Discipleship, Scripture | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

The following is a repost from January 11, 2017.
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Just like our bodies need food to flourish physically, so our souls need God’s Word to flourish spiritually (See 2 Tim 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12). Our souls will shrivel without it. There is no other means of grace (aka spiritual discipline) that is more important than intentionally, regularly immersing yourself in God’s revealed word, the Bible. Not even prayer is as important (though it is a close second) because there is nothing we need more than to hear from Him. So, in light of this, let me offer the following ten tips to help improve your reading of the Bible this year.

#1 Ask yourself “Why do I read the Bible?”

This might seem like a strange place to start, but it is important to begin here. Often, we jump in without even considering this question. But, I’m growing increasingly convinced that our answer to this question may reveal why so many find reading the Bible dull drudgery – if they read it at all. Ask yourself, “Why do I read the Bible?” or, “Why do I think I should read the Bible?” Many people will answer by saying, “Because I am supposed to.” But, is that meant to be our primary motivation? “I’m supposed to.” No. Here’s the real question: “Do you want God?” In other words, do you want to know him more? Do you want to grow in relationship with him, understand who he is more fully, revel in all that he is for you, grasp his promises afresh, love what he loves, be more deeply anchored in what is most real? If so, you will want to read the Scripture. But, if God is not what your heart is ultimately after, then your reading will largely feel like dull drudgery, mere duty. Whenever we do the right thing (e.g. reading the Bible) for the wrong reasons (e.g. just because we should), it will always leave us dry and dissatisfied. When you read the Scripture because you want to know God more, it changes how you approach your reading. This doesn’t mean there won’t be times of dryness, there will be, just like in any other relationship, but the underlying motivation will propel you through those seasons. So, as we begin the year, maybe the first question isn’t, “How will I read the Bible this year?” but “Do I want God?”

#2 Read the Bible from love, not for it

The good news of Jesus’s life and work is that we are made right with God through faith alone, by grace alone, in him alone. In other words, we don’t earn or merit or deserve his incomparable love. For our purposes here, that means we don’t read the Bible in order to earn God’s love, but because we already have it. Or, to put it differently, reading the Bible won’t make him love us any more than he already does, in Jesus. Why point this out? Unless you are sure that you are safe with God, that he loves you, that he is completely committed to you, that he wants your best, you will never seek him. After all, if you see God as a vindictive, cruel, unapproachable task-master, why would you want to spend time with him? I wouldn’t. But, if God is immeasurably good, incomparably wise, unfathomably powerful and he has graciously made you his, in Jesus, that allows you to read the Bible from love, not for it. So, we can open up the pages of his Word day-after-day not to earn His love, but because we know we already have it.

#3 Understand the dynamics of your fallen heart

Nearly every morning I wake up and my heart has drifted back into it default position of unbelief. Pastor and author Paul Tripp, rightly calls this “gospel amnesia”. When I wake up I often feel like the weight of the world rests on my shoulders, that I need to earn the approval of others, that my worth is tied to my performance, that my treasure is found in this world, that I don’t really need God, and more. It’s embarrassing, really. But, we shouldn’t be surprised about this. Our hearts are like leaky buckets. Just when you thought it was filled, they start to empty. We need to know this about our hearts. This is just how fallen hearts function. Because of the nature of indwelling sin, our hearts effortlessly drift away from God like unanchored boats at sea. So, when we think, “I don’t really feel like spending time with God today?” we should respond by saying to ourselves, “I expect to feel that way. That’s my shady heart talking. I obviously need to take it in for a realignment.” Knowing that my heart is misaligned, to some degree, every morning motivates me to reorient my heart toward God and all that he is for me every morning. This happens most powerfully through the Bible.

