Teaching | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Dear DCC,

We recently completed our series, The Church: God’s New Humanity, in Jesus. I hope you found it helpful, clarifying, and surprisingly edifying. To further press these realities into our shared life, I thought it would be helpful to follow-up with a single list of additional resources on the topics addressed in this series. For example, if you heard the sermon on “baptism” and desire to learn more, I encourage you to read one (or more) of the resources below, organized from “basic” to “advanced”. Perhaps consider printing this out, tucking it in your bible, and integrating reading about the church into your regular reading diet. It is through the church the manifold wisdom of God is made known (Eph. 3:10)!

Many of these resources are already available in our bookstore and all of the Church Question booklets are available by the Connect Desk in the commons. You can find the entire series on our mobile app and on the series page. By way of reminder, the topics we covered were as follows:

#1 The Local Church as God’s New Humanity
#2 What is the Mission of the Church?
#3 Who Leads the Church?
#4 What are the Keys of the Kingdom?
#5 What is Baptism?
#6 What is the Lord’s Supper?
#7 What is Church Membership/Discipline?
#8 What is a Healthy Church Member?

Additional recommended resources:

The Church (general)

Understanding the Great Commission, Mark Dever (beginner)
What is a Healthy Church, Mark Dever (beginner)
The Gospel: How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ, Ray Ortlund (beginner)
The Church: The Gospel Made Visible, Mark Dever (intermediate)
Baptist Foundations: Church Government for an Anti-Institutional Age, Eds. Dever & Leeman (advanced)

Mission of the Church

What is the Church’s Mission? (Church Questions), Jonathan Leeman (basic)
What If I’m Discouraged in My Evangelism? (Church Questions), Isaac Adams (basic)
Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus, Mark Dever (beginner)
Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus, Mack Stiles (beginner)
Missions: How the Local Church Goes Global, Andy Johnson (beginner)
What is the Mission of the Church?, Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert (intermediate)

Church Leadership/Keys of the Kingdom

Who’s in Charge of the Church? (Church Questions), Sam Emadi (basic)
Understanding the Congregation’s Authority, Jonathan Leeman (beginner)
Understanding Church Leadership, Mark Dever (beginner)
Church Elders, Jeramie Rinne(beginner)
Don’t Fire Your Church Members: The Case for Congregationalism, Jonathan Leeman (intermediate)

Baptism

Why Should I Be Baptized? (Church Questions), Bobby Jamieson (basic)
Understanding Baptism, Bobby Jamieson (beginner)
Going Public, Bobby Jamieson (intermediate)
Believer’s Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ, Eds. Schreiner & Wright (advanced)

Lord’s Supper

Why Is the Lord’s Supper So Important? (Church Questions), Aubrey Sequeira (basic)
Understanding the Lord’s Supper, Bobby Jamieson (beginner)
The Lord’s Supper: Remembering and Proclaiming Christ Until He Comes, eds. Schreiner & Crawford (advanced)

Church Membership

Why Should I Join a Church? (Church Questions), Mark Dever (basic)
Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus, Jonathan Leeman (beginner)
40 Questions About Church Membership and Discipline, Jeremy Kimble (intermediate)

Church Discipline

Is It Loving to Practice Church Discipline? (Church Questions), Jonathan Leeman (basic)
Understanding Church Discipline, Jonathan Leeman (beginner)
Church Discipline: How the Church Protects the Name of Jesus, Jonathan Leeman (beginner)
See also Kimble under “Church Membership"

Healthy Members

What Should I Do Now That I’m a Christian? (Church Questions), Sam Emadi (basic)
How Can I Serve My Church? (Church Questions), Matthew Emadi (basic)
How Can I Find Someone to Disciple Me? (Church Questions), Garrett Kell (basic)
Why Should I Give to My Church? (Church Questions), Jamie Dunlop (basic)
What if I Don’t Feel Like Going to Church? (Church Questions), Gunner Gunderson (basic)
What is a Healthy Church Member?, Thabiti Anyabwile (beginner)

May the Lord use His Word—and these secondary resources that seek to unpack what is found therein about His church—to stir in us an even deeper love for Him, one another, and His mission in the world. Can you believe we get to be a part of this together?

