GOD - We believe God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. (Genesis 1:1, 26-27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2)
JESUS CHRIST - We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, born of a virgin. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on the cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory and will return again to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:22-23; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 1:3-4; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 4:14-15)
THE HOLY SPIRIT - We believe the Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. He is present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every believer from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. The Christian seeks to live under His control daily. John 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 1:13, 5:18)
THE BIBLE - We believe the Bible is God's Word to all people. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit and is without error. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Psalm 12:6, 119:105,160; Proverbs 30:5; 2 Timothy 1:13; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
MAN - We believe man is made in the image of God. He is the supreme object of God's creation. Although God designed man to have fellowship with Him, man became alienated from God through disobedience. As a result, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and choose to sin against God. Man is incapable of regaining a right relationship with God through his own efforts. (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6, 59:1-2; Romans 3:23; Colossians 1:21)
SALVATION - We believe salvation is a gift from God to man. Man can never make up for his sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can man be saved from sin's penalty. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith. (John 14:6; Romans 5:1, 6:23; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5)
ETERNITY - We believe man was created to exist forever. He will exist either eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. When you die, you will either spend eternity in Heaven or Hell. Eternal separation from God happens in Hell. Eternal union with God happens in Heaven. (John 3:16; Romans 6:23; 1 John 2:25; Revelation 20:15)
ETERNAL SECURITY - We believe that because God gives man eternal life through Jesus Christ, the believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives this security. (John 10:29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25, 10:10-14; 1 Peter 1:3-5)
~OUR VISION~ Our vision is to experience church like we read about in the New Testament: The New Testament church is our inspiration for what church in the 21st century can be. Our roots stretch back to the New Testament church where we discover followers of Christ filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout the world. They experienced supernatural miracles and spiritual awakenings. The early church lived in community where they experienced life together “house to house” (small groups) and in the “temple courts” (large group). They were generous and caring. This and so much more of what we discover in the early church is what we envision for congregations in the HeartLink Network.
~OUR MISSION~ To grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Jennifer and I want to welcome you to Cornerstone Community Church. We are so excited you have taken the time to visit this page to find out how the Lord has moved in our lives and within the parameters of the church plant. Upon accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior in 2011, our life has been a whirlwind as we have passionately served Him in various roles and capacities. We were humbled with various opportunities to serve as Children Ministry leaders for our planting church, Cornerstone Church of Augusta (CCA). Jennifer served as a director of the Children's ministries as well as implementing Graceful Beginnings. As for myself, I accepted a call into full-time ministry in 2014 and completed theological training through Liberty Online Bible institute in 2018.
In the summer of 2020, the Lord began to stir in our hearts to plant a church in the Dooms/North 340 corridor of Augusta county Virginia. Partnered with our leadership teams and friends, we began many months of prayer, fasting and discernment that resulted in a transition from CCA to our sister church in Weyers Cave, Life Christian Fellowship (LCF).
On Father Day in the spring of 2021, Life Christian Fellowship welcomed us into their loving family to begin a season of preparation for the church plant. The Kurtz family provided a perfect environment to adjust, process and glean as we listened intently to the Lord’s direction. How fitting that our time of procurement was spent with the latest church plant within our Network. So, many questions, concerns…and fears were addressed as we moved toward the launching of CCC.
After nine months, the Lord was preparing us for the “birth” of this new work within the Kingdom of God. The search for a meeting place led us to three different locations. How blessed that the Lord guided us to the Crimora Community Center, a historic building that functioned as a school for many years. This led to two interest meetings and weekly meetings on Wednesday nights to meeting on Sunday mornings as of March of 2023.
If you are looking for a church home, we would love to have you join us on Sunday mornings beginnings at 10am.
Pastor Gerald Martin and wife Sophia, were pastoring a church in Broadway, Va when God used them and the congregation to reach families in their community. As the church grew, it became apparent that not everyone was equally excited about the new growth. As tensions increased, denominational leaders approached Pastor Gerald with an alternative solution. They asked if he would be willing to plant a new church in the community. Many of the new families joined him in this faith adventure and the result was the official launching of Cornerstone Church of Broadway (Broadway, VA) on April 6, 1986.
Jesus said, "And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins" (Mark 2:22). What denominational leaders had the wisdom to recognize is that the "new wine" the Lord was pouring out needed a "new wineskin." We are thankful for their foresight and for Pastor Gerald's obedience to develop a new wineskin for what God was doing.
The congregation grew quickly and thus the leaders began looking for opportunities to plant new churches. Church planting efforts targeted cities and towns in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia but then expanded to other states as Missouri, South Carolina and Florida. During this period of growth Pastor Gerald transitioned from being the Sr. Pastor of Cornerstone of Broadway to serving as the apostolic leader for the growing network of churches. In 2001 these congregations left their denominational system and formed Cornerstone Church and Ministries International (CCMI).
CCMI continued expanding, especially internationally. Partnerships with indigenous pastors developed in Nigeria, Ethiopia, India, Sri Lanka, Montenegro, Chile and Trinidad. These international ministries were supported through Faith Promise missions giving and through relational connections for oversight, equipping and accountability.
In 2011 Pastor Gerald retired from leading CCMI after 25 faithful and fruitful years of ministry with Cornerstone. In June 2011 CCMI was multiplied into nine networks. The seven international church movements were each recognized as their own network and the church in America was divided into two separate networks. Pastor Kenton Slabaugh was appointed as the overseer of Restoration Network International and Pastor Greg Mayo was appointed as the overseer of HeartLink Network of Cornerstone Churches. All nine networks now make up the Association of Cornerstone Networks International.
HeartLink is proud to be part of the spiritual heritage given to us through Pastor Gerald and Sophia Martin. They took steps of faith in 1986 not knowing where that would lead them. Though it hasn't always been an easy road, they have modeled love, acceptance and forgiveness. They have invested their lives in discipling men and women who are now serving in God's kingdom as leaders, missionaries, church planters, pastors, worship leaders, etc. It is the hope of HeartLink Network to build upon the rich heritage we have been given so God receives all the glory and His kingdom is extended throughout the world.
For more information about our network, please check out the link below.
