01. Introduction

It is hard to read the Bible without seeing the purpose and plan of God being truly cosmic in nature! However, the way he accomplishes it is astonishing. Rarely do we think about his plan in terms of relationships. Yet in 1 Peter, it is through relationships between the elders and members of local churches (5:5) that are built together into a temple of living stones (2:4-5), hewn by suffering (1:6), that announces the excellencies of Christ (2:9). In Ephesians, it is the relationships between leaders and saints in the church under Christ’s good leadership (4:11-16) becoming the vehicle in which he establishes his authority over all things (1:22-23). And in Matthew, Christ, the One who had been given “all authority in heaven and on earth,” established his mission for the world through relationships between disciples who teach and disciples who learn (28:19-20). Relationships, specifically committed relationships, are key to his big plan.

02. Defining “Disciple”

In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus spoke to his eleven disciples, commanding them, “As you go, make disciples of all nations…” In other words, Jesus’ “Great Commission” is the call to BE disciples and to MAKE disciples. This is the foundation of our understanding of church membership: “the commitment to be a disciple and to make disciples...in partnership with the other members and elders of Cornerstone” (Membership Booklet, p. 11). But if being and making disciples is so foundational, then it is important to clearly define what that word “disciple” means. At Cornerstone, we define what it means to be a disciple in four ways: A disciple is a follower of Jesus who is learning from Jesus, trusting Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and helping others do the same. 

“Learning from Jesus” means that we are engaged in being and making disciples of Jesus, not of ourselves or any other Christian teacher or personality (1 Cor. 1:12-13). We have much to learn from one another and from those who have gone before us, but our eyes are fixed on Jesus. “Trusting Jesus” means that our faith in Jesus leads to growing faithfulness to Jesus. Paul describes this dynamic as “the obedience of faith” (Rom. 1:5; 16:26), which includes both hearing Jesus’ words and doing what He says (Luke 6:46-49; James 1:22-25). “Becoming like Jesus” is the goal of discipleship (Luke 6:40)! The Holy Spirit’s work is to transform us into the image of Jesus as we behold his glory (2 Cor. 3:18). Our work is to “walk by the spirit,” joining him in his work in our lives and in each others’ lives (Gal. 5:16-6:1). Finally, “Helping others do the same” reminds us that to be a disciple of Jesus is to be engaged in the mission to make disciples of Jesus (Matt. 28:19). Every true disciple is (or will be) a disciple-maker (2 Tim. 2:2; Col. 1:28-29).

03. A Covenant Relationship

In the second video, we talked about how the foundation of our understanding of church membership is “the commitment to be a disciple and to make disciples...in partnership with the other members and elders of Cornerstone” (Membership Booklet, p. 11). In this video, we focus on why we believe it’s healthy to formalize that commitment through a covenant of membership. By describing membership at Cornerstone as a covenant relationship, we are seeking to follow the example that we see in Scripture: “A covenant is a formalized relationship based upon promises of ongoing faithfulness in pursuit of a common mission” (Membership Booklet, p. 7). 

When God entered into a covenant relationship with people, it was initiated in a visible, formal way (Gen. 15; Ex. 19-20; 24). In this relationship, each member makes promises about how they will continue to be faithful to the relationship into the future (Gen. 12:2-3; 17:9-14; Ex. 20:1-17). And the reason for the formality and promises is because a covenant is about more than just being in a relationship; it’s about accomplishing something through the relationship. It’s a partnership to pursue a common mission (Gen. 12:3; Ex. 19:5-6). 

If you are a follower of Jesus, God has called you into a relationship with him through Jesus, which the Bible calls the “new covenant” (Luke 22:20; 2 Cor. 3:6; Heb. 8:6-13). The mission of the new covenant, as we saw in the second video, is to be disciples and to “make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:18-20). And the New Testament says much about what it means for us to be faithful to God and each other within this new covenant: for instance, the over 30 “one another” commands in the New Testament (John 13:34; Rom. 15:7; Gal 5:13, etc.). Therefore, the purpose of membership at Cornerstone is nothing more (or less) than the commitment to live according to the relationship, promises, and mission of the new covenant within this local church. Rather than assuming that we are committed to each other, we seek to follow the example we see in Scripture by making a visible, formal commitment to each other.

04. Our Discipleship Pathway

At the start of our membership series, we discussed the importance the Bible places upon local committed relationships in advancing the mission of God—of making disciples. In the second video, Christian helped us to see that membership is, at its heart, the mutual commitment of making disciples of Jesus Christ that we make to one another (“a follower of Jesus who is learning from Jesus, trusting Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and helping others do the same”). In the third video, Christian explained even further what the commitment is by helping us to understand the idea of a covenant — “a formalized relationship based upon promises of ongoing faithfulness in pursuit of a common mission.” Most importantly, we learned that the “purpose of membership at Cornerstone is nothing more (or less) than the commitment to live according to the relationship, promises, and mission of the new covenant within this particular local church.”

In this video, our heart is to help clarify even further what membership is at Cornerstone. We will do this by looking at Cornerstone’s Discipleship Pathway. And what is comforting is that we don’t need to do something new. Instead, we need to constantly remind ourselves to return to something very ancient. The Discipleship Pathway is based upon the way in which Jesus and the early church made disciples.

05. The Responsibilities of Leaders

Recently, we laid out Cornerstone’s discipleship pathway (pp. 14-15). We wanted to first show you how Jesus discipled his followers, and then how we are seeking to do the same thing in the life of Cornerstone. In this video, Todd unpacks how God intends leaders to provide a healthy atmosphere for members of local churches to grow into flourishing disciples of Jesus Christ. They do this through:

• living gospel transformed lives that can be imitated (transformed...not perfect),

• teaching the truth of God’s Word and protecting from false teaching (including false teachers),

• providing avenues for the church to be equipped for ministry that builds the church in love,

• praying for the spiritual and physical needs of the church,

• dealing graciously with sin in the church family, including church discipline, in a manner that leads people to repentance and restoration found only in Jesus Christ,

• leading the church into our local community to share Christ in word and deed so that others might know and embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ.

06. The Responsibilities of Members

In the fifth video, Todd established the role of leaders found in Scripture. Specifically, how they work together to provide an environment for people to become who God intends them to be so that they might join Jesus in his mission through a local church. In this video, Todd helps us understand how each of us plays a role in creating a healthy atmosphere for people to encounter Jesus and flourish as disciples of Jesus Christ.

07. Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing

In the fifth video, Todd established the role of leaders found in Scripture. Specifically, how they work together to provide an environment for people to become who God intends them to be so that they might join Jesus in his mission through a local church. As we wrap up our Membership series in this video, Todd will help us understand how each of us plays a role in creating a healthy atmosphere for people to encounter Jesus and flourish as disciples of Jesus Christ.