#4 Raise the sail to catch the wind

In his helpful book Union with Christ: The Way to Know and Enjoy God, Rankin Wilbourne uses the illustration of a sailor raising his sail to catch the wind as a metaphor for how we should approach the means of grace. Just as a sailor will not catch the wind if he doesn’t raise the sail, we will not grow if we do not raise the sails of our hearts through the means of grace – especially regular bible reading. Some object to this and say, “If salvation is all of grace, then why are you saying there is something I need to do?” Well, no doubt, life with God is all of grace. But, his grace invites us into a life that requires us to participate (see Phil 2:12-13). We play a crucial role in our ongoing growth. Now, of course, if anything good and worthwhile is to happen within us it is ultimately up to God. The sailor raises the sail, but he’s dependent on the wind to move the boat. Reading the Bible is like that. Humbly opening up the Scripture is how we raise the sail of our hearts, while knowing it is only God who sends the wind. Fortunately, more often than not, he loves to send the wind, so its not much of a gamble. We can’t control the wind, but we can raise the sail to catch it. If we don’t, its guaranteed we’ll do nothing but drift.

#5 Find a good translation

I remember being a new Christian in college wondering, “How in the world am I to pick the right Bible? There are too many options!” It can be overwhelming. If you’re a new, or renewed, follower of Jesus I recommend reading through the Bible using a study bible (e.g. ESV Study Bible, Gospel Transformation, Reformation Study Bible, NIV Life Application Bible, etc). Most Bibles with study notes offer enough information to answer your basic questions and ensure you don’t get needlessly hung up on what things mean. As far as Bibles themselves go, here is a good place to start:

ESV: Probably the best literal (word-for-word) modern translation available. The ESV is an updated version of the RSV. This is the translation we use on Sundays as a church. If you need one, feel free to take one of the paperback ESV’s we have available. Personally, I also enjoy the NASB and NKJV.

NIV: The NIV is the most popular dynamic-equivalent Bible of our day that seeks to strike a balance between matching the original word usage while communicating the original meaning. That makes it not quite as literal (i.e. word-for-word) as the ESV, but helpful and easy to read. You do need to be more discerning here as recent editions have introduced more gender neutral terminology that is not found in the original languages.

NLT: The New Living Translation belongs to the family of Bibles known as “paraphrases”. The goal of interpretation of these paraphrases is not to match word-for-word but to freely use language to highlight the original meaning. The Message is another popular paraphrase. The primary advantage of the NLT is that there was a translation committee involved, as opposed to the single authorship of The Message by Eugene Peterson (which is great too).

#6 Find a plan

This is where it is easiest to get lost. You want to know God. You understand that you’re reading the Bible from God’s love, not for it. You know your shady heart needs it. You’re ready to hoist the sail. You have your ESV open in front of you and think, “Oh, great, now what?” To avoid this moment, you need a plan. It doesn’t really matter what your plan is, provided you have one. Often in their eagerness, new believers will think, “I’m just going to read the Bible straight through.” I tried this myself. This might surprise you, but I don’t recommend it. Why? Because it can be really discouraging, especially once you hit Leviticus. Instead, try a plan that has you reading the Bible in a year. This is the one I use. If a year is intimidating, take two or three. it can also be helpful to read a chronological Bible reading plan so you get a sense of the order of events in the Scripture. Or, you could sink yourself into a single book, or study a character, or dive into a topic you’re interested in. Don’t worry about getting it right. Pick something. Give it a shot. If it doesn’t work, try something new. Be sure to ask your friends what they’ve found helpful.

#7 Find a rhythm

If you don’t have a rhythm for when you’re going to get unhurried time with God through the Scripture, it likely won’t happen. Look at your calendar. Find a consistent block of time. Then, find a quiet spot. Turn your electronics off or leave them somewhere else in the house. Be intentional about making it a focused, non-distracting time. I remember once reading of a famous theologian, who had seven kids, whose wife would put a towel over her head at the kitchen table to read the Bible and pray. When the towel came out, the kids knew that momma was getting time with Jesus. Do whatever it takes. Get creative, even if it involves a towel. A relationship with God is forged like any other relationship – thru consistent, unhurried, quality time. Be patient with yourself, especially if this is new for you.

#8 Ask God to give you eyes to see

A passage of scripture that I regularly think of when I open my Bible is Psalm 119:18 that says, “Open our eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of your law.” We need God to open the eyes and ears of our hearts to see and hear what he has for us in his Word. This is why one person can read a section of the Bible and be bored to tears, while someone else may read the exact same section and be lost in the breathtaking beauty of what she finds there. So, when you open your Bible, pour out your heart to Him. Tell him you’re tired, distracted, or distant. Tell him your heart needs realignment around what is most real. Then, ask him to open your eyes. Tell him that you want to see, really see. Trust that the Spirit who inspired the writing of the Bible (2 Peter 1:21) is the same Spirit at work in you (Romans 8). Then read, full of faith, on the lookout for what he might bring to your attention. That leads us to the next tip.

