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Cornerstone Church
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Mission
3459 17th St
(between Dearborn St & Guerrero St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 861-2439
3459 17th St
(between Dearborn St & Guerrero St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 861-2439
- Hours:
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Sun. 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
22 reviews for Cornerstone Church
Have been going here since the hubby and I moved to SF. I really enjoy everything about this place.
There's substance in the messages. The Pastor really makes things applicable to your life and walk.
The worship is great, but a little too "Rock On (finger in the air)" for me. Don't get me wrong they've got a ton of talent up there worshiping and praising God, but it's a little too polished for me. They also like to sing songs that they wrote - great, it shows creativity. However, I'd rather be able to get into praise, by singing songs I know and not having to follow the teleprompters.
Wish it was a little more interactive (Pastor - Congregation - Pastor), but it's cool.
Free Parking....major plus!
So recently we went on a Saturday night since we couldn't make our Sunday service and checked it out again. Bumping up one star for the people that sat around us who seemed genuinely friendly and warm. Would have bumped up to 3 stars if not for the personal messages I got from members of the church who didn't like my last review. I get it you love your church and your defending it but my issues aren't out of the norm. People that love this church love it and people that don't usually say very similar things to what I said.
I still have issue with the lack of a message but I do see the value. For busy people it's a quick in and out. Short teaching on the bible. Lots of music for those who tire easily of the traditional stoic type of services. You can tell people spend a lot of time on the production. Huge wall size poster of their series on Moses. Lights. They even sell coffee and pastries right before the service.
Personally I feel like it's a bit too much song. Started to feel like a concert. I almost chuckled when people clapped after each song. I thought the idea was to sing together no? Maybe I'm wrong about that. Peopel were trying to sing along but the band is a bit over powering. Either way I think Cornerstone has it's place and for some it's the right place.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/23/2009
Club Cornerstone? We woke up late on Sunday and missed our service at City Church so decided to… Read more »
Oh this review is hard to write. On one hand I want to give 5 stars, and on another, 1 at best.
Some background: Raised athiest, you could probably call me agnostic for much of my adult life. Until I went to Cornerstone. Ironically, my partner, who has been a Christ follower her whole life, took me to Cornerstone for the first time, about 7 years ago. And I loved it. For someone who scoffed at God and Jesus and all the weirdos who believed in that stuff, imagine the surprise I felt at loving this church. I love the music. I tear up in the first five minutes almost every time. I love Pastor Terry's messages. I love the way I feel when I leave, the perspective I gain from Pastor Terry's message. So many times I have wanted to just walk up and hug him and say Thank You.
But as a church, they don't accept the gays. Tough stuff. My partner and I really wanted to make this our home church. Bring our future kids here and whatnot. I wrote one of the pastors an email regarding their stance on homosexuality. I knew the response I would get, but I hoped and prayed I would be wrong. I wasn't. For a while I was mad. And we shopped around for churches. Tried a few for about a year. Couldn't get into them, and a couple of weeks ago, went back to Cornerstone. It sucks, but it seems like we just need to fight the good fight and wait it out. Truthfully, I don't think everyone at this church, or probably everyone who even works at this church are homophobic gay haters. It is the bigger beast that is the problem, and it is going to take a lot of time to get rid of it. History has shown us that much.
I also wish they were a little more active in the community. On our quest for a new church, we tried Glide for a while. You can tell they put their money where their mouth is. Cornerstone should take a cue from them.
Oh, and just to note- it is a very "hip" church, lots of young people in the most current styles and expensive haircuts, flashy graphics and handouts, but if that is why you are going there, or aren't going there, something is wrong.
I have been attending this church for 10 years and have really found a community in which I can serve and be a part of. I have met so many true friends and wonderful people. I love it because people are real. I have met people from all different backgrounds and love the diversity (socio- economic, age, ethnicity and beliefs) People are all on different parts of their journey in their love relationship with the Lord. In my experience, it's far from homogeneous. You will find people that are like you and you will find people that are nothing like you as well. My world view has opened up because I've met so many diverse people who love Jesus having come from different backgrounds. Growing up in the bible belt of the midwest, this is refreshing. I love that...
When I walked in this church 10 years ago, I felt like I had found "home." Joining a bible study group is key. I've met some of my best friends and community through women's groups, serving and married groups. Because the church has grown a lot over the 10 years, you do have to be proactive about getting plugged in. It's not as easy as a smaller church with only 100 ppl. So for some, this may not be what you're looking for. Cornerstone is +1200 with 4 services so about 300 ppl per service. You have to be willing to get connected, to join groups, to go to events or to volunteer etc.
