Typically, God calls someone into ministry, but would God call someone out of ministry? That's what faced Steve Madsen in 1991. After 13 years as a full-time Associate Pastor in another church, Steve resigned and found other employment. Steve wasn't exactly sure what he was going to do, but he knew God was in control. In the fall of 1992, Steve invited his friends to join him for a Bible study in his home. The first study consisted of Steve and his family along with a handful of friends in a systematic study of the book of Galatians. The study rapidly grew to include approximately 40 adults. Soon, the Bible study had outgrown the Madsen's living room, so they added a second weeknight study.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not depend on your own understanding; seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
By Christmas of that same year, the rapidly growing group was feeling God's guidance to organize themselves as a church. They selected the name Cornerstone Fellowship, which best reflected the experience they were all having as they allowed Jesus to be the most important part of their weekly meetings. On March 7, 1993, the first Sunday service for Cornerstone Fellowship was held at the Aahmes Event Center in Livermore. The 40 or so people from the Bible study grew to over 100 in attendance on that first Sunday. Within weeks, Steve resigned from his other job and began serving Cornerstone full-time.
Two things have never changed for Cornerstone, one by choice, the other by God's design; the systematic teaching of the Bible, and the growth of the church. Before the end of 1993, the explosive growth of the church led to the rental of 3500 sq. ft. of office / classroom space. The first overseas missionaries from Cornerstone were also sent out that same year. By early 1994, the Youth, Singles, and Women's ministries were using this space multiple days each week. In 1996, more space was rented to accommodate the continued growth of the church. When the fall of 1997 came, Cornerstone purchased a 24,000 sq. ft. building. Volunteers from the fellowship came together and remodeled the building into a Ministry Center, which housed the church offices, the children's and adult ministry classrooms, the counseling ministry, the youth ministry center and Parchments Bookstore.
It was only a matter of time before we outgrew those facilities and God has once again shown himself faithful with our purchase of a new building. Our desire is to provide quality ministry to the thousands of people who are currently a part of our fellowship while reaching out to those seeking a home church. It is also our desire to start more churches like Cornerstone in other communities. Whatever God calls us to do, we are committed to retain the unique "feel" of this fellowship.
Church growth has never been the object or the effort of the church, but God continues to use Cornerstone to reach the Tri-Valley. The current Sunday attendance at Cornerstone has grown to an average of 3,000 and Pastor Steve continues to teach through the Bible. The church currently has over 40 ministries that reach out not only to the community and the San Francisco Bay Area, but also around the world.
Most important to Cornerstone is not the growth in numbers of people attending, but the spiritual growth of each individual. As attendance grows, it could be easy for people to get "lost in the crowd." At Cornerstone, the priority is to "stay small as we grow." The best way for this to happen is through small groups and one-on-one discipleship.
How do we sum up what's taken place at Cornerstone Fellowship? The people of Israel said it well when they said, "Oh Lord, all that we have accomplished You have done for us." (Isaiah 26:12b) At Cornerstone Fellowship, we believe that it's "not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord." (Zechariah 4:6)