Christ is all,
Pastor Adam

Ethnic Harmony, Teaching | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Downtown Cornerstone,

I am grateful and excited to present a discipleship tool which the elders, along with a cohort of members, have been actively working on over the last three years called, On Ethnic Harmony: A Theological Position Paper. It includes an introductory letter from the elders, a series of Affirmations & Denials, and Frequently Asked Questions.

A position paper, such as this, is intended to be a discipleship tool that presents what we believe God says, or does not say, on this important topic in order to increase understanding, aid our ongoing conversations, and strengthen our “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3).

Our hope is that this helps to further facilitate our conversations. After all, we are a multi-ethnic church, nearly matching the diversity of our context (70% white, 13% asians, 6% hispanic, 5% black, 5% multi-racial, 1% other). 15% of our members speak a language other than English as their first language.

We shouldn’t be surprised by this because we know Jesus is currently creating a people from all nations, tribes, peoples, and languages, of which we are a microcosm (Rev. 7:9). What a privilege! Together we get to show the world the new humanity Jesus is redeeming right in the middle of our great city.

If you'd like to learn more about our Ethnic Harmony efforts, or further recommended reading, visit our resource page and, at the same time, consider joining our Ethnic Harmony group on Church Center. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to talk to a pastor or email .

You can get the paper here.

“Let the nations be glad and sing for joy!” – Psalm 67:4

Christ is all,
Pastor Adam

Discipleship, Teaching | by Pastor David Parker

Downtown Cornerstone,

This week we’ll kick off the last round of our spring classes before we break for summer. Whether you are new to DCC and exploring Christianity, or interested in getting further connected to the life of our church—or maybe you have been following Jesus for a while and are eager to continue growing in your faith—wherever you may find yourself, I want to encourage you to invest in feeding your soul this spring by taking advantage of one of the upcoming classes. You won’t regret it!

Midweek classes start this Wednesday at 6:30 pm, and the Foundations class will start this Sunday at 9 am. Check the class descriptions below, and register by following the appropriate links:

DCC Foundations

Sundays @ 9:00-10:30 AM | May 15 – Jun 12
Instructors: DCC Elders
Our Foundations class is the first stop for those seeking to learn more about DCC, join a Cornerstone Community, be baptized, and become a member. This five-week class walks through what we believe (doctrine), why it’s important to belong (membership), who we are (vision, mission, and values), why we are here (context), and how we live together (leadership, ministries, partners, and finances). By the end, you’ll have clear next steps for how to grow and get further connected. This class is required for membership with DCC. Register here…

Exploring Christianity

Wednesdays @ 6:30-8:00 PM | May 18 – Jun 8
Instructors: Pastor Russ Collins & Team
Have you ever considered why you are here and what life is all about? Christianity has compelling answers to these questions. Whether you are a skeptic who is exploring the claims of Christianity or you are a believer wanting to learn how you can better explain your faith to others, this class will walk through the claims and life of Jesus and what it means to be a Christian. Register here…

Biblical Womanhood

Wednesdays @ 6:30-8:00 PM | May 11 – Jun 8
Instructors: Jen Keogh & Anne Johnson (DCC members, deacons)
This class will explore the beauty of God’s good design for women—created in God’s image, equal but yet distinct from men. We’ll discover God’s heart for women and the high value He places on them throughout the Bible, by examining the Old & New Testaments. We’ll consider our unity and identity in Christ, as well as the diversity of roles and gifts that God may assign to women. This class is specifically for women and will be taught by women in our body. Register here…

Financial Stewardship

Wednesdays @ 6:30-8:00 PM | May 11 – Jun 8
Instructors: Pastor David Parker & Bryan Alsbury (DCC member)
How we handle our finances can be one of the most misunderstood and taboo topics in our day and age, but one of vital importance to our spiritual lives and our worship of God. In this class, we’ll examine what Scripture has to say about our finances, how we’re to use them, and the dangers to avoid. We’ll also cover practical topics such as budgeting, saving, investing, and more! Register here…

If you have any other questions, email us at .