Pastor Terry preaches insightfully and to the heart while aligning with biblical foundation. To get deeper in the scriptures, the church offers in depth bible studies Wednesday nights as well as lots of bible study groups. If you're looking for inductive bible study and academic 3 hour sermons, this is not for you. The in depth study happens in bible studies during the week or in our own personal time. Pastor Terry is very intellectual but very good at connecting on life application. He reads a lot and he loves history so you can see elements of that weaved through out.
One thing most notice or connect with is the worship music and the creative arts. We are all created to be expressive and creative beings. Cornerstone uses the talents of those in the church to share God's love in a artistic and beautiful way. The music is passionate, full of life and modern contemporary style.
People are real, authentic and love Jesus and people. I really don't think any church has it all. We're all flawed people trying the best we can to love imperfectly. I would say, like anything, you have to try it and we as Christians should love and support each other as fellow Christians in the Bay Area. Often times, you read how people weren't happy with the experience for one reason or other. They didn't get what they were expecting out of the church. I really believe it's not about what we get out of it, it's what we can give.
Cornerstone is a wonderful church but it may not be the best fit for everyone. The most important thing is that you find a home that you can be a part of. We are ONE church anyways.
Hope this review is helpful and balanced!
I don't live in the area, but if I did, this would be my church home. Even as an occasional visitor, I've always felt a warm welcome. Cornerstone Chuch has a great community spirit with really friendly, sincere people.
May I offer a few suggestions for visitors or people who are church-shopping?
Come early, because the services fill up quickly.
Be open, because the services are creative, multi-sensory experiences.
Invest a little of yourself and you will be blessed, because these are some of the nicest people I've met in SF.
True Religion.
Seven, Diesel, Levi's, Lucky 13, D&G, Stussy, Old Navy. There's space for all type of jeans at this hip church located two blocks from Dolores Park in the Mission District.
Cornerstone pleasantly surprised me in that it wasn't anything like the stuffy church I remember when I was a kid. Instead of hearing obscure echoes bouncing off cathedral walls, Pastor Terry's sermons at Cornerstone aided by a fantastic contemporary worship band, lights, media, video and drama presents "church" in a vibrant manner.
The worship band is real good and it's okay to clap along. However sometimes I'm next to someone that doesn't got any rhythm. I annoyingly think "why is this guy next to me clapping off beat?" Then I realize--whoops--"I'm that guy" that's clapping off beat!
They stage a few dramas around Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mother's Day and Easter. Their drama often adds some creative liberty to re-imagine familiar biblical stories in a compelling way. The last play I saw there, their stage crew surprisingly put a beat-up Volkswagen on the small stage for their road trip Christmas play.
Even though the building is small and intimate, attendance is bustling with 4 services scattered over the weekend. Cornerstone is a friendly place for those with a budding curiousity in Christianity, as well as a good place for people to sink roots. I've made some awesome friends there to grow in faith with. It's a good place to invite family, co-workers and friends.
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Here's a video clip I like from Cornerstone's YouTube page:
http://www.youtube.com...
This is a great church for those seeking applicable, heart-felt messages centered on Christian principles. Pastor Terry delivers deep concepts in an exciting way...which makes you want to live the principles out in your day-to-day life. I look forward to going here each week. And, the worship music is really moving.
I would say that this place does it right. It is very simple to be accomodating... you just have to care. The people at this church do care, even about parking!
My husband and I were welcomed here and felt welcome. The worship service is interesting, not your typical service but its good. The paster is very relaxed in his offering and it makes it very easy to listen to.
Overall- I enjoyed the service and will be back.
I've been going to Cornerstone for a year now and all in all it is a very positive experience. The band is incredible, Pastor Terry and the other speakers he bring sin always have very relevant sermons, and the experience is overall very positive. I will say that I agree with what many have said that it can be difficult to feel the warmth of this church without making a personal effort to get plugged in. The first few months I attended I just went to service and I did not feel as if I met many people who I saw on a regular basis. However, once I got involved with a small group and also started serving in the church I have felt much more like part of the community. It is definitely something where what you put in is what you get out.
I would encourage any women also to attend the Coffee Talk series that are every other month on a Saturday (can find them on the Cornerstone calendar online). A few weeks after I began attending the church I went to a Coffee Talk and it was a great opportunity to be with other Christian women worshipping and hearing a message for us as women in the church. I also would really encourage young people to sign up for the Twenty Somethings dinner dialogues, as it is a good way to get hooked in even if you can't commit to a small group kind of setting.
I went to Cornerstone for over 2 years. I did the connection class, joined a small group, and volunteered every other week. That's a pretty big commitment for me. My experience at this church was very positive, but the church is not perfect. My opinion is that this is a great church for people who like contemporary worship music and want a welcoming, low-pressure, inspiring sermon.
