We are a non-denominational evangelical church. Our pastors hold ordination credentials with the Association of Christian Evangelical Ministries (Canada).
No matter where you are on your spiritual journey, you’re welcome in our church. Jesus always welcomed spiritual seekers – and we want to be like Jesus! We affirm the great creeds of the Christian Church as the essentials or ‘non-negotiables’ of our faith.
APOSTLES' CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
He descended to the dead.
On the third day He rose again;
He ascended into heaven,
He is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic [universal/worldwide] church,
the communion of saints [all believers],
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. AMEN.
Statement of Faith
There are many doctrinal issues, that might be considered secondary. For these issues we believe, like St. Augustine: In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love.
The people of Cornerstone come from a variety of Christian theological perspectives. We don’t exclude anyone on the basis of different views on baptism, gifts of the spirit, predestination vs freewill, or any other honest theological disagreement.
While we understand that there might be disagreements, we do ask all our members to never make a secondary theological issue a matter of disunity in the church. If a secondary matter of faith is so important to you, that you consider it primary and non-negotiable for church life, then we suggest you find another church with like-minded people where you can fellowship.
However, if you’re able to ascribe to our Core Value of maintaining a spirit of loving unity-in-diversity, then Cornerstone may be the church for you. What connects the people of Cornerstone is not a full theological agreement, but an alignment to our common Vision, Mission and Core Values as Jesus’ disciples right here in the GTA.
In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love.
THE BIBLE
The sole basis of our belief is the Bible, composed of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. We believe that Scripture in its entirety originated with God and that it was given through the instrumentality of chosen men and women. Scripture thus at one and the same time speaks with the authority of God and reflects the backgrounds, styles, and vocabularies of the human authors. We hold that the Scriptures are infallible in the original manuscripts, being the final authority in all matters of faith and practice.
GOD
We believe in one true and living God, eternally existing in three persons- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- each of whom equally possesses all the attributes of deity and personhood. God is the creator and supreme ruler of the universe, the heavens, the earth and all things therein. By his power, he continues to sustain his creation, and by his providence, he is operating throughout history to fulfill his redemptive purposes.
THE CONDITION OF HUMANITY
Originally created to have fellowship with God, man defied God, choosing to go his own independent way. As a result, man was alienated from God and suffered the corruption of his nature, rendering him unable to please God. This fall of the human race took place at the beginning of human history, and all individuals since have suffered these consequences and are thus in need of the saving grace of God.
THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He offered himself as a substitute in our place voluntarily as a sinless sacrifice on the cross, thereby satisfying God’s righteous judgment against sin. After substantiating the accomplishment of that redemption by his bodily resurrection from the grave, he ascended to the right hand of his Father where he intercedes on behalf of those who trust Him.
THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the God the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He was sent into the world by the Father and the Son to apply the saving work of Christ. He enlightens the minds of sinners, awakens in them the recognition of their need for a Saviour, and spiritually regenerates them. At the moment of salvation, he permanently indwells every believer, baptizing (or placing) them into the one true church, which is the body of Christ. He seals them for the day of redemption, bestows spiritual gifts upon them, and fills (or controls) those who are yielded to Him.
SALVATION
Salvation is the gift of God’s grace, and is not the result, in whole or in part, of human works of goodness. All who personally appropriate salvation through repentance and faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross are forgiven their sins and born into the family of God by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit
THE CHURCH
There is one true universal church which consists of all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. The Scripture commands believers to gather together to devote themselves to worship, prayer, the teaching of the Bible, the observance of baptism and the Lord’s supper, service to the body of believers through the development and use of talents and spiritual gifts, and outreach to the world. Wherever God’s people meet regularly in obedience to this command, there is the local expression of the universal church. Under the care of its pastors and leaders, its members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the one ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ.
THE SACRAMENTS
We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ instituted two ordinances to be observed by believers until His return, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, also known as Communion.
CHRISTIAN LIFE
We believe that the life of the believer is to be separated from worldliness by consistent conduct before God and man, and is at the same time to be in the world as life-giving light, bearing fruit to the glory of God the Father. It is possible for the believer to lead such a life of Christ-like character when he appropriates the power and control of the indwelling Holy Spirit by faith.