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph. 3:20-21)

In Christ,
Pastor David

Discipleship, Teaching

Downtown Cornerstone,

As disciples of Christ, we are called to changed lives as we grow in our knowledge, love, and trust of the Lord. But, this change doesn’t happen automatically; it happens through regularly opening and applying of God's Word together.

In Psalm 19, we see the primacy of God's Word and its power to change our lives, summarized:

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.

– Psalm 19:7-8,10

Our quarterly classes are intentional times together meant to allow God's Word to affect this change in us, and to grow us in holiness amidst the season of life we find ourselves in.

To that end, we're offering a number of classes this fall over two five-week sessions. These will be taught by pastors, staff, or other leaders. Most classes will meet at the building in the MPR downstairs.

We have also prepared a brochure that lists all the classes we will be offering this year, organized into distinct tracks.

Download Brochure
Session 1 begins this Sunday, September 12th at 9 am (Foundations) and Wednesday, September 15th at 6:30 pm (midweek classes):

• Are you new with us and looking to meet others, learn more about DCC from our elders, join a Cornerstone Community, be baptized, and/or become a member? Join our Foundations class. We’re offering a weekly round (Sundays) as well as a weekend round (Friday evening–Saturday afternoon). Register here…
• Are you (or do you know) a skeptic who is exploring the claims of Christianity, or a believer wanting to learn how you can better explain your faith to others? Join the Exploring Christianity class. Register here…
• Are you desiring to trust in how the cross of Christ brings comfort and help, and how you can grow to be like Christ in the hardest circumstances? Join the How Jesus Changes Us class. Register here…

Session 2 will begin in the second half of October, and offer another round of the Foundations class, along with three additional classes:

• Are you an engaged couple who want to build a solid gospel foundation for their marriage? Join our Building a Strong Marriage (Pre-Marital) class. Registration deadline: October 6th. Register here…
• Are you seeking conversations with others in the body about how we as Christians can work toward racial harmony in the church and the world around us? Join Undivided 2: Biblical Conversations About Race. Register here…
• Are you looking to grow in how you approach decisions in light of God’s wisdom and His revealed will to us in and through the Bible? Join the Guidance: Making Godly Decisions class. Register here…

Discipleship, News, Teaching

Downtown Cornerstone,

As disciples of Christ, we are called to grow in our knowledge, love, and trust of the Lord (Col. 1:9-13). But, this growth doesn’t happen automatically; it happens through exercising our faith and intentionally utilizing the means of grace. One of these means of grace is the regular opening and applying of God’s Word together (Ps. 119:130, Col. 3:16).

This spring, we’re offering a number of classes over two five-week sessions. Each class, grounded in God’s Word, is intended to help you grow in a specific aspect of your life as a follower of Christ.

Session 1 begins this Wednesday, April 14th at 6:30PM:

• Are you new with us and looking to meet others, learn more about DCC from our elders, join a Cornerstone Community, be baptized, and/or become a member? Join our Foundations class. Register here…
• Are you looking to learn more about the history of Jesus’ church and God’s work of redeeming his people over centuries and millennia? Join the Church History class (ten weeks). Register here…
• Are you desiring to grow in your understanding of the Bible, properly interpreting it and practically applying it to your life? Join the How to Study the Bible class. Register here…

Session 2 will begin on Wednesday, May 19th, and offer another round of the Foundations class, along with two additional classes:

• Are you wanting to grow as a disciple-maker and help others become more like Christ? Join the Making Disciples class. Register here…
• Are you seeking to learn what Scripture says about parenting and raising children who will love, trust, and treasure Jesus? Join our Parenting class. Register here…

To read more about our midweek classes and FAQs, visit our webpage here. If you have any other questions, please email us at classes@downtowncornerstone.org.

