Discipleship, Teaching | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. The term “lent” originally meant “spring” but was adopted by the early church for the name of the six weeks (or, 40 days plus Sundays) leading up to Good Friday and Easter. It has been celebrated by Christians, in some form, for over seventeen centuries. It is intended to be a season of preparation, filled with prayer, heartfelt repentance, humble sacrifice, healthy introspection and turning afresh to Jesus. While this season is perhaps most commonly associated with Roman Catholicism, it is also widely celebrated by many Protestants including Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist and Reformed churches.

No Meat Fridays

If you’re like me, growing up Roman Catholic, all I understood about Lent was that (1) I had to give up something that I liked for six weeks and (2) I was not able to eat meat on Fridays. In hindsight, this had more to do with my own heart than anything else. But, even after I began to follow Jesus I virtually ignored Lent, chalking it up as an irrelevant religious exercise. It wasn’t until later that I better grasped its meaning and ongoing function for Jesus’ people today. That is, in part, why I am writing here.

Lent is Not Magic

There is nothing ‘magical’ about Lent. It is not commanded in the scriptures. Christians are free to participate or not. Many traditions celebrate differently. You don’t have to give up meat on Fridays. There is no one right way to go about it. Lent serves the same purpose for Good Friday and Easter as Advent does for Christmas. My encouragement, for us all, is to consider utilizing these next six weeks to intentionally prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate Jesus’ victory over death and sin on that first Easter morning.

Four Suggestions

First, make Lent primarily about Jesus, not just ‘giving up’ something. Too often this season becomes more about what we’re giving up, than who it is about. Lent is a ‘means of grace’ to draw us closer to Jesus. Make growing in relationship with him your goal. What would that look like for you? Maybe carve out extra time on Saturday mornings for reading a book on the cross, such as John Stott’s classic, The Cross of Christ or CJ Mahaney’s, Living the Cross Centered Life. Or, re-boot your Bible reading by taking in Jesus’ life through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Or, meet with a group every week to talk about the gospel and its implications in our lives. Or, you could follow along with this excellent devotional called, Journey to the Cross: Reading and Devotions for Lent. Each daily devotion includes a call to worship, confession, contemplation and closing prayer.

Second, a significant aspect of Lent is heartfelt repentance over sin. Take time to consider what is keeping you from him. Don’t rush this. Find a comfortable space where you won’t be interrupted. Keep a journal. Ask the Spirit to highlight areas of sinful unbelief and then bring them to Jesus for forgiveness and renewed faith. If you have little joy or interest in the things of God, consider why that is. Are there areas of your life that are off-limits to Him? What is it that you treasure more than Him? What aspects of the world are more attractive to you than He is? Are you struggling in the dark? Don’t be afraid to go there. He already knows, but loves you too much to let you stay there. His ocean of grace awaits. Involve others too. And remember, as the Scottish pastor Robert Murray McCheyne said, “For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ.”

Third, Lent is traditionally a time when fasting is common and helpful, provided that stoking your affections for Jesus is your primary goal. Letting go of things that are dear to us for a season often reveals much about ourselves that we never knew was there. Fasting highlights our mortality and our absolute dependency. Ultimately, it points us to God who alone can satisfy all of the deepest longings of our hearts. Fasting, or ‘giving things up’, for Lent may look like a lot of things. You could give up food for one, two, three days or more. I have a friend who does a juice fast (fasting from everything but hearty juices) for the entirety of Lent. Or, you could fast from social media, technology, or tv. Or, you could fast from certain spending habits and use that money to serve others. Talk to others and see what they’re doing. John Piper’s book on fasting called, A Hunger for God, is an excellent resource.

Lastly, keep in mind that Lent is not about earning the approval of God nor impressing others. The good news of the gospel is that Jesus lived, died and rose to forgive our sin, give us his righteousness and bring us home to God forever. In Christ, your righteousness is spotless and secure. You can’t add to it, which means nothing you do during Lent can make you more acceptable to God. In Christ, you are fully accepted, approved and loved by God. Rather, Lent is about pursuing Him afresh, renewing your affections and re-asserting him as your greatest treasure. Let’s do that, together. I’m already looking forward to hearing stories of how He moves among us.

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:24-25

Because the tomb is empty,
Pastor Adam

Community, News

Downtown Cornerstone is a community of communities scattered throughout the city, declaring and displaying the gospel of Jesus Christ in relationship to each other and the city. These are communities of diverse, imperfect people that are committed to living out the implications of the gospel in every sphere of life. These are communities of radical grace, sacrificial service, and joy. These are communities that eat together, pray together, laugh together, and study the Bible together – in essence, share life. These are communities that build up the church by encouraging people to faith in Jesus Christ and build up the city through deeds of justice and mercy. These are communities where you can be who God created you to be, yourself. It’s our hope and prayer that everyone who calls Downtown Cornerstone home will find a community like this.

This week, we launched a new community in North Queen Anne! By God’s grace, this is the third community living life together in Queen Anne. Tyler Ashby, who previously led the Uptown community, is now leading North Queen Anne. We asked him to answer a few questions about the people, vision, and prayer requests for the newly forming community.

