failing to see the beauty of all the growth of the Spring. We hole up in cave when we ought to be frolicking in the warmth of Spring. Don’t be a grumpy bear; rejoice in the season we are in.
Before the coming of the dark days of the Tribulation, the Church is destined to enjoy this season of growth. The mustard seed grows to become the largest garden plant (Matthew 13:31-32). And one wouldn’t expect a stone to grow, but the Kingdom of God is also like a stone that expands and becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth (Daniel 2:34-35). How could anyone miss that? Yet somehow we sometimes fail to see the glory of what we are living. Christ our Cornerstone is building His Church right before our eyes. Somehow we miss the growth of the Kingdom right before us like someone might miss the delights of the coming of Spring.
When we come to church this Sunday, let’s not miss the faces. Philip the Evangelist, now also known as Philip the Preacher, made the incredibly insightful point in his sermon that people don’t have names in hell. The “rich man,” over against the man named Lazarus, doesn’t need a name, because in hell there is no fellowship. There is no recognizing faces. There is isolation. But when we come to Church this Sunday, let’s look at the glory of God in the faces of our brothers and sisters in Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).
C.S. Lewis, in his book Til We All Have Faces, taught us to not be hypocritical, to take off disguises, and to see each other. We ought to notice the glory of God in every Christian we see.
In the year I was born, Lanny Wolfe wrote “Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place. I can feel His mighty power and His grace. I can hear the brush of angels’ wings. I see glory on each face. Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.” I grew up seeing glory in the church (Ephesians 3:21). I’m seeing it now more than ever.
Let’s together give glory to God for the great things He has done and is doing at Cornerstone Church. Come and contribute your joy.
With Joy in Christ,
Pastor Jeff