#9 Stay on the lookout for God as you read

After asking God for help, be on the look out for how he wants to feed your soul and stir your heart. You’re really looking for one, maybe two, things to think about. Its hard to digest more than that in a single day. So, as you’re reading, you want to find a truth to savor for the day. Ask: What is this saying about God? What does God want me to learn here? What does this tell me about myself? What difference would it make today if I actually believed this? Try to find something about him to satisfy your hungry heart every day. More than likely, it won’t be something new that you haven’t seen before, though it might be, but more often it is something “old” that strikes you in a new, deeper way. The famous English pastor George Mueller was known for his goal of making his heart happy in God every morning. I’ve adopted that as my own goal ever since I first heard it. Read with intention. Look for what jumps out. Then, when it does, stop and savor it.

#10 Slow it down, then write it down

Have you ever spent time reading, then closed your Bible, and immediately forget what it is you’ve read. I’m sure you have. I have. It is a universal problem. Is there a way to avoid that? Yes. Slow it down. Then, write it down. By “slowing it down” I mean don’t spend all your time reading. Rather, read and then chew on something that you’ve read (this is called “meditating”). Take a verse, or two, that stood out. Stop. Read through it a number of times. Turn it into a prayer. Look at it from multiple angles. Imagine how your life would be different if you believed the truth in view. Take your time with it. So, for example, if you have 20 minutes to read. Spend 10 minutes reading and 10 minutes slowing down on one verse or passage that stood out. Writing it down helps to further solidify these things in your heart, especially if you’re prone to distraction. One thing I do, nearly every day, is write down a verse or two that stands out. I use a small notebook, but it could be anything, even a 3×5 card. Then, I pray through it and meditate on it. Then, I try to pull the notebook out around lunch and before bed to review those truths so that they are with me throughout the day. Give it a shot and see what works best for you.

Christ is all,

Pastor Adam

News | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Merry Christmas Downtown Cornerstone,

There is no doubt these are dark and difficult times. Conflict lurks around every corner, at home and abroad. Covid is mutating. Inflation looms. Politics divide. Ethnic tensions remain. Vaccines, and now boosters, are available, but debated. There is ongoing conflict over when life begins and who can end it, conflict over what gender is and who defines it, conflict over the media and which narrative controls it, conflict over societal injustice and how to fix it, and conflict over the gap between the haves and have-nots and how to shrink it. Homelessness, immigration, and violent crime are at crisis levels. Global warming is being seen as a growing concern. Deconstructing faith is an unfortunate trend. Yet, even so, I’m not a declinist. I'm a gospel optimist.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (Jn. 1:5)

Our God specializes at working in the darkness of a world under the siege of sin, amidst catastrophic floods (Gen. 7-9), elderly infertility (Gen. 17), marital brokenness (Gen. 29), tremendous personal loss (see Job), sibling betrayal, slander, and false imprisonment (Gen. 50:20), enslavement and genocide of foreign nations (Ex. 1), forty years of wilderness wandering (Ex. 16:35), a decades long battle-fraught unfulfilled conquest (see Joshua), over two hundred years of oppression, chaos, moral descent and spiritual decline (see Judges), faithless rulers and impossible battles (1 Sam. 15,17; 1 Kgs. 11–2 Kgs. 25), systemic paganism and false prophets (1 Kgs. 18), the fall of empires (2 Kgs. 17; 25), life in exile (see Daniel, Esther), re-building post-exile (see Ezra, Nehemiah), and four hundred years of seeming silence from God (Mal. 4–Mt. 1). There is a reason God ordained for this darkness to be recorded in the Bible. Why? To show that He is not hindered by it and so that we'd take heart amidst it (Jn. 16:33). When the timing is right, He will act.

