Learning Communities
From our inception, Cornerstone Church Network has been committed to a flat infrastructure unencumbered by an extensive bureaucratic process. We value the ability to move quickly for Kingdom initiatives. The end result is a healthy network of churches helping one another do ministry and mission together. Such Kingdom thinking transcends denominational affiliations.

One of Cornerstone’s goals is to provide resources for the local church that will help you achieve your purpose and impact your community for Christ. In addition, we place a high value on relationship, understanding that it is in relationship that we learn, are held accountable and have opportunity to bless others. That’s where the Learning Community takes shape.

How does a Learning Community work?
A Learning Community is a group of local churches, up to a maximum of 10, that agree to meet monthly for one year. Meetings last for one day, up to six hours. During the first session of the monthly meeting, participants review the  recommended book/reading material. Cornerstone provides books and reading materials on a monthly basis. After lunch, the second session focuses on spiritual formation.

These meetings are hosted by a local Lead Church, in agreement with Cornerstone Church Network, whose pastor serves as mentor to all participating pastors. In addition, the Lead Church hosts periodic training events throughout the year.

Benefits to your church
As a Learning Community Church, you experience real Kingdom involvement:

	You receive national exposure to a wide variety of resources, training and access to a large pool of experienced pastors and leaders that help your church and others experience transformation.
	You have the opportunity -- regardless of the size of your church -- to do "big" church things, such as church planting, involvement with international church planting and participating in valuable training events at affordable rates.
	You participate in a wide-scale model that helps your church realize and unleash its potential, not only to reach your community for Christ, but also as part of a larger network accomplishing God's work in the world.
	You are involved in raising up a new generation of young people committed to the Great Commission.
	You testify to the world of the truth about the body of Christ (John 17) by bonding together in unity with other churches.

The Learning Community Lead Church
Each Learning Community is facilitated by a Lead Church/Pastor. A Lead Church is a missional church, with its focus on being participative rather than merely supportive, on having mission as its essence, rather than just one of the things it does. A Lead Church is ready to help other churches discover their DNA as missional churches, too. During the year of training, the Lead Church identifies future leaders to enable the Learning Community to reproduce itself, spinning off a new group of pastor/leaders every year.

What’s the benefit to a Lead Church?
Cornerstone supplies all the resources for the Learning Community, including books and other materials. In addition, we fund a leader/coach four times a year to assist the Lead Church pastor in mentoring the Learning Community pastors. These leader/coaches are also available to coach the Lead Church pastor personally. In addition, Cornerstone does the following:

	Facilitates leadership development sessions twice each year for lay leaders you identify as having potential to impact your own congreation.
	Provides exclusive training to your Lead Church staff either in person or via electronic means.
	Serves as a broker to connect the Lead Church with other great missional leaders throughout the country, and to obtain the best possible value on resources, training events, etc.

Funding for Cornerstone Church Network
Cornerstone is funded through membership dues and financial gifts. Each church participating in the Learning Community is asked to join Cornerstone. Membership fees are nominal. We also urge churches to add Cornerstone to their church budgets if they are able. Such resources fund future missionaries, church planting and mission projects.

For a downloadable brochure on Cornerstone Learning Communities, click here.