The Cornerstone Class

Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. Ephesians 2:20 (New Living Translation)

Our Class

Cornerstone is a group of married couples, some with children, who are strengthening our relationship with God and each other through in-depth study of His word. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are committed to helping each other build Godly marriages, handle the challenges of work and the world, and draw nearer to Jesus Christ our Lord. Outside of class we enjoy participating in quarterly service projects and times of fellowship. Cornerstone welcomes singles and couples of all ages. We meet in Room 26 (lower level of Education Wing) at 9:45am on Sunday mornings.

At the heart

Cornerstone is community - through a small group of friends studying, sharing, and praying with each other. Each Sunday provides a safe place to share our burdens and joys as we encourage one another in our daily Christian walks. Our class allows for individual participation and lively discussion as we dig deep into the truth of God's word. If you've been searching for a place to connect at Centenary, our class may be just what you've been looking for.

Our Leaders

Christel and Mathieu Gnonhossou, along with their little daughter Mahulome, are studying at Asbury Theological Seminary. They are both from the Republic of Benin, a small French-speaking country on the West coast of Africa. Mathieu is studying for his doctorate with emphasis on Family and Counseling Ministries while Christel is studying Christian Education. Prior to coming to Asbury, both Mathieu and Christel studied Linguistics and Communication in Benin, Marriage & Family Therapy (Christel), and Intercultural Mission (Mathieu) at MB Biblical Seminary in Fresno, California. They were and continue to be involved in a renewal/missionary movement in their home country. Mathieu and Christel intend to graduate this May and then head back to Benin in response to God's calling in their lives. Upon their return to Benin, they plan to be involved in teaching and equipping in order to facilitate the release of God's people for missional living. Besides their commitment to reading and living out of the Scriptures, Mathieu loves healthy debates, soccer, drums, and reading books for fun. Christel loves experimenting (trying new recipes, sewing, braiding hair, etc). Mahulome is quickly becoming talkative and imitating daddy on the phone; she loves to dance and pray.

Currently in Class

The class is currently studying The Galations LifeGuide Series by Jack Kuhatschek from Intervarsity Press. Sometimes it seems we must work harder, live better, pray longer and witness to more people to get on God's good side. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul shows us the true source of our acceptance -- Jesus Christ. This Bible study on Galatians will help us know that we are worth much more to God than we can ever deserve or imagine!

The book of Galatians is one of Paul's most contentious letters in the Scripture. Here, Paul is very upset and expresses strong disapproval against what seems to be a total reversal of the Good News. He is concerned that believers in Galatia maintain the integrity of the Gospel that he had preached to them instead of going back to other preachers/teachers who, in the meantime, brought "another gospel" or "no gospel at all" to them. This study will discuss the meanings and relational effects of Paul's Gospel and those of his opponents' and how these are still alive today. Through paying attention to Paul's aim we will discover what "works of the law" mean and differentiates it from "good works." Key concepts of salvation such as grace, justification by faith, freedom in Christ, life in the Spirit will also retain our attention. At the end of this study, participants in this study will be able to explain the book of Galatians, confess and appropriate the meaning of the Gospel, discern and reject today's false gospels from their lives, and like Paul, become committed to defending the integrity of the Gospel today.

Class Photo: 2007

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