“When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman…” (Gal. 4:4)

After millennia of tragic and tumultuous darkness, in the fullness of time, this Son, our Jesus, the “light of the world” (Jn. 9:5) arrived in an oppressed Roman-occupied Israel. This should bring fresh hope amidst the darkness we find ourselves in this Christmas. His light shines most brightly against the darkness he came to save us from—then and today. Now, as people of the light, we are to be a community of light, a redemptive picture of what life looks like when Jesus’ people together submit to God’s kingly rule of “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17). In the words of Jesus,

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Mt. 5:14)

This means our ongoing, faith-filled, Jesus-treasuring, gospel-spreading, people-loving, church-planting, mercy-minded presence in Seattle is more important than ever. It’s amidst the darkness, that the Light shines most clearly, like a redemptive "city set on a hill”. Our corporate light points Seattle to Jesus as the Light, like a lighthouse in the middle of a storm-tossed winter night. This is, of course, counter-intuitive. After all, who wants to build their life in the dark? Well, Jesus does. But, why? It's not because He enjoys the dark. It's because He wants His light to shine in the dark. He wants the light of the indestructible joy, found through His gospel, to overcome the darkness—for the sake of the nations. So, there is something significant at stake in our shared life as Jesus’ people in our city at this moment. Let’s shine as lights in the world.

“Be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life.” (Phil. 2:15-16)

You can see how different this understanding of Jesus’ local church is from something we consume—when we have time, when it meets a need, when it’s convenient or not too challenging. Jesus is after a faith-filled people in a particular place—a local church—who together display something of His glories through their shared life in singing and sacrifice, in prayer and praise, in studying the Scriptures and spreading the gospel, in lament and longing, in confession and creeds, in sanctification and service, in gathering and generosity, in hope and help that together creates an other-worldly people—a diverse, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-cultural people whom only Jesus could forge. It is precisely this kind of people, this compelling Christ-forged community, that stands out as a light in the darkness. What a privilege! Yet, there is still work to do.

“We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)

Amidst all this, God is at work among us in ways seen and, more often, unseen. Over the last twelve months we have continued to see God provide regularly, faithfully and generously:

• We celebrated our tenth birthday as a church, which is a huge milestone.
• We raised over $2.5M for our new building, in the middle of a pandemic.
• We rejoiced in six stories of God’s grace through baptism, and more on the way.
• We continued our long-form study of Romans, paired with One Another'ing.
• We welcomed 45 new members.
• We sent 116 members, the vast majority of whom moved out of the city/state.
• Over 300 people took a class, whether virtually or in-person.
• Currently 307 people are involved in a community.
• We essentially restarted Cornerstone Kids, Greeting, Ushering, Facilities, and Hospitality teams.
• We invested $211,000 in church planting efforts in the US and around the globe.
• We sent out our second frontier church planting team, John and Hannah, to SE Asia.
• We survived the doldrums of Covid.

That is a lot of grace amidst a very difficult season. So, what's next?

“You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’” (Jas. 4:14–15)

2022 is uncertain. What will happen with Covid? Will we renew our lease or go mobile for a season? Will our building be complete? How many might give their life to Jesus? We don't know. But, what we do know is that Jesus will be with us no matter what we face (Mt. 28:20). Amidst this uncertainty, we have seven priorities as we head into the new year together, of course, Lord willing:

Will you join me in praying for the health of our church in these ways in 2022?

“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor. 9:6–7)

As the year comes to a close, we invite you to partner with us financially as an act of worship. Many of you already are. Thank you! We are blessed by Him, in order to bless others. Together, our generosity spreads the gospel, multiplies disciples, plants churches, and serves the city. It is incredible to consider all that we are able to do together. Here are a few practical pathways for us to financially partner to do our part in fulfilling Jesus’ great commission:

• During gatherings: Drop your gift in an offering basket. Giving envelopes are located in every seat pocket.
• Snail mail: Mail us a check postmarked by 12/31 and it will be included in your 2021 giving.
• Online: Visit us at downtowncornerstone.org/give
• Assets: Or, consider giving stock, bitcoin, or other appreciated assets.

If you have any questions about how to give, please do not hesitate to email .

