Contact: Bill Nicoson, 877-223-8264, [email protected]
SANTA ANA, Ca., Aug. 7 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Vision Architects of Cornerstone Church Network met last week in Huntington Beach, Calif., to launch this new nationally focused network. Cornerstone actually took root in September 2005 when American Baptist Evangelicals (ABE) convened a national conference of more than 300 American Baptist pastors and leaders from across the country at Northern Seminary in Lombard, Ill. The purpose of the conference was to determine the future of ABE, since its original intent – to bring renewal to ABCUSA (American Baptist Churches USA) – seemed unachievable under the current structure of ABCUSA. Those in attendance unanimously agreed that “a new thing” should replace ABE. A group of 15 people, collectively known as Vision Architects, have worked under the oversight of Executive Director Bill Nicoson this past year to facilitate the emergence of Cornerstone Church Network.
“Cornerstone exists for the sake of churches,” says Nicoson, “to help them build each other up, mentor and coach one another, and hold each other accountable.” Strongly influenced by American Baptist heritage, Cornerstone is relational, missional and global. The network is committed to linking like-minded churches and organizations together for ministry and mission. According to Nicoson, “Cornerstone envisions a movement of healthy missional churches that are connected by common passion, vision and values – churches that are equipped to reach nations for Christ.”
Cornerstone will host Church Smart: A Missional Church Seminar, which will be held September 12 and 13, 2006, at the Lindner Conference Center at Northern Seminary, Lombard, Ill. “This seminar is an expression of Cornerstone’s passion to see churches become more effective at fulfilling their mission,” says Nicoson.
Milfred Minatrea is the keynote speaker at the seminar. Minatrea, missiologist, urban strategist and practitioner in ministry, is Director of the Missional Church Center for Baptist General Convention of Texas. He is author of Shaped By God’s Heart: The Passion and Practices of Missional Churches, published by Jossey-Bass.
The seminar will include inspiring worship, breakout sessions for peer-to-peer learning, a panel response, and a Q&A session with Minatrea. For more information about the seminar, visit Cornerstone’s web site at www.ccnetonline.org.
Headquartered in Santa Ana, Calif., Cornerstone Church Network offers a place to call “home” for churches whose mission, vision and values have developed from traditional baptistic roots.
