Ministry Leadership

Plurality of Elders and Deacons

The terms for elder and pastor (as well as overseer) are used interchangeably in the New Testament (e.g. Acts 20:17, 28). So the elder and a pastor are one and the same.

Lead Pastor - Harry Peterson

After graduating from Bible college, Pastor Harry was a youth pastor in Homestead and Punta Gorda, Florida, followed by a position in Brunswick, Ohio as associate pastor.

In 2002, Pastor Harry became the lead pastor of Cornerstone Church, where he and his wife, Rhonda, raised their three children. Pastor Harry has a heart for the people of Sidney, Ohio, and is very passionate about serving others.

Our elders serving currently include, John Bruce, Bobby Carter, Dod Noffsinger and Bryan Rioch.

What are the advantages of having a plurality of elders?

  1. Biblical accountability. Godly fellow elders are a great means for holding the pastor accountable to live, teach, and lead faithfully. In addition, sharing authority among a number of men can keep one man from wrongly lording it over the congregation

  2. Wisdom. There is more wisdom to be found in a multitude of counselors (Prov. 11:14; 24:6).

  3. Balance. No one man has all the gifts that are necessary to build up the church. Having a plurality of elders serves the church by bringing men with different gifts into the church’s leadership who can complement the pastor’s strengths.

  4. Burden sharing. Caring for the whole church is a burden God does not intend one man to bear alone. Even the most faithful, gifted pastor needs help from other godly men in order to pay careful attention to himself and to all the flock (Acts 20:28).

  5. Sets an example for the church. Having a plurality of elders demonstrates that the work of ministry is not reserved for a select few. Rather, it provides an example of maturity for every man, particularly when some of the elders are men who work ordinary jobs and are not paid by the church.Deacons:

In the New Testament, the primary spiritual leaders of a congregation are the pastor/elders. They are to teach the Word and shepherd the souls of those under their care (Eph. 4:11; 1 Tim. 3:2; 5:17; Titus 1:9; Heb. 13:17). 

Deacons, too, have a crucial role in the life and the health of the local church, but their role is different from the pastors’ and elders. The biblical role of deacons is to take care of the physical and logistical needs of the church so that the pastors can concentrate on their primary calling.

Current deacon board members are: Dale Noffsinger, Chris Duncan, Matthew Bruce and Dave Schweiterman.

“Elders serve by leading and deacons lead by serving.”

Our Values

 

Discipleship

We come together as a church body through Sunday school classes for all ages, Sunday morning worship, Wednesday night classes, and fellowship.

Acts of Service

We partner with local nonprofits to support those in need in Shelby County. We also support our community through outreach, acts of service, and evangelism.

Mission Partnerships

We support missionaries around the world and are involved in feeding programs, clean water wells, and orphanages. By supporting missions we are able to make a global impact.

 

Our Beliefs

 

  • We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter; that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us. It is sufficient and the only supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.

    2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Tim 3:15; Prov 30:5-6; Rom 2:12; 1 John 4:1; Psalm 19:7–14: Jude 1:3; 2 Peter 1:21

  • It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, according to the covenant made between them both, to be the mediator between God and man;1 the prophet,2 priest,3 and king;4 head and savior of the church,5 the heir of all things,6 and judge of the world;7 unto whom He did from all eternity give a people to be His seed and to be by Him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.8

    1 Isa. 42:1; 1 Pet. 1:19–20 2 Acts 3:22

    3 Heb. 5:5–6

    4 Ps. 2:6; Luke 1:33

    5 Eph. 1:22–23

    6 Heb. 1:2

    7 Acts 17:31

    8 Isa. 53:10; John 17:6; Rom. 8:30

  • The Son of God, the second person in the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, the brightness of the Father's glory, of one substance and equal with Him who made the world, who upholds and governs all things He has made, did, when the fullness of time was complete, take upon Him man's nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities of it,9 yet without sin;10 being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her: and the power of the Most High overshadowing her; and so was made of a woman of the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David according to the Scriptures;11 so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion; which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man.12