Discipleship, Teaching | by Pastor Craig Sturm

Downtown Cornerstone,

The Holy Spirit, through the inspired pen of James, reveals this grand truth: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17)

Our consistent challenge is to live and order our lives in such a way that honors God, the Great Giver, by being good stewards of the entirety of our lives—including our financial resources and our various seasons of life.

Starting this week, you have an opportunity to learn a biblical perspective on these two topics through two helpful classes:

• Financial Stewardship: During this five-week class, we’ll examine what Scripture has to say about our finances, how we’re to use them, and the dangers to avoid. We’ll also cover practical topics such as budgeting, saving, getting out of debt, investing, and more! This class will be taught by Pastor David Parker and DCC members Bryan and Lisagrace Alsbury. Register here
• Singleness: This five-week class will cover a basic theology of singleness, and tackle questions like "What is the gift of singleness that Scripture talks about?" and "How can I find contentment amidst singleness?" Singles are encouraged to join in but this class would also benefit anyone who lives in community with singles. This class will be taught by Kyle Stewart, DCC staff member and deacon. Register here

Both these classes begin this Wednesday, February 10th at 6:30PM. To ensure availability, and to help us better prepare for the start of class on Wednesday, we ask that you register by Tuesday, February 9th.

Let me strongly encourage to take advantage of whichever of these you deem would be most helpful for you in your life right now. I truly believe that the investment of your time will yield the fruit of spiritual growth in your life.

Lastly, if you are new with DCC, I would encourage you to start with the Foundations Class which takes place at the same time. If you have any questions, email us at .

For the increase of your joy in Jesus, and the more clear magnification of God’s glory in your life,

Pastor Craig

Ethnic Harmony, Event, Teaching | by Pastor Justin Keogh

Downtown Cornerstone,

Conversations on topics of race, justice, and racial reconciliation can be challenging, even within the church. It can be hard to know where to start, hard to approach sensitive topics that are politically charged, and hard to love those whom we disagree with. Yet, such conversations are an essential step in growing in our ability to bear one another's burdens (Gal. 6:2) and building one another up in love (1 Thes. 5:11), and especially so, as we are an increasingly diverse people in an increasingly diverse city.

Over the last few years, we've had many opportunities to engage topics of racial injustice and racial reconciliation, including pastoral notes, forums, writings, sermon illustrations, and book studies. We want to continue creating space for us as a people to think biblically about these topics—understanding the sins of racism (Jas. 2:8-9), understanding the equality and value of all humans as God's image-bearers (Gen. 1:27), and understanding God's heart for the marginalized (Isa. 58:6-11). We want to grow in our ability to speak the truth in love with each other (Eph. 4:15-16) and seek to demonstrate love toward one another as brothers and sisters in Christ (Jn. 13:34-35).

A Forum on Racial Harmony | This Sunday at 1PM

This Sunday, as part of our New Year Essentials sermon series, Pastor Adam will be preaching on 1 John 4:13-21, highlighting the need for God's love to shape our racial reconciliation. That afternoon at 1pm, we're going to host a Forum on Racial Harmony, as an opportunity to continue the conversation with one another, anchored in the text and sermon that morning. This forum will be a combination of small group discussions and larger Q&A with some of our elders. Whether you've been engaging in this conversation for decades or you're just getting started, I'd highly encourage you to join us on Sunday.

REGISTER HERE

Additional Opportunities to Engage With Us

#1 Book Study
Following the forum, in February, we will be starting a new book study discussing Dr. George Yancey’s book Beyond Racial Gridlock. This book has been helpful to many in our body as we seek to understand each other’s perspectives on racial issues and work together to create a distinctly Christian approach. If you’re interested in joining this study, please fill out this brief form by Friday, 1/29.

#2 Church Center Group
We have a Racial Reconciliation group on Church Center to help us connect, share and discuss content, and ways to take action together. Join the conversation by signing up here.