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
We believe in the imminent, personal, and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth, to consummate history and the eternal plan of God.
THE ETERNAL STATE
Death seals the eternal destiny of each person. For all mankind, there will be a resurrection of the body into the spiritual world and a judgment that will determine the fate of each individual. Unbelievers will be separated from God into eternal condemnation. God’s judgment will reveal his justice in consigning them to the eternal perpetuation of their own choice to reject him. Believers will be received into eternal communion with God and will be rewarded for works done in this life.
Our Convictions in Practice
In addition to our Statement of Faith, the following pages describe how some of our biblical convictions take shape in the life and ministry of our church. These are areas where people often have questions, so we have provided brief summaries here along with fuller explanations for those who wish to explore them in more depth.
Women in Ministry
At Cornerstone, we affirm that both women and men are created in the image of God and are equally called, gifted, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to serve in the life and leadership of the church.
We believe the biblical story—from creation through redemption—points toward a restored partnership between women and men in God’s mission. Throughout Scripture, women are seen praying, prophesying, teaching, leading, and serving God’s people. In the ministry of Jesus and the life of the early church, women are consistently welcomed as participants and leaders in God’s work.
While a few passages in the New Testament have been interpreted as restricting women in certain roles, we understand these texts in their historical and pastoral context and in light of the broader witness of Scripture. Taken together, the Bible presents a vision of leadership rooted not in gender hierarchy but in Christlike servanthood and Spirit-given gifting.
For this reason, women at Cornerstone may serve in every area of ministry and leadership, including preaching, pastoral ministry, and church governance.
At the same time, we recognize that faithful followers of Jesus hold different views on these matters. We welcome those who hold complementarian convictions to participate in the life of our church, provided conversations are marked by humility, respect, and a commitment to unity.
Ultimately, our desire is to be a community where the gifts and callings of all believers are recognized and released for the sake of Christ’s mission.
Sexuality
At Cornerstone, we believe every person is created in the image of God and deeply loved by Him. Jesus invites all people to come to Him as they are, offering grace, truth, forgiveness, and transformation. Because of this, people from every background and life story are welcome to be part of our church community.
We hold to the historic Christian understanding that marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, and that sexual intimacy is a good gift from God designed to be expressed within that covenant. All Christians—married or single—are called to pursue holiness in their relationships and to submit their desires to Christ.
At the same time, we recognize that human experiences of sexuality, identity, and relationships are often complex and deeply personal. Many people wrestle with questions related to attraction, sexual desire, gender identity, marriage, divorce, singleness, or past brokenness. We seek to approach these realities with humility, compassion, and patience.
We also believe that singleness is a calling of equal dignity to marriage and that the church is meant to be a spiritual family where all people—married and single alike—find belonging, support, and purpose.
Our aim as a church is to hold together biblical conviction and Christlike compassion, creating a community where people can encounter Jesus, grow as His disciples, and experience His transforming grace.
The Lord’s Supper
Each month when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper at Cornerstone, we practice what is known as Open Communion or Open Table. In contrast to traditions that “fence the Table”—limiting access to communion only to baptized members of a specific church or denomination—we extend the invitation to all who sincerely desire to draw near to Jesus. As we often say:
“All who wish to draw near to Jesus are welcome to partake.”
Preaching
At Cornerstone, we believe preaching is one of the primary ways God forms His people through Scripture.
Our sermons are rooted in the authority of the Bible and seek to faithfully interpret and apply its message to life today. This approach is often called expository preaching, meaning the main ideas of a sermon arise from the meaning of a biblical text as understood in its historical and literary context.
Rather than following only one preaching format, we use a blended approach. At times we preach sequentially through books of the Bible; at other times we explore biblical themes, address pastoral topics, or reflect on passages connected to seasons such as Advent and Lent. In every case, our goal is to remain grounded in Scripture while helping people see how each passage fits within the larger story of the Bible.
Central to our preaching is the conviction that all Scripture ultimately points to Jesus Christ. Our aim is not only to explain the Bible, but to help people encounter Christ through it and grow as His disciples.
Cornerstone also practices team preaching, with several pastors and leaders sharing in this ministry.