By Pastor Paul Miller, Cornerstone Community Church
Cornerstone Community Church of Chariton would like to praise the Lord for all the ways the Lord blessed their 4th annual Men’s Conference. For the past three years, Cornerstone has been enjoying a partnership with the BCI to reach out the men of Iowa each year with a conference aimed at encouraging and equipping men. Last year the conference added a second location in Ankeny at First Family Church and this year a third location was added at First Baptist Church of Bettendorf. The theme for the 2018 conference was “Hitting the Mark…Tactical Precision for Making Generational Impact.” Over 200 men attended the conference in Chariton January 26th and 27th.
Dalton Storm, worship leader for Veritas Church in Iowa City led worship. Dalton grew up in Chariton and is greatly loved at Cornerstone. He and the musicians from Veritas and Salt Company in Iowa City did an amazing job of pointing men to the glory of our God. Pastor Pat Nemmers of Saylorville church spoke Friday night from Genesis chapter 22 urging men to “give their Isaacs to the Lord.” Praise the Lord for the two men from Crossroads Community Church in Red Oak that were born again Friday night! Saturday morning Pastor Todd Stiles of First Family Church in Ankeny preached on the “Anatomy of Idolatry” from Acts 17 and Jeremiah 2. Todd showed how idolatry grows in the soil of forgetfulness. Todd explained that Apostle Paul was provoked by idols in Athens because he was grieved that God was not worshiped by all men everywhere. Many men made commitments to put an axe to their idols Saturday morning. Pastor Casey Bradford of Tabernacle Baptist Church in High Point, NC preached the third main session after lunch. Casey preached from 1 Chronicles 28-29 giving instructions for a godly legacy. The conference concluded with Casey’s adopted son CJ Wallace joining Dalton Storm and the band in leading the men as they sang “Oh Praise the Name.” Those present can confirm that the glory of God fell in that moment!
Cornerstone hosted a bow tournament after lunch on Saturday where around 25 men shot for prizes. Each man was given the chance to attend 2 different breakout sessions throughout the weekend. Breakout Sessions included the following topics: Hitting the Mark… In the local church (CJ Wallace); Raising sons (Todd and Brett Stiles); Raising daughters (Casey Bradford); In my personal life (Chris Eller); As a husband (Ricky Rohrig); As the spiritual leader of my home (Pat Nemmers); As a friend (Matt Linser). Chris Eller, small group pastor at First Family Church offered great insight in his session on a man’s personal life saying, “how do we lose the race? We quit…how do we win the race? We finish!” Pastor Paul Miller of Cornerstone Community Church closed the conference in prayer urging the men to go live their lives for the glory of God that generations yet to be born would praise His name.