Cornerstone Baptist Church
Cornerstone Baptist Church was established on February 5, 1990. The church began in the home of its pastor, Stan Bennett. After graduating from Bible school and relocating to Richmond , Pastor Bennett, in his words, set out to establish a church built on a biblical foundation, one that depended solely on God’s Word. According to the church, its mission is to “Introduce people to a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus and to prepare them for His soon return.”
In June, 1990, the predominantly African American church had a weekly attendance of about twenty. At that point the church moved its services from Bennett’s home to the Richmond Christian School Chapel. Two years later Cornerstone Baptist Church purchased 11.9 acres of land near Turner Road . During the spring of 1996 the congregation started building a 300-seat auditorium with offices and an educational wing. Four years later the Cornerstone Baptist Church congregation moved to the new church building. The church now seats 640 people. According to one of the members they now have an adult congregation of 375-425 members.
Cornerstone Baptist Church holds adult and teen worship services and Bible study on Sunday mornings as well as an evening worship service. On the fourth Sunday of each month, the evening worship service is conducted by the Teen Church ; this service is called Youth Emphasis Night. There is an evening service or Mid-Week Family night on Wednesdays. Cornerstone Baptist Church broadcasts its services on local television and cable three days each week.
Cornerstone Baptist Church supports a Spanish-language church conducted by Pastor Fernandez and his wife that is open to all Hispanic Richmonders. The Spanish Church holds church services and services of adoration or worship on Sunday afternoons. There are social gatherings with Spanish speaking members one evening during the week.
The Teen Church is another Cornerstone ministry. This ministry consists of about 80 teens between the ages of 12 and18. The Youth Pastor states that his goal for the teen ministry is to help teens make good choices in life because these choices determine their futures. According to one teen who has participated for over a year, “the Teen Church is most helpful because Pastor Bennett speaks on real life situations that take place in the lives of most teens.” The most recent addition to the Teen Church is the Young People’s Choir and the Teens Leader Choir, which perform on alternating Sunday mornings.
Among the many other church ministries are the Deaf Ministry, Bus Ministry, Golden Agers Ministry, Helpful Homemakers Ministry, and Providing Assistance for Community Kids (P.A.C.K.). The Deaf Ministry meets the special needs of the deaf by translating the service through the use of sign language. The Bus Ministry provides free bus and van service to those attending services. The Golden Agers are dedicated to members who are over fifty years of age. The Helpful Homemakers are women who minister to the sick and shut-ins as well as help with church activities. P.A.C.K. is a ministry that provides before and after school care to all children whether or not they are church members. Finally, on Saturday mornings the church has a soul winning visitation. Members go out and minister door-to-door with the goal of bringing Christ into the homes of their neighbors in the community.
Cornerstone Baptist Church
6100 Cornerstone Boulevard
Richmond , VA. 23234
(804)-271-6100
Profile prepared by Felicia Wynn
November, 2007
