Pastoral Notes for Sunday, February 9, 2025

Dear Cornerstone family, 

In Greek history and thought, a hero was someone who descended from the gods possessing superhuman abilities. Homer defined a hero as “an intermediary.” That is, someone who bridges divinity and humanity born with a nature that touches upon heaven and earth.  

Achilles, the lead character in Homer’s Iliad, embodies heroism. He is the fruit of the union of Peleus, a Greek king, and the sea nymph, Thetis, a Greek goddess. He possesses superhuman strength, performing tremendous feats on the battlefield. Most notably, his slaying of Troy’s most decorated warrior, Hector.  

Defying even death itself, Achilles was diligent, dependable, and disciplined. No matter the objective, he would not be deterred. In the end, his military exploits would enshrine his name in the annals of history, securing his chief end—the glory of immortality.

Believing himself to be a descendent of the gods, Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) received the Illiad as the Bible. He commited large sections to memory and, if legend is to be believed, slept with a copy under his pillow every night. It was his only rule for faith and practice.

If the Illiad was Alexander’s Bible, then Achilles was his muse and mimesis. If Achilles was a fictional character in Homer’s epic poem, Alexander would be the historical incarnation living an epic life.  

To temper Alexander’s ambition, Aristotle, his tutor, labored to distinguish the difference between history and myth. Sadly, the megalomania was already firmly in place. Imagining himself the son of Zeus, Alexander took to himself divine honors and titles and set himself on a course toward world dominion. Aristobolus, Greek historian and contemporary of Alexander, wrote, “…he was never content with his conquests, and he wanted to rule everybody.”  

These ancient hero stories reflect and distort in different ways the reality of Christian heroism. As men and women made in the image of God, we are descended from God. Our natures touch upon heaven and earth. Designed as God’s heroes, our chief aim was to live for God’s glory and spread his rule over all the earth (Genesis 1:26-28).

But at the beginning of time, our enemy exploited our Achilles heel. With compelling lies, the Serpent defeated us. “You aren’t here to serve God; you are here to be God,” he said. Despite the hiss, it sounded good. And we bit.  

Hiding behind trees, God finds us and says, a seed of the woman—a hero—will come and undo all the bad we did. He will be a better Adam with no Achilles heel. He will be God’s hero. He will rescue us crushing the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15).

As we turn the pages, we learn it’s not Noah, Abraham, Moses, or David. These patriarchs are only shadows of the hero to come. When the New Testament opens, we learn the true hero—with God as Father and Mary as mother, touching heaven and earth—has come to crush the head of the Serpent, freeing us from the bondage of sin and death through the cross and the resurrection.

In worship today, we come to celebrate our hero, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are here to pay him homage, to hymn to him praise, to express our undivided devotion. For in him and him alone we find our glory and immortality.

Your servant,

 

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, February 2, 2025

Dear Cornerstone family, 

The Scripture teaches us that the Father sent His Son into the world to save for himself a people for his own possession (Luke 4:18; 1 Peter 2:9). Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the apostles were sent by the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, to share the gospel to every nation under heaven (John 20:21; Matt.28:19-20). 

At Cornerstone, we believe the church is a sent people on mission for Christ in the world. That in different ways depending on the Lord’s call, every member of Christ’s church is committed to doing their part in advancing the good news of Jesus Christ—proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people everywhere. From Franklin to the uttermost parts of the world, we exist—the church exists—to make disciples of Jesus Christ through the preaching the gospel (Col.1:19-20). 

One of the many ways Cornerstone is involved in missions is through regular monthly support of missionaries, church planters, mercy ministries, and campus ministers. To learn more about who we support, please visit the mission page on the church website.

Today, we get the privilege of sitting under the ministry of Rev. Andrew Terrell, one of our new campus minister supports. Rev. Terrell works with our denomination’s campus ministry, Reformed University Fellowship International, at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

Andrew grew up not too far from Nashville in Georgia, but he spent most of his adult life in Spain and New York City. Before serving as the Campus Minister for international students at Vanderbilt, Andrew had the same role at Columbia University in New York City for eight years. Two of Andrew’s passions are cross-cultural friendships and deep conversations about faith and spirituality. He loves getting to combine the two in his work with RUF-I.