    9 John 1:14; Gal. 4;4

    10 Rom. 8:3; Heb. 2:14,16–17, 4:15

    11 Matt. 1:22–23

    12 Luke 1:27,31,35; Rom. 9:5; 1 Tim. 2:5

  • The Lord Jesus, in His human nature thus united to the divine, in the person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure,13 having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;14 in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell,15 to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled,16 and full of grace and truth,17 He might be throughly furnished to execute the office of mediator and surety;18 which office He took not upon himself, but was thereunto called by His Father;19 who also put all power and judgement in His hand, and gave Him commandment to execute the same.20

    13 Ps. 45:7; Acts 10:38; John 3:34

    14 Col. 2:3

    15 Col. 1:19

    16 Heb. 7:26

    17 John 1:14

    18 Heb. 7:22

    19 Heb. 5:5

    20 John 5:22,27; Matt. 28:18; Acts 2:36

  • This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake,21 which that He might discharge He was made under the law,22 and did perfectly fulfill it, and underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have born and suffered,23 being made sin and a curse for us;24 enduring most grievous sorrows in His soul, and most painful sufferings in His body;25 was crucified, and died, and remained in the state of the dead, yet saw no corruption:26 on the third day He arose from the dead27 with the same body in which He suffered,28 with which He also ascended into heaven,29 and there sits at the right hand of His Father making intercession,30 and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world.31

    21 Ps. 40:7–8; Heb. 10:5–10; John 10:18

    22 Gal 4:4; Matt. 3:15

    23 Gal. 3:13; Isa. 53:6; 1 Pet. 3:18

    24 2 Cor. 5:21

    25 Matt. 26:37,38; Luke 22:44; Matt. 27:46

    26 Acts 13:37

    27 1 Cor. 15:3–4

    28 John 20:25,27

    29 Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9–11

    30 Rom. 8:34; Heb. 9:24

    31 Acts 10:42; Rom. 14:9–10; Acts 1:11; 2 Pet. 2:4

  • The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit once offered up to God, has fully satisfied the justice of God,32 procured reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father has given unto Him.33

    32 Heb. 9:14, 10:14; Rom. 3:25–26

    32 John 17:2; Heb. 9:15

  • Although the price of redemption was not actually paid by Christ until after His incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefit thereof were communicated to the elect in all ages, successively from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices wherein He was revealed, and signified to be the seed which should bruise the serpent's head;34 and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,35 being the same yesterday, and today and for ever.36

    34 1 Cor. 4:10; Heb. 4:2; 1 Pet. 1:10–11

    35 Rev. 13:8

    36 Heb. 13:8

  • Christ, in the work of mediation, acts according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself; yet by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes in Scripture, attributed to the person denominated by the other nature.37

    37 John 3:13; Acts 20:28

  • To all those for whom Christ has obtained eternal redemption, He does certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same, making intercession for them;38 uniting them to Himself by His Spirit, revealing to them, in and by His Word, the mystery of salvation, persuading them to believe and obey,39 governing their hearts by His Word and Spirit,40 and overcoming all their enemies by His almighty power and wisdom,41 in such manner and ways as are most consonant to His wonderful and unsearchable dispensation; and all of free and absolute grace, without any condition foreseen in them to procure it.42

    38 John 6:37, 10:15–16, 17:9; Rom. 5:10

    39 John 17:6; Eph. 1:9; 1 John 5:20

    40 Rom. 8:9,14

    41 Ps. 110:1; 1 Cor. 15:25–26

    42 John 3:8; Eph. 1:8

  • IThis office of mediator between God and man is proper only to Christ, who is the prophet, priest, and king of the church of God; and may not be either in whole, or any part thereof, transferred from Him to any other.43

    43 1 Tim. 2:5

  • This number and order of offices is necessary; for in respect of our ignorance, we stand in need of His prophetical office;44 and in respect of our alienation from God, and imperfection of the best of our services, we need His priestly office to reconcile us and present us acceptable unto God;45 and in respect to our averseness and utter inability to return to God, and for our rescue and security from our spiritual adversaries, we need His kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to His heavenly kingdom.46

    44 John 1:18

    45 Col. 1:21; Gal. 5:17

    46 John 16:8; Ps. 110:3; Luke 1:74–75

 
Our stance on Complementarianism