#3 Racial Reconciliation Resources
We've also assembled a number of helpful resources on our Racial Reconciliation page. You can find past DCC sermons, pastoral notes, and blog posts on topics of race, as well as recommended books, podcasts, and articles from a variety of gospel-centered voices.

I am praying that our church would be built up through this event and our continuing dialogue as we listen, love, and act together. I hope you’ll join the conversation!

In Christ,
Pastor Justin

Discipleship, News, Teaching | by Pastor Craig Sturm

Downtown Cornerstone,

From skeptics to new believers to seasoned saints, the knowledge of God—through his Son and his revealed Word—is how we are reconciled to him and grow in relationship with him.

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. – Jesus (John 17:3)

As Jesus’ people, an essential part of knowing God is to set aside dedicated time to learn together from Scripture, apply it to our lives, and savor God as we do that. After all, Spirit-filled savoring of God in this life is what equips us to savor him in the life to come.

To this end, we are continuing to offer midweek classes as a meaningful way for our body to grow together. The purpose of offering classes is not to create big heads, but big hearts.

Most classes will meet over five weeks and held virtually, where you will be live with the class teacher (DCC pastor, staff, or member). We have also prepared a brochure that lists all the classes we will be offering this year, organized into distinct tracks.

DOWNLOAD BROCHURE

Session 1 begins this Wednesday, September 16th at 6:30PM. To ensure availability, and to help us better prepare for the start of class on Wednesday, we ask that you register for Session 1 by Monday, September 14th. See below for class details and registration.

SESSION 1

DCC Foundations – This class is the next step for those seeking to learn more about DCC, join a community, serve, be baptized, and become a member. This five-week class serves as the primary relational on-ramp into life with our church and covers what we believe, why we belong, who we are, why we are here, and how we live together. ***This class is required for membership with DCC.***  Register here…

Exploring Christianity – Are you a skeptic who is exploring the claims of Christianity, or you a believer wanting to learn how you can better explain your faith to others? This five-week class will walk through the claims and life of Jesus and what it means to be a Christian. Register here…

How Jesus Changes Us – How does your faith in God impact your everyday thoughts, feelings, and actions? This five-week class will give you an opportunity to reflect on one specific area in your life and learn how God changes you to become more like Jesus. Register here…

New Testament I – The goal for this ten-week class is to help you understand the big picture of each book of the New Testament. You’ll gain a more clear picture of the continuity between the books in the New Testament, see the promises God has kept to his people from the Old Testament, and learn how he speaks to us through his Word today. Register here…

Unity & Diversity – This class covers the biblical foundation of our union with Christ and the need for unity and diversity within the local church, along many dimensions—race especially but not exclusively. We’ll also discuss ways to maintain the unity in Christ of an increasingly diverse body. Register here…

SESSION 2

(Begins Wednesday, October 21st @ 6:30PM)

Christians in the Workplace – How should our faith and the reality of who we are in light of the gospel change how we view our work? This five-week class will seek to create a biblical framework for how we approach work, and help you find new and fresh ways of integrating your faith in your work. Register here…

Developing Meaningful Relationships – Imagine being part of an interconnected group of people who entrust themselves to one another. The goal of this five-week class is to help us all consider how meaningful relationships can increasingly become a natural part of the daily life of our church. Register here…

Guidance – Have you ever considered what the Bible says about decision-making? In this five-week class, we’ll look at how we should approach practical decisions in light of God’s wisdom and His revealed will to us in and through the Bible—amidst all of the “counsel” that exists in our world today. Register here…

For more information and FAQs, visit our webpage. If you have any questions, please email us at .

Blessings,
Pastor Craig

Event, Teaching | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Downtown Cornerstone,

By now you’ve heard that we are hosting a livestream event on Sunday, August 16th, Politics in the Life of the Church: A Workshop on Rethinking Faith and Politics, led by Jonathan Leeman, from 1:00-4:00pm. Jonathan is the editorial director for 9Marks (a ministry that serves to equip healthy churches), an elder of his church in D.C. (Cheverly Baptist), an author (How the Nations Rage and others), and a friend.