What are you excited about for this North Queen Anne launch?

It’s clear that God is growing his church on Queen Anne!  It’s exciting to be part of this unique replication of two communities becoming a third. Also, since the location is right next to the SPU campus, we’re really looking forward to serving the campus and their students as a community.

Any specific ways we can be praying?

Please pray that our affections for Jesus would grow and we would trust him more deeply than ever. Pray that the Gospel would be the foundation of what we build together as a family and that we would grow as disciple-making disciples. Pray for relationships to form  (not everyone knows each other yet). Lastly, pray for more leaders to be trained and equipped to lead even more communities!

If you are not currently participating with a DCC Community and would like to be involved with North Queen Anne or another community, email .

Discipleship, Uncategorized

In light of Throwback Thursday, we’re going to the archives to bring back a favorite post from the past.  “5 Books for New and Renewed Followers of Jesus” was originally posted in March of 2014 by Pastor Adam. Hope you are encouraged and refreshed in your love for Jesus today! 

Recently, I took up the challenge of considering the top five books that I would recommend for new, and renewed, followers of Jesus. If you’ve recently begun to follow Jesus, or are coming back to him, where do you start? What are the best books to get you “up-and-running” and heading in solid, well-rounded direction? Here are my suggestions.

ESV Study Bible

I’m not counting this among my top five, but this particular bible is a must-have. Put simply, the ESV Study Bible is the best study bible currently available. You can also access it online and with apps on your phone. It has commentary from the best scholarship of our day, massive cross-referencing, extensive introductions to every book of the Bible, and over 50 articles on important topics in theology and biblical teaching. If you’re new to the Bible it can be hard to understand how everything fits together, let alone grasp new terms and tackle difficult passages. You need help. That’s where a study bible comes in. I wish this was around when I first began to follow Jesus.

#1 The Walk, by Stephen Smallman

This is a super accessible and important book for those just starting out or looking to start afresh. Walking through books of the bible (e.g. Gospel of Mark, Romans, Acts and more), Smallman covers the basics. In Part I he walks through, “What is a disciple?”, “Do I have to go to church?” and “Learning to Read the Bible and Pray”. In Part II he unpacks the gospel and its implications in our every day lives. Along the way he introduces important theological terms and influential thinkers throughout church history, all through a solidly gospel-grounded framework.

#2 The Reason for God, by Tim Keller

This is the best modern day apologetic for the general populace, much like how CS Lewis’ Mere Christianity and GK Chesterton’s Everlasting Man served in their day. This is an important read for new followers of Jesus because Keller addresses many of the big questions you likely have and don’t know how to answer, such as “How could a good God allow suffering?” or “How can a loving God send people to hell?” In the second half, Keller builds a compelling argument for God’s existence by examining an array of evidences or, as he calls them, “clues”.

#3 A Praying Life, by Paul Miller

As you begin to follow Jesus, you’ll likely experience questions and frustrations when it comes to prayer (i.e. talking to God). What is prayer? Why is it so hard? Is this normal? Do I have to do this? Should I pray even when I don’t feel like it? Given the essential nature of prayer to your ongoing relationship with Jesus, this should go in the top five. Miller has written the best book on prayer currently available – humble, helpful and hopeful. You’ll actually want to pray after you’ve read this book.

#4 God’s Big Picture, by Vaughan Roberts

In this book, Roberts, traces the story-line of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. I know this may not immediately sound compelling. However, understanding the overall flow of the Bible will grow your understanding of God’s unfolding story and enrich your reading of the Bible. Even more, you will come to better grasp your place within God’s story today. You should read this book with a friend or two because it’s mind-blowing – and you want your mind to be blown with others. And, its super short.

#5 You Can Change, by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis

This book is important because it will introduce you to dynamics of personal change. Jesus not only came to forgive us (justification) but to make us new people (sanctification). So, what does that process look like? Do people have problems like me? How do I go about changing? What’s my role and what’s God’s role? Why do certain sins seem to have such a hold on me? This book addresses these and many more by pointing us back to the biblical truths that God is good, great, gracious and glorious – and how Jesus is the supreme demonstration of each. While there are a number of solid books available that deal with this topic, this is the most accessible. By the time you’re done working through it, you’ll think, “I can change”. You’ll get the most out of this book, and your personal change project, if you work through it with others.

Runners-up:

What is the Gospel? by Greg Gilbert
Gilbert helpfully and articulately clarifies the gospel – what it is and isn’t – and why it matters.

The Prodigal God, by Tim Keller
Using the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), Keller insightfully demonstrates how we can run from God by being really bad (like the younger brother) and by being really good (like the elder brother).

Counterfeit Gods, by Tim Keller
Keller devotes this book to unpacking the topic of idolatry, particularly when it comes to money, sex and power (three of the biggest idols in our culture). Even better, he walks through how Jesus supplants these, and other, idols in our life.

Living the Cross-Centered Life, by CJ Mahaney
Mahaney’s big idea in this book is how to keep the gospel the main thing in our life and how subjectivism, legalism and condemnation all threaten our experience of God’s grace.

