| Cornerstone Church | |
| Location: | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Coordinates: | 36.2656°N -86.7337°W |
| Denomination: | Assemblies of God USA (Pentecostal) |
| Founded Date: | 1983 |
| Seniorpastor: | Jeremy Austill |
| Country: | United States |
| Logosize: | 250 |
Cornerstone Church is a Pentecostal Christian megachurch located in Nashville, Tennessee. Cornerstone Church is associated with the Assemblies of God denomination.[1]
Cornerstone Church was founded in 1983 by a group of 104 believers who had gathered for fellowship in the home of Ralph and Shirley Kidd.[2] Rev. Gene Jackson, the District Superintendent of the Assemblies of God had attended the fellowship there and offered the use of some land he had just bought as a place for worship. The church received the first donation from Sister Mattie King, mother of Shirley Kidd. The first morning worship service occurred on Sunday July 10, 1983.[3]
Cornerstone's congregation increased, acquiring from Rev. Jackson the 21-acre campground which housed a small stone tabernacle, along with a church building. In the early 1990s, Cornerstone invited former youth minister and evangelist Maury Davis, an unlikely candidate for pastor, to lead the church.[4] Davis had been a familiar figure on religious programming and had gained a wide following. A few months after being invited, Davis became Cornerstone's lead pastor.[5] The original church building on the property was destroyed by a fire, forcing an immediate move to another structure on the campus—a stone tabernacle that had been previously used for gatherings when the property served as a campground.[6]
The primary church building was completed in 2002 and its construction was part of a trend of larger churches in the United States that provided offices, classrooms and multi-purpose rooms. In 2005, the Family Life Center/Gym was finished and the worship services were moved to the newly built gym at this point.[7]
The church saw significant growth, having to add more Sunday service times to accommodate those wanting to worship. By the year 2000, a new sanctuary was completed; and in 2006, the Education Building added 30,000 square feet for adult education classrooms.[8] Changes and growth have continued through the years, to accommodate more people and provide additional resources for the church community.[9] A 30,000-square-foot, three-story expansion was completed in 2015 with additional space for children and young people, Nashville's largest two-story indoor playground, updated technology, meeting rooms, and an expanded lobby and commons area, with a rock baptismal pool and cafe.[10] [11]
Cornerstone has a kids church program, a student ministry and a Young Adults ministry.[12] Cornerstone Church also runs women and primelife community care which provides a range of community services including counseling services, health-related services,[13] [14] emergency accommodation and other courses and support programs.[15]