Cornerstone partnered with Echo the Story and Imago Media to present Merge, a student conference, on campus the last week of June.

“[Merge is] a week long student conference where – through creative storytelling, art and media, discussion, learning stations and interactive experiences – Merge inspires high school students to merge with God's story, merge with God's way of life, and merge with God's mission,” said Don Perini, associate professor of youth ministry and creativity, who acted as the liaison between Cornerstone and Merge.

The partnership was the result of a task force that was created to see how Cornerstone could engage with local and regional churches, Perini said.

“Merge had incredible success in the past with this conference...

Grand Rapids Theological Seminary trains its students so well that many go on to teach at other seminaries.

Several of them – including Daniel Treier (M.Div. ’96, Th.M. ’98), Henry Kim (M. Div. ’98), Jon Laansma (M.Div.’89) and Andrew Hill (M.Div. ’84) – are now serving at prestigious Wheaton College.

Treier, Laansma and Hill teach in the biblical and theological studies department, while Kim teaches in the sociology and anthropology department at Wheaton.

“GRTS did an excellent job of giving me a well-rounded master of divinity degree, preparing me for a variety of specific ministry fields, while at the same time providing a taste of advanced scholarship,” said Treier, associate professor of theology at Wheaton. “A particular strength...

A Grand Rapids Theological Seminary (GRTS) education is no longer just available to Michigan residents.

In an effort to meet student demand for more options and greater flexibility, as well as serve those who would not normally have access to graduate theological education, GRTS is moving toward a goal of allowing students to complete a master of arts degree fully online.

GRTS students wanted more enrollment options with greater flexibility, according to John Verberkmoes, GRTS academic dean.

The push toward providing online education options started in 2006, when Verberkmoes developed and taught organizational leadership, GRTS’ first online course.

The course, which Verberkmoes still teaches every term, has been joined by...

When Shane Cox graduated from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary with a master of arts degree in intercultural ministries in 2009, he didn’t know what to do with his life.

But when he and his family began opening their downtown apartment for weekly Bible study and fellowship, something clicked.

Now, one year after the initial study started, Cox’s fellowship group has developed into Take Hold Church, a unique church ministering to the “sub-culture” of urban life.

Originally, the Bible study attracted mostly 16 to 25 year olds that he described as being part of that sub-culture. Most of them were into things like rock, heavy metal and punk music, he said.

The weekly attendance quickly outgrew...

High school students will learn from professional journalists and experience hands-on journalism this summer at the 8th annual Cornerstone Journalism Institute (CJI).

Students will work with journalists such as Russ Pulliam, editor of the Indianapolis Starr and columnist, Dave Murray, education reporter for The Grand Rapids Press, Emily Zoladz, photojournalist for The Press, and Bob Becker, retired sports editor of The Press.

“The students are put into a realistic situation where they're responsible for creating the story and visual content for a newspaper, all inside a week that includes training on interviewing, reporting and basic photography skills,” said Alan Blanchard, CJI director and associate professor of journalism at Cornerstone. “Also, students get an opportunity to live on the campus and get a feel for what it would be like to be a student at Cornerstone University.”

Participants of the institute...