Reasons I kept going:
location (17th & Valencia!)
worship team (one of the best contemporary bands I've seen)
people I met there
Pastor Terry's messages (historical & literary references included in addition to the touchy feely stuff)
Suggestions for those who want to give this church a fair shot:
try to go to the same service every week
attend connection class (this is how I got plugged into the small groups - the website is not always up to date)
Reasons why I might look for a new church:
Pastor Terry preaches messages in series of 4- 12 weeks. The messages will revolve around a certain theme, like "The Prodigal Son." Some members love all the messages and series. I really loved a couple series (The Seasons of LIfe and Parables), sort of liked most of the others. After 2 years, I've heard the same themes again and again, and they are less relevant now than when I first joined.
I wish they did more community service. They have a couple weeklong missions trips every year, but that's a big commitment. They volunteer with other organizations once every 1-2 months, but they don't have any of their own outreach programs. They also don't seem to interact much with other churches in their immediate community. It's kind of a bubble.
I walked away from religion over 20 years ago and two years ago was invited to this church. At first I was hesitant and skeptical. I have to admit the sound, lighting and video is incredible. Too incredible for comfort but I gave it some time and then decided that I was either going to commit or not. I soon realized that, like everything else in my life, I got out of it what I put into it.
Here are the 3 major reasons I decided to make cornerstone my church:
1: I'm never browbeaten here. "Here's the bible verse and the message along with relevance to our current times." A little more elegant than that but you understand.
2: People here take their roles in the church seriously not themselves.
3: I feel comfortable enough and open to be fed spiritually here.
If you're looking for a church that will tell you "you must come here and repent you sinner", then don't come here.
If you're looking to connect with everyone you meet here, you will be disappointed but you will make some friends and connections.
If you're ready to commit and give your soul a chance to be fed spiritually, then come here. YOU GET OUT OF IT WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT!
This is quite possibly the coolest church I've been to in California. I was brought up in a Methodist Church, and I used to dread the long, boring sermons (I was a kid, come on.) on Sundays...this is the opposite of what people tend to think of church as. I love this church and have been going for the past two or three years or so.
They have a great worship band that plays a lot of rock, and the congregation is a very diverse mix of folks - tattoos, piercings, designer jeans, soccer moms - and Pastor Terry (the senior pastor) is young, energetic, and full of Spirit. Plus, they have so many different types of ministries to get involved with (performing arts ministry, music, dance, children's ministry, and more) that there's something for everyone. They've even been written up in the Chronicle as a Gen-X Church....if you never thought going to church could be fun, try Cornerstone...you might like it!
The church is set in a beautiful location- a former arthouse movie theater. They have a very cool balcony and their services are so popular that they have to roll away one of the walls during the services to open up another room for seating. Pastor Terry's services are always very relevant for today's young Christian.
The church is best for yuppies in their 30's-40's. Get there early to find off-street parking and for good seats. The only complaint I have is the people- such snobs. Don't expect to feel like a part of the family of God if you don't fit into "The Clique," which is made up of the musicians in the band. They do a great of job performing, but they are very pretentious and pretty catty to each other. They don't feel the need to make you feel welcome.
If you're looking for a wonderful church to attend that has sermons that count, yet don't want to plant roots, then this is probably the church for you.
I started going to Cornerstone 5 months ago and I really liked it. Pastor Terry's teaching connects with our daily life and always hits the spot. He is one of God's wonderful gift. I keep going every week because I want to listen to him, not just because I have to go.
I can understand how it feels like to be unwelcome, especially on first impression. But it doesn't mean the whole church members are like that. Some are incredibly nice, try to join the ministry or classes to get to know more people. It's really hard to know people by just attending the weekly service. The band is really awesome, you will love it. They have 4 services every week, so imagine how tired they are, we are all human, can't keep a friendly face all the time.
Give it a try. Pastor Terry's teaching is simple and quite entertaining. The message is often divided into series for several weeks and you will definitely learn from it. I have wonderful experience there, just want to share. Focus on Him, for He never frustrates you.
I really, really like this place, if I wasn't so involved in my other church, I would go here all the time.
I too have noticed a slight standoffishness among regular members, but I think that is overcome pretty quickly and has a lot of to do with how much effort you are making to know people. Pastor Terry is an engaging, insightful speaker, his love of the Lord and his passion for the Bible are immediately evident. I really appreciate the effort they make everything their volunteers a ministry, I think it's really valuable to encouage people to look for creative/different ways to serve, and that's something they are really good at here.