Andrew holds a B.S. in Psychology and a M.A. in Biblical Studies and is ordained as a minister in the Presbyterian Church in America. When he’s not on campus with international students, you can find Andrew reading a book, walking in the woods, or alongside his wife Olivia chasing their three young boys around the backyard.

Please give attention to the message the Lord has laid on Rev. Terrell’s heart as he comes today to minister the gospel in our midst.

Your servant,

 

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, January 26, 2025

For the Pastoral Notes today, I’ve asked Pastor Tony Giles to update us on his work with the international missions organization Serge. –Nate

Dear Cornerstone Family,

It was around seven years ago now that I was asked to step into the unknown. A ministry which had a significant impact in my own life many years prior was hoping to launch a new initiative to come alongside church pastors and ministry leaders. There were no blueprints, nor was there a strategic plan—just a growing awareness of the need and a blank sheet of paper. The more I thought about it, the more willing I became to rearrange my life in order to move toward that need.

I approached Cornerstone leadership with a question: “What about dropping a few hours here in order to give a few hours each week to a ministry that seems central to my sense of calling?” And then I heard words in reply that still stagger me every time I tell the story: “If you are doing what is central to your sense of calling, we think we get a better you. 

A better you. And that is what I am after each coaching opportunity: a better leader, better equipped and prepared by the gospel for the challenges that every ministry leader faces, and often alone.

The work I do is through Serge, a Reformed missions organization whose work today consists of sending and caring for missionaries, mentoring and equipping ministry leaders, and developing resources for ongoing spiritual renewal.

Serge’s work of Mission occurs with over 325 missionaries in 26 countries scattered throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Serge’s work of Renewal is the engine that drives mission throughout the world and in our own lives. Spiritual renewal is the ongoing daily experience of the Father’s love for us that motivates and sustains us as we lay down our lives in mission. 

My role with Serge has two facets. Through Church Leader Development I provide individualized coaching of ministry leaders and pastors. Currently, I am coaching five pastors individually. Through Leadership Lab I facilitate an 8-month development program designed to give leaders the tools and the mindset to become Christ-centered, gospel-saturated, and mission-focused leaders. This takes place in monthly online roundtable discussions with men and women in the U.S. and as far away as England, Ireland, Japan, India, Malawi, and Senegal. Currently, four cohorts are meeting with a total of 25 participants.  

So why Serge? What is it that keeps me chugging along with that crowd? That’s simple. It’s the stated and lived-out values which have marked their work for over 40 years now: the centrality of the gospel, ministry from weakness, love for people, and kingdom-centered prayer. The Sprit is working those values slowly deeper into my own heart and life as I ever so slowly learn more of what it means to abide in Jesus.

Your servant,

Tony

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, January 19, 2025

Dear Cornerstone family, 

It’s not every week you get to walk your daughter down the aisle.

As a good number of you will know, my oldest daughter, Rosalyn, got engaged in April of last year to a godly young man, Michael. Rosalyn and Michael met in high school and were a part of the same friend group. Michael worked up the nerve to ask Rosalyn out his senior year, and as the Lord would have it, four years later I’m walking Rosalyn down the aisle to give her away in marriage.

The marriage of Michael and Rosalyn is especially sweet for Christy and me since Michael’s last name is Koellein. Some of you will recognize that last name. Charles and Karen Koellein are long-time members of Cornerstone; Michael is Charles and Karen’s grandson. And if that weren’t blessing enough, Michael is the nephew of long time Cornerstone members, Preston and Martha Brooks. Preston is an elder and Martha is our Women’s Director.

All that to say, you need to pray for the Koelleins and Brookses, for they are inescapably tied to the Shurden clan now. Heaven knows that is bound to take its toll. As far as the Shurdens go, we feel ourselves to be in “high cotton,” as my father would say. “The lines have fallen in pleasant places” (Psalm 16:6) for us. We couldn’t be happier.

