City Life, Teaching | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

We want to see spiritual, social and cultural renewal take place in Seattle.

But, what does that actually look like? This is the second in a series of blogs that will answer that question.

But first, some theological context. God’s ultimate aim is his glory (Mt 6:9, cf 1 Cor 10:31). He makes his glory known through His kingdom (Mt 6:10a), which exists wherever He rules over human hearts submitted to Him by faith. His primary plan for making this invisible kingdom visible is through the Church (Mt 6:10b; Eph 3:10). The Church receives power for this work through the Gospel (Mt 6:11;13; Rom 1:16).

In other words, the glory of God is made known through the invisible kingdom being made visible through the Church, empowered by the Gospel. Therefore, seeking the spiritual, social and cultural renewal of Seattle is nothing more than making the invisible kingdom visible in every sphere of life.

What does a culturally renewed Seattle look like?

Downtown Cornerstone is committed to building a great city, not just a great church.  Yet, these two are not opposed. A great church, comprised of sinners saved by the sheer grace of God in Christ, will build a great city. So, practically speaking, what does it look like to culturally renew Seattle? Not through imperialistic, patronizing, holier-than-thou fundamentalism; but through the faithful presence of Jesus’ followers in the city. What follows are some examples of just that. In a culturally renewed Seattle:

• There are Christians, churches, and ministries actively involved in the arts of Seattle (online, print, ArtWalks, music, etc), adding value, vision and innovation.
• There are Christians, churches and ministries meeting throughout the city to determine how the implications of the gospel effect every sphere of city life (medicine, art, finance, law, journalism, etc)
• There is a decline in corruption and greed (and, subsequently, an increase in integrity and honesty) in business, politics and education throughout the city.
• There is a greater openness to the claims of the gospel, and its implications on learning, at major centers of higher education. (UW, SPU, SU, NSCC, SCCC, etc)
• There are creatives and professionals forming cultural, political, and business projects that reflect the glory of God, while improving the overall quality of life in the city.
• The government views the church as a central ally to the revitalization of the city.
• The church would be deeply missed by the city if it ceased to exist.

This work is beyond the capacity of any single church, including Downtown Cornerstone. It’s for this reason that we don’t exist to merely see our church planted, but a movement of churches planted in Seattle and beyond. We invite you to join us as we embark on this impossible task, following the God of impossibilities (Eph 3:20-21).

City Life, Teaching | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

We want to see spiritual, social and cultural renewal take place in Seattle.

But, what does that actually look like? This is the first in a series of blogs that will answer that question. God’s ultimate aim is his glory (Mt 6:9, cf 1 Cor 10:31). And He makes his glory known through His kingdom (Mt 6:10a), which exists wherever He rules over human hearts submitted to Him by faith.  And His primary plan for making His invisible kingdom visible is through the Church (Mt 6:10b; Eph 3:10). And the Church receives power for this work through the Gospel (Mt 6:11;13; Rom 1:16). In other words, the glory of God is made known through the invisible kingdom being made visible through the Church, empowered by the Gospel. Therefore, seeking the spiritual, social and cultural renewal of Seattle is nothing more than making the invisible kingdom visible in every sphere of life.

What does a spiritually renewed Seattle look like?

Downtown Cornerstone is committed to building a great city, not just a great church.  Yet, these two are not opposed. A great church will build a great city. So, practically speaking, what does it look like to spiritually renew Seattle? Not through imperialistic, patronizing, holier-than-thou tactics; but through the faithful presence of Jesus’ followers in the city. What follows are some examples of what spiritual renewal will look like in Seattle. In a spiritually renewed Seattle:

• There is a clear and powerful proclamation of the Gospel of grace that spreads through the city that replaces religious legalism and irreligious liberalism.
• There are testimonies of changed lives known throughout the city.
• There is greater openness in Seattle to the claims of Jesus and the Gospel.
• There are churches being planted in every one of Seattle’s major neighborhoods – and planters sent out of Seattle to unreached peoples around the globe.
• There is revitalization and new life within existing, established churches.
• There is supernatural unity, cooperation and love within and between churches.
• There is a balanced outreach of word and deed is meeting the needs of the city.
• There is a sense that the Church would genuinely be missed should it no longer exist in Seattle.

This work is beyond the capacity of any single church, including Downtown Cornerstone. It’s for this reason that we don’t exist to merely see our church planted, but a movement of churches planted in Seattle and beyond. We invite you to join us as we embark on this impossible task, following the God of impossibilities (Eph 3:20-21).

Uncategorized | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Every January, without fail, the blogosphere is filled with lists and recommendations for books to read, things to do and places to go in the coming year. In order to avoid the new year blitz, I’ve waited until Febuary. There are still eleven months left in 2011, right? I regularly get asked, “What can I read to learn more about urban ministry?” There are many books on urban ministry. I propose the following list which addresses various areas important to cultivating a healthy newly forming urban church. It just so happens these correspond to what we most value.

Jesus

ESV Study Bible
Jesus Storybook Bible (kids 2+ years old)
The Rhyme Bible Storybook (kids 0-2 years old)

Gospel

The Gospel Centered Life (World Harvest)
The Prodigal God, Tim Keller

City

Theology as Big as the City, Ray Bakke
Cities of God, Rodney Stark

Church & Mission

Total Church, Tim Chester & Steve Timmis
Tangible Kingdom, Hugh Halter & Matt Smay

Renewal

Ministries of Mercy, Tim Keller
Generous Justice, Tim Keller
You Can Change, Tim Chester
Culture Making, Andy Crouch

Multiplication

Church Planting Movements, David Garrison

City Life | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

“Do I have to move downtown in order to partner with Downtown Cornerstone?” That’s a common question. The simple answer is, “No.” Our aim is to connect urban dwellers (approximately 60,000) and urban workers (approximately 250,000) to Christ. While many have moved downtown, others live anywhere from Auburn (South) to Lynnwood (North). What we all share is a common love for the city and for Jesus.

While we highly encourage you to consider moving in order to promote the faithful presence of Christ through his people in the urban core, it is not expected nor required. Whether you follow, are curious, or are skeptical of Jesus – and love Seattle – we invite you to join us in community or Sundays at 10:00AM downtown. Who knows? Maybe you’ll feel compelled to follow Jesus’ lead and partner with us in planting this church – maybe even move.