As we step into the Christmas season—whether your tree went up before Thanksgiving or you're still untangling lights—let's take a moment to pause and reflect. Before we dive into the 2025 Cornerstone Recap, here's a question to consider:
What's the most meaningful gift you've ever received?
Was it something unexpected? Something you didn't even know you needed?
Christmas is a season of giving, but it's also a celebration of the greatest gift ever given—Jesus. And unlike most birthdays, where we bring gifts to the one being celebrated, Christmas flips the script. We exchange gifts with one another, often forgetting the One whose birth started it all.
Now, don't get me wrong, gift-giving is a beautiful tradition. But let's not lose sight of the reason we celebrate: the birth of Christ, and the arrival of good news for all people.
In Luke 2, we read about Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem, where Jesus is born and laid in a manger. And who does God choose to announce this world-changing event to? Not royalty. Not religious leaders. But shepherds—ordinary, overlooked, lowly.
"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.'" - Luke 2:10
The angel's message is clear: the gift is for everyone. The shepherds didn't just hear the news, they experienced it. And then they shared it.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son..." - John 3:16
Jesus is the ultimate gift—one that transforms lives, brings hope, and offers eternal life. And like any truly great gift, it's not meant to be kept to ourselves.
So, as we celebrate this season, let's remember:
The greatest gift isn't under the tree. It's the One who hung on a cross for us.
Let's share that gift with others—not just in words, but in how we live, love, and serve.
2025 Cornerstone Recap
Each month, we share a short biblical study before jumping into the Cornerstone Impact Update to share updates from our BRI partners. Back in 2022, we went through the whole gospel of Matthew. There are five discourses in the Gospel of Matthew, but for the first part of 2025, we just looked at the first one: The Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7). The purpose of the Sermon on the Mount is to tell Jesus' message... so it's a big deal!
Check out the Sermon on the Mount series that went from January - August here:
Courtney Dent
After the completion of that series, we did a short, 3-part series through Titus. While it's short, it's a powerful letter. Titus is written by the Apostle Peter to a young pastor names Titus. Paul's letter offers Titus (and us) guidance on how to faithfully navigate the tension between faith and culture. We hope that this series was a powerful way to end 2025. Find the whole series here:
Courtney DentEvery Good Endeavor
The second half of the month, we've been navigating through the book, Every Good Endeavor. Work takes up a large portion of our lives. As Christians, we want to make sure we're integrating our faith into all areas of our life, which is why we went through Timothy Keller's book. Through this study, we have learned how to connect our work to God's work. There were three main sections of this book: God's plan for work, our problems with work, and the Gospel and work.
While we still have to finish wrapping up the book early next year, we hope this series so far has been beneficial for you and your work. Find the series here:
Courtney Dent
Thank you for following along throughout 2025! I can't wait to continue to share more content in 2026!
