Our Theology - Cornerstone Church of Knoxville

We exist to treasure, grow in, and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Treasure

We treasure God together, being rooted in His truth as we gather to sing His praise, sit under the preaching of His word, celebrate the sacraments, and encounter His empowering presence through prayer and ministry of the Spirit. Additionally, God is treasured as we daily remember the gospel, meet with Him through the Scriptures, and live in a manner that displays the unrivaled worth of the Savior.

Grow

The church community is the context for spiritual growth and strength. Through active participation in Community Group, we experience fellowship and care in authentic, godly relationships. As we serve in Ministry Teams, we build and strengthen the church. Mature disciples of Jesus Christ help one another grow in grace, care for one another, and actively serve others together.

Proclaim

Communion with God and with each other spurs mission. Evangelism is the joyful responsibility and privilege of every believer, and outreach is our others-loving response to God’s grace. Reaching the campus of UT and partnering with Sovereign Grace Churches (SGC) to plant new churches play prominent roles in our evangelism strategy. Our outward ministry to the world includes a commitment to engaging culture by participating in compassion ministry.

Our Values

At CCK, we have identified a few main priorities to help us be faithful to Christ’s call. These priorities shape our life together and give rise to the kinds of activities we pursue individually and as a church. Understanding these values will give you a good sense of the kind of church we’re seeking to build, by God’s grace, at CCK.

Applying the Gospel: We desire CCK to be a community that views all of the Christian life—our beliefs, values, and obedience—through the lens of Christ’s person and work.

Expository Preaching: Expository preaching, that is, preaching that explains and applies Scripture in its biblical context, enables God’s word to shape our lives individually and as a church.

2 Tim 3:16-4:2: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”

Every Member Serving: There are to be no passive participants in the church. Indeed, one of the primary reasons God saves us is to rescue us from an existence leading to death and to set us free to serve Him with joy. You can find out about serving opportunities here.

Intentional Relationships: Just as the Christian life isn’t to be passive, neither is it to be isolated. Because the Holy Spirit at conversion joins us to Christ’s body, our relationships are to be marked by this reality. Two key aspects to these relationships are discipleship and care. We have created community groups as a context to encourages these relationships.

Faithfully Evangelistic: We desire to cultivate a church culture were every member understands and embraces the biblical responsibility and privilege of sharing the gospel with others.

Praying Together: We desire the life and ministry of our church—individually and corporately—to be dependent upon and fueled by prayer.

Experiencing God’s Presence: A vibrant experience of the Holy Spirit is not meant to be the domain of a narrow brand of Christian; the Spirit is God’s empowering presence for the entirety of the life of the Christian and the church.

Partnering in the Broader Mission: While we have a specific mission as a church, we are also part of the Sovereign Grace family of churches. Sovereign Grace is a union of over 70 churches and provides us with opportunities to serve in the global church!

Leadership Structure: It is our view that Scripture teaches that elders are to lead, direct and manage the affairs of the church (See: Acts 20:17-38; 1 Thes 5:12-13; 1 Tim 3:1-7; 5:17; Titus 1:7-9; Heb 13:17; 1 Peter 5:1-5), not for members to govern in a democratic fashion. Elders are to be chosen for ministry by elders and must meet the clear requirements found in Scripture (See: 1 Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). Elder duties include ruling and exercising oversight in the church (See: Acts 20:28, 1 Tim 5:17, 1 Tim 3:4-5; 1 Peter 5:2).

Furthermore, we believe that a biblical model is one in which the elders lead (See: Rom 12:8) while they listen (See: Ex 18:24, Pr 12:15, 19:20). We see the importance of seeking counsel from the congregation in major decisions of the church (See: Pr 11:14, 15:22). Though the congregation may not have a vote, they do have a voice. A healthy local church is one in which the elders seek as much input as possible from the members in order to make wise decisions that are affirmed by the congregation.

Statement of Faith: We are a confessional community. At the heart of our union is the truth of God’s Word that we believe, cherish, and proclaim together. While the Bible is our only infallible rule of faith and practice, we are also committed—and accountable—to a specific statement of faith that represents a summary of the teaching of Holy Scripture on key points of doctrine essential to the beliefs, conduct, and witness of our churches. Click HERE to read our full statement of faith as part of Sovereign Grace Churches.