Love you, all. Would love to hear how your reading goes if you decide to pick up any of these. You won’t regret it.

Christ is all,
Pastor Adam

Discipleship, Teaching | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

It’s a common problem. How do I love God more? Every genuine follower of Jesus wants to grow in their love for God. But the question is, how? What do we do when we have a hard time loving God? We get an important clue to the answer in 1 John 4:10 where we read, “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” You might want to read that again.

God’s initiating love

John is saying that God’s love, from beginning to end, is an initiating love – “not that we have loved God but that he loved us”. Whose love comes first? God’s love. Where do we see God’s initiating love? When God sent “his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (Propitiation is a fancy word for saying that Jesus redirected, and received, the wrath of God that we justly deserve for our sin. That happened on the cross.) In other words, God’s love is an initiating love and we see that initiating love most clearly at the cross. The apostle Paul says the same thing in Romans 5:8, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Even when we were running from him (i.e. “still sinners”) God displayed his initiating love by dying for His people on the cross.

Our responsive love

What does all of this tell us? This tells us that all genuine love for God finds its origin in God’s initiating love for us, in Jesus. Our love for Him is always – and only – a response to His love for us. God initiates with His love and we respond with our love. So, what do you do when you are having a hard time loving God? Answer: Reflect on God’s love for you, in Jesus. If you want to love God more, don’t begin with your love for Him, but with His love for you.

Getting it backwards

We have to be careful because our hearts have a tendency to reverse that order by prioritizing and emphasizing our love for God. We tend to (wrongly) think that God’s love for us is based on our love for him. That is not the gospel. More often than not this is the root of our struggle to love God more. Why would our love for God bloom if we’re not sure how he feels about us? It won’t. The good news of Jesus is that God sent his Son out of love for lost sinners, while we were still sinners (see Romans 5:8 above). God initiates with his love, in Jesus. We respond with our love. That order is crucial and we should be diligent to ensure it is never inverted in our hearts.

Putting it all together

So, all that said, how do we love God more?

First, we need to get the order right. God loves us first, always. Our love for Him is always a response to His love for us, in Jesus. Be sure your heart has the order right.

Second, we must keep in mind that the measure of his love for us isn’t some warm-and-fuzzy feeling or sense that He loves us. The measure of His love for us is the cross. The cross is the objective historical sign and seal of God’s love for you, in Jesus. The cross assures you that His love for you will forever be at flood stage.

Third, once we get the order right and see the cross as God’s eternal pledge of love for us, we should take time to enjoy His initiating love. When did you last take time to reflect on God’s initiating love for you? I’m not talking about his love for people generally, or his church specifically, or your friends who also follow Jesus – but for you? In Jesus, you are perfectly and forever loved by God. His love for us is full, unceasing, and unchangeable, even on our worst days. Take time to consider and enjoy His initiating love. Reflect on how your day-to-day would change if you lived in light of it.

A simple way to love God more

We can’t make our love for God grow by focusing on our love for God. Our love for God grows as we focus on His love for us, in Jesus. Ours is always, in effect, a returned love. Therefore, consider the initiating love of God for you at the cross until you see it – and feel it – and you’re love for Him will grow.

Christ is all,

Pastor Adam

Advent Drive, City Life, Foster Care, Service | by Anne Johnson

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” – Jesus (John 14:18)

As foster parents licensed through the state, my husband and I see firsthand what it is like for children to come “into the system.” Our current foster son came to us with nothing but a worn coat and the clothes he was wearing. In the midst of uncertainty in a new and strange place, the gift of comfortable clothes is undeniably reassuring.

Throughout the Foster Care Drive, I watched in grateful amazement as our living room filled with messy piles of socks, bags of sweatshirts, and boxes of sweatpants. I am astonished by God’s grace and provision through the Downtown Cornerstone community. Through the freedom to love as we have been loved, we collected over 780 articles of clothing! You can see the generosity of that collection evidenced below in photos of my car stuffed with your donations.

The bottom-right photo above is the play area at the West Seattle Visitation Center where the clothes will be distributed. When children come into care after hours, they are often brought here and given overnight bags with essentials, if any are available. Lisa, the DSHS social worker who runs the visitation center, was incredibly grateful to stock the center with our much-needed supplies.

GET INVOLVED

If you are looking for more ways to help, Lisa shared that a dream of hers is to have a supply of duffel bags. If children are lucky enough to bring their things from home, they usually carry their items around in trash bags. Just as some fresh socks can bring comfort, having a proper bag for your possessions (however few) can bring a sense of worth and value.

The Visitation Center is also in desperate need of a refresh. There is currently a project through Amara, an adoption support agency, to update the Center. For more information, visit Amara’s GoFundMe page.

If you are interested in learning more about foster and adoptive care in the State of Washington, or want to get involved through donating or volunteering, please feel free to contact me. I love sharing about these wonderful kiddos! Thank you on behalf  all of the kids who will sleep, run, and thrive in the clothing you’ve donated.

Sing to God, sing praises to his name…Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity…”
– Psalm 68:4-6

Christ is all,
Anne Johnson

You can get connected to Anne to learn more about foster and adoptive care in the State of Washington by emailing .