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Ps. 27:14)

God is our refuge and strength. He is an inexhaustible fountain of goodness, glory, and truth. In Him, and in Him alone, do our hearts find the rest and meaning they long for. May He keep us on fire for His supremacy in all things in the year to come. Let’s lean on who He is and all that He is for us, in Jesus. His promises are true and they cannot fail. He alone is worthy of our days and dollars. We exist to know Jesus and to make him known for the glory of God and the joy of all people. So, as we’re on the verge of a new year, let’s be reminded of His faithfulness. His story is still unfolding and we’re a part of it. Together, let’s ask Him to do what only He can in 2022. Merry Christmas!

Warmly, in gospel hope,
Pastor Adam

Onward Building Campaign | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Downtown Cornerstone,

I hope this finds you on the cusp of a restful and life-giving Thanksgiving weekend. We have much to be thankful for, in Jesus. “I thank God…as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day” (2 Tim. 1:3).

The purpose of this brief pre-holiday note is to ensure we are all up-to-speed on the next phase of our plan to fuel the mission of our church, while simultaneously funding our future building, which we announced this past Sunday.

If you’re unfamiliar with our new building, you can learn more about it here.

Jesus has been incredibly faithful to us. Over the last eleven months, we have raised $2.5 million to prepare our future building as a gospel outpost for, Lord willing, generations to come. Thank you to all who have generously given to this work. Our progress is incredible, especially amidst a once-a-century pandemic marked by social distancing, lock-downs, inflation, and ample uncertainty.

Of course, at the same time, we need to fuel our ongoing mission through our general giving. The everyday work of making disciples, gathering for worship, spreading the gospel, developing leaders, meeting needs, equipping the saints, hosting training events, and counseling doesn’t stop for anything, let alone a building project.

This dual dynamic—holding a building campaign while keeping up general giving—is a challenge for every church that I know of, including our own. We’re currently behind on both accounts.

Therefore, as of December 1st, we’re going to simplify our strategy by directing all financial gifts to our main DCC giving channel. So, whether you wish to fuel our present mission (via our general fund) or help fulfill our future mission (via our building), we will direct you to a single “DCC Giving” fund.

The reason for this is to ensure our current everyday budgetary needs are met. Then, any giving over these needs will be put toward the building. For example, if we raise an additional $150,000 beyond our budgeted needs in December, that will be put toward our building. If we raise an additional $50,000 beyond our budgeted needs in January, that too will be put toward our building. And so on.

Put simply, this means ALL of our giving will now go towards supporting BOTH needs at the same time. So, we won’t have to decide where to direct our giving, because all of it will, in effect, now be going toward both. Again, this will take effect December 1st.

“What if I still want to designate a gift toward the building?”

You have until Tuesday, November 30th, to do so—which providentially happens to be Giving Tuesday! After that point, please reach out to us directly at . Again, our goal is to meet our everyday disciple-making needs, so our preference is for individuals to give via our main DCC giving channel, but we understand (and anticipate) exceptions to this.

“What if I still have a giving pledge to fulfill?”

No problem! You can continue to fulfill the remainder of your pledge via a separate giving link that will be emailed to you by December 1st.

“Why are we doing this?"

Per above, by God’s grace, we’ve raised $2.5 million to help cover constructions costs for our new building. This is tremendous, even though we’re short of our overall target. We can get the construction started with that in place. Therefore, it is a fitting time to shift into phase two to ensure our everyday mission is adequately fueled (i.e. general fund).

“How much do we have left to raise for construction?”

We are seeking to raise an additional $1 million (mainly due to inflated costs over the past year).

“Is this even possible?”

With God on our side, all things are possible (Mt. 19:26; Mk. 9:23).

“When do we hope to get into our building?”

Our hope is to get in by next Christmas ‘22, perhaps earlier. Let’s pray!

“Is it rare for a center city church to have its own building?”

Extremely rare, especially in Seattle, and a sure sign of Jesus’ kindness toward us.

“How can I give?”

You can learn more here.

May the God of heaven continue to give us hope, peace, and joy, especially amidst these divided times, and allow the kingdom of his Son to be powerfully advanced in our hearts, and for his unsearchable riches to not be hidden from our eyes. Yes, Lord! He is able.

Warmly yours, in Christ alone.
Adam