I am one of the worship leaders at this church. My name is Jonathan. Apparently (according to some yelpers) me and the rest of the band are a "Clique". We are "stand-offish" and "inward." Well, on any given Sunday 1500+ people will attend this church and I am only one person. I am sorry I can't say "hello" or even offer a friendly smile to everyone, but if you would like to chat you know where to find me on Sunday mornings. I mean that. No sarcasm intended.
I've recently started a search for a new church and went to the Saturday night service based upon a friend's suggestion.
I think the best way to gauge a visit to a new church is to figure out what your frame of reference is. For me I've been a long time follower and was searching for a new place to worship.
Given that assumption, the last thing I wanted was an overtly friendly congregation and worship. So the "hands off approach" of the Saturday night service was good for me.
Think of it as the difference between customer service styles. Some shoppers prefer an immediate "hands on" approach, others prefer a "hands-off, wait until I ask for service" approach. The type of shopper you are would determine how the cliques appear to you.
So back to the worship, I found the lesson to be insightful and presented in a way that piqued my interest. It was on an oft-covered topic of the Prodigal Son, but for the first time in many years I learned a new application of the story.
Some may find the band a bit over the top, but that is pretty much how most contemporary worships are now led. FYI if a contemporary worship style is a deal breaker for your worship experience, then you might want to try other more traditional churches.
Show up early if you want to find parking and to get a feel of how the congregation socializes.
I can only give it three stars so far because I'm not sure if I plan to join this church.
Well.... what to say about Cornerstone????? It is like the In & Out Burger of Churches. It all looks really good until you bite into it & find out there is just not much there. The church looks good on the outside, great facilities, band, pastor & cool hip people. But before you know it you are in the door & out the door with services that last barely an hour.
We come to church wanting to worship & hear a word from the Lord but after a very short set of songs lasting all of 10 minutes the praise & worship is over. The music is well performed by the band, but its sad that the congregation responds yawning & half bored more interested in sipping on their Latte's & coffee than in praising the Lord.
After a few brief announcements & Pastor Terry's 30 minute sermonette the service is over. If he is on one of his series you will probably have to sit through 15 minutes of his repeating what he spoke on the week before, a few minutes introduction followed by a brief few points for consideration. One recent message was about the importance of friendship. We were sitting there looking at each other thinking he must be kidding, we learned that in kindergarten & we are dieing here wanting to hear a word from the Lord, something to inspire challenge & bring renewal to our souls.
We walk out the door & think wow that's it we spent more time getting ready, driving & parking than the service lasts.
My wife & I have attended for over two years given our money, been willing to give of ourselves & wanted to become more involved in the church. Every Sunday Pastor Terry speaks about community & the importance of getting involved in a small group which is the backbone of the church. We have sent out endless requests by email & made calls to the leaders of various groups so many times it had become a sad joke with us. Two years later we have been unable to connect with a group due to lack of response & follow up from group leaders.
So if you like fast food Christianity vs substance depth meat & relationships by all means attend Cornerstone. You wont leave changed challenged or affected & you will have plenty of time available for your busy life.
I wish I could give this church 5 stars. It has everything I look for in a church. A dynamic pastor, great music and the people seem very friendly. Unfortunately, Cornerstone Church is not open and affirming to all. I had a very nice discussion with one of the associate pastors who told me that while they welcome all individuals, this church does not recognize homosexuality as morally just. As a gay Christian I cannot attend a church that doesn't allow me to feel free to be candid about my identity and convictions.
It takes more than just a professional quality entertainment crew and band to make a church. It also takes sincere relationships to create a church. After re-visiting this church after a year of moving onto a different church, (scheduling conflict enabled me to attend their Saturday service) the members there who remembered me was downright blatant in their lack of enthusiasm of my attendance there. As much as I tried letting the music and message get through, the lack of consideration from those around overshadowed the experience. Was everyone I came across a negative experience? No, there were 3 of the 9 contacts/interactions that kept me from changing the rating all the way down to a single star, but it's still very sad to take a star away from an establishment like a church.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/1/2008
I'm probably going to say similar things to those who already reviewed this church, but I wanted to… Read more »
A great church! I moved away and miss it a bunch. But I will never forget the awesome job they do presenting the gospel in a fresh, relevant way. Pastor Terry is a fantastic teacher and the other staff are responsive in helping folks who are interested to plug in. The venue and music are cool, but just cherries on top of an already fantastic church!
Pastor Terry is awesome! I have been going for at least eight years but embarrassed to say, rarely and usually only during times of heartache. Yet almost every time I go, Pastor Terry is relevant and touching in his teachings. The band and beautful voices of the singers have at times over the years brought me to tears. I find the service to be healing and truly a blessing.