I’ve been asked two dozen or more times this week, “Did you officiate the service?” Yes, I did. But I was very hesitant to do so. As you know, being Father of the Bride is a very special role, and I wasn’t eager to complicate things by officiating the wedding as well. But when the bride and groom told me that it would mean a lot to them for me to officiate, I caved.  

Not long after I agreed, I began questioning the decision. I knew giving away my girl was going to hit me in a tender spot, so I wasn’t confident I could keep it together through the ceremony. I tried to get out as many tears as I could in the days leading up to the wedding in hopes the river might run dry. Alas, I wasn’t entirely successful.

At the start of the ceremony, I was on the verge of tears. I had to slow down during the reading of Scripture to maintain composure. I realized pretty quickly that looking at my beautiful daughter was going to be tough, so I averted my gaze whenever I felt like I might lose it.

Things went smoothly until I got to the pronouncement. “By virtue of the authority given to me by the church of Jesus Christ, I now pronounce you…” and then it hit me. After a sniffling and teary pause, I whispered, “I love you,” to Michael and Rosalyn and choked my way to the end.  

Yes, it was hard, but it was beautiful, too. It was an honor I’ll never forget.

One big sadness Christy and I felt was not being able to have everyone we love present with us on the special day. Christy said again this week, “I just wish we could have invited the whole church.” I feel the same.  

Though everyone couldn’t be present in person, your impact on Rosalyn was present. For you taught her in children’s Sunday School. You walked with her in her teen years, through the ups and downs. Many of you recently showered her with gifts to help her and Michael furnish their apartment. In a word, you loved her, and your love was present with us on the wedding day. For that, we are eternally grateful.

Your servant,

 

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, January 12, 2025

Dear Cornerstone family, 

Three to four times a year, we have a Cornerstone Family Meeting. These whole church meetings are informational in nature and are designed to provide you important updates on the life and ministry of the church.

Last Sunday, we kicked off 2025 with a deeply encouraging Family Meeting. We shared statistical data on the church’s growth, made notes on changes within our church leadership and staff, provided a midpoint fiscal year financial update, and reviewed the main tenants of our church vision. 

By God’s grace, we had lots of positive things to share. One particularly positive point I want to circle back to is the fact that the Lord drew 102 new people into church membership at Cornerstone last year. As one of you said to me after the meeting, “That’s a big bump.” You’re right, it is a big bump, and it’s the kind of bump we’ve seen each year since 2021. In fact, the membership of Cornerstone has more than doubled in three years.  

Now, there’s lots of reasons for the growth we’re seeing. For starters, Nashville and Franklin have grown exponentially in that same time frame. By God’s providence, we live in a happening place. People are moving here in droves. That’s certainly a reason for growth.

But another reason more particular to us is the fact that many people are looking for a church like Cornerstone. A church committed to the expository preaching of the Bible, discipleship, and a high view of worship, that also possesses a warm relationality that is born of genuine care. Praise the Lord, Cornerstone is not the only church in our city that is true of, but we are, as my grandfather would say, “a dying breed.” In other words, it’s much harder than it used to be to find churches committed to those distinctives.  

Over the last couple of years, we’ve expanded our facility footprint to help better accommodate the growth, but the time has come to begin preparations for our next step as a congregation. As we begin to prayerfully explore what those steps may be, would you covenant to pray with and for your leaders? It’s always true that we feel a desperate need for your prayers, but it’s especially true when we sense the Lord leading us to take new steps of faith and take holy risks for kingdom purposes. It’s exciting and scary all at the same time!  

As the months unfold, we will be reaching out to you in different ways. We will need your questions and ideas all along the way. Your input is mission critical as we chart a course forward. But for now, in keeping with last week’s message on becoming a weaker church in 2025—that is, more dependent on Christ—let’s begin on our knees surrendering our hearts and lives to the Lord’s will.

Your servant,