The idea for this event grew out of our January elder retreat during which we considered how to best shepherd DCC through the upcoming presidential election. Little did we know that 2020 would also include a global pandemic, record-level unemployment, renewed racial tensions, mandated face-masks, a scattering of the church over livestream, and a forced economic recession.

Any one of these issues is enough to create division. But, when taken together, we find ourselves amidst a uniquely contentious cultural moment. So, what does it look like to engage these issues from a biblically Christian perspective? How do we love fellow believers well, even while disagreeing with them? That’s what this event is all about.

The focus of this event is not on particular issues (e.g. race, immigration, policing, abortion, fiscal policy, partisanship, etc). Instead, the focus is on how we engage with these issues, and relate to one another amidst our differences, in a distinctive and compelling Christ-honoring manner. This event is for anyone (members, attenders, pastors or churches) who is interested in thinking about the relationship between faith and politics. We invite you to help us spread the word.

There will be three main sessions:

1. How To Engage With Politics and Government as a Christian
2. How to Love Church Members When We Disagree Politically
3. And an entire session for Q&A

Due to COVID-19, the event will be livestreamed. We understand that, at this point, we are all over-loaded with virtual meetings, livestream, and video. Even more, this is happening on a summer afternoon in Seattle. However, the benefit of livestream is that we can extend the invitation to more people and you can participate while sitting outside with friends (socially distanced, with face masks, of course).

Click here to register.

We hope you‘re able to join us. Let’s pray for fruit!

Christ is all,
Pastor Adam

P.S. Jonathan will be also preaching that Sunday for DCC from Psalm 2 as part of our Walking With God series.

Event, Teaching

We are living in an increasingly politically divided age in America. Today, there are deep, partisan differences on most issues that face our society—including the ongoing coronavirus pandemic response and current racial tensions. With the upcoming presidential election, these divisions only seem to be further intensifying.

As Christians, we know that our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20; Eph. 2:18; 1 Pet. 2:9). Jesus—through his life, death, and resurrection—has secured our glorification (1 Cor. 12:20; Phil. 3:21). We will enter into his righteous rule and reign, an everlasting kingdom to come (Is. 32:1; Dan. 7:1; Rev. 21:3-5).

While we wait for Jesus’ return, how do we, as Jesus’ people, view and relate to present rulers and authorities that God has placed us under? How do we go about seeking to uphold God’s perfect justice and righteousness in our imperfect and messy political environment? How do we guard against political divisions of the world from causing divisions in the church?

These are important questions for Christ-followers because there is a lot at stake here—including the spread of the gospel.

Jesus said that all people will know that we are his disciples, if we have love for one another (Jn. 13:34-35). In his most difficult hour, he prayed that we will become perfectly one (Jn. 17:23). The early church needed regular exhortation and practical teaching on how to love one another amidst differences—and so do we (1 Cor. 8, 13; Rom. 12, 14; Eph. 4; 1 Jn. 3).

Our main speaker, Jonathan Leeman, is the editorial director for 9Marks and the author of How the Nations Rage: Rethinking Faith and Politics in a Divided Age. Watch a short invitational video from Jonathan below.

 
Want to better understand the relationship between faith and politics? Are you desiring to engage politically in ways that reflect our common citizenship in heaven? Are you thinking about how to approach political conversations within the church?

We invite you to join us for an afternoon of careful thought, practical advice, and encouragement as we consider the unchanging political task of Jesus’ church: to become the salt and light he calls us to be, and offer the hope of his kingdom to the nations.

Date: Sunday, August 16th, 1–4 PM PDT
Location: Virtual
Registration: Free

Sessions will cover how to engage with politics and the government, and how to love church members when we disagree politically—followed by Q&A.

REGISTER NOW
Note: Due to Covid-19 gathering restrictions in Washington state, this event will be primarily livestreamed.