Cornerstone Church (Nashville)
| Cornerstone Church | |
|---|---|
| Location | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Non-denominational (Pentecostal) |
| Website |
www |
| History | |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Clergy | |
| Senior pastor(s) | Maury Davis |
 | |
Cornerstone Church is a Pentecostal Christian megachurch located in Nashville, Tennessee.[1] It is the largest congregation in the Nashville region, averaging more than 3,600 in attendance per week.[2] Maury Davis is the senior pastor of Cornerstone Church with his wife Gail Davis, who serves as co-pastor.[3][4] Cornerstone Church is associated with the Assemblies of God denomination.[5]
The church also appears on Sunday regional broadcasts through Nashville News Channel 5, CBS Network and via satellite throughout Africa and Europe on the Faith Broadcasting Network.[6]
History
Cornerstone Church was founded in 1983 by a group of 104 believers who had gathered for fellowship in the home of Ralph and Shirley Kidd.[7] Rev. Gene Jackson, the District Superintendent of the Assemblies of God had attended the fellowship there and offered the use of some land he had just bought as a place for worship. The church received the first donation from Sister Mattie King, mother of Shirley Kidd. The first morning worship service occurred on Sunday July 10th, 1983.[8]
From the beginning, Cornerstone has been racially inclusive. Cornerstone’s congregation increased, acquiring from Rev. Jackson the 21-acre campground which housed a small stone tabernacle, along with a church building. In the early 1990s, Cornerstone invited former youth minister and evangelist Maury Davis, an unlikely candidate for pastor, to lead the church.[9] Davis had been a familiar figure on religious programming and had gained a wide following. A few months after being invited, Davis became Cornerstone’s lead pastor.[10] The original church building on the property was destroyed by a fire, forcing an immediate move to another structure on the campus--a stone tabernacle that had been previously used for gatherings when the property served as a campground.[11]
The primary church building was completed in 2002 and its construction was part of a trend of larger churches in the United States that provided offices, classrooms and multi-purpose rooms. In 2005, the Family Life Center/Gym was finished and the worship services were moved to the newly built gym at this point.[12]
The church saw significant growth, having to add more Sunday service times to accommodate those wanting to worship. By the year 2000, a new sanctuary was completed; and in 2006, the Education Building added 30,000 square feet for adult education classrooms.[13] Changes and growth have continued through the years, to accommodate more people and provide additional resources for the church community.[14] A 30,000-square-foot, three-story expansion was completed in 2015 with additional space for children and young people, Nashville’s largest two-story indoor playground, updated technology, meeting rooms, and an expanded lobby and commons area, with a rock baptismal pool and cafe.[15][16]
Ministries
Cornerstone has a kids church program, a student ministry and a Young Adults ministry.[17] Cornerstone Church also runs women and primelife community care which provides a range of community services including counseling services, health-related services,[18][19] emergency accommodation and other courses and support programs.[20]
Outreach
Cornerstone engages in a great deal of outreach, both in the local community and further afield. Locally, the church provides both resources and support for a number of outreach ministries and organizations.[21] Internationally, Cornerstone has donated over $20 million to missions and has repaired and built over two thousand schools, orphanages and churches on multiple continents.[22]
The church is known for its innovative illustrated sermons which have included zoo animals, trapeze artistry, a rodeo, hip-hop and ballet. These sermons along with other key yearly holiday productions are staples in the local calendar.
Mission
The mission of Cornerstone Church is to attract and win people to Christ, develop them to Christ-like maturity and empower them for meaningful ministry.[23]
References
- ↑ "Pastor defends giving job to convicted murderer".
- ↑ Julie Edwards (1 November 2015). "Carson in Madison: 'I'm just one of the folks'". WKRN-TV.
- ↑ "Some Republicans balk at resolution honoring La Raza chair".
- ↑ "Cornerstone Church in Madison, Tennessee honors America's veterans in Memorial Day weekend services". Examiner. 31 May 2010.
- ↑ "Tim Tebow to speak at Nashville church in February". Tennessean. 13 January 2016.
- ↑ "INFOCUS TELEVISION PROGRAM".
- ↑ "Cornerstone Nashville".
- ↑ "About Us".
- ↑ Bob Smietana (29 September 2008). "Nashville pastors shun national pulpit protest". Usatoday.com.
- ↑ "About Maury Davis".
- ↑ "Cornerstone Church's latest chapter in growth is $17M expansion". 19 August 2013.
- ↑ "OUR STORY". Retrieved 17 April 2016.
- ↑ "Cornerstone Church: An Extreme Educational Makeover". CBN.
- ↑ Lizzy Alfs (15 December 2014). "Red Bicycle Coffee & Crepes to open at Cornerstone Church". Tennessean.
- ↑ Lauren Breeze (6 April 2015). "Cornerstone Indoor Playground".
- ↑ Getahn Ward (1 July 2014). "Cornerstone Church planning $15M retirement community". Tennessean.
- ↑ "Ministries".
- ↑ "Vaccine for Zika virus being worked on at Nashville's Vanderbilt University". Wrbl.com. 9 February 2016.
- ↑ "Dentists pull teeth by hundreds on mission trips".
- ↑ Julie Edwards (2 November 2015). "Carson in Madison: 'I'm just one of the folks'". WKRN-TV.
- ↑ "Ben Carson argues that creationism makes more sense because non-believers 'can't tell me where anything came from'". Dailymail. 2 November 2015.
- ↑ "Online Campus".
- ↑ "Cornerstone Church".