On the east side of Indianapolis, just off I-465 at 10701 E. 56th Street, Cornerstone Baptist Church has built its reputation on three commitments: the Bible is preached, people are loved, and Christ is served. The independent Baptist congregation uses the King James Bible exclusively in every service and classroom, runs a fully accredited PreK-12 Christian school, and reaches its neighborhood through an unusual combination of a free bus ministry, monthly door-to-door soul-winning, services in Spanish, and sign language offered in every worship gathering.

A Week Built Around the Word

Cornerstone's weekly rhythm is straightforward and consistent. Sunday School opens the day at 10:00 AM, with classes for every age from nursery through adult. The main Sunday morning service follows at 11:00 AM, and the congregation gathers again on Sunday evening at 6:00 PM. Wednesday nights are reserved for the midweek service at 7:00 PM, which doubles as the meeting time for the teen ministry and the children's Kids 4 Christ program. Every service is preached from the King James Version, a translation the church regards as the English Bible for the pulpit and the classroom.

The Pastoral Team

Senior Pastor Colin Morton and his wife Leah have led the church since January 30, 2022. Pastor Morton was saved in 2011 and attended Landmark Baptist College before serving in youth ministry, Christian school teaching, and as lead pastor of a church in New York. His life verse is Matthew 5:16. Pastor Levon Haigh joined as Assistant Pastor on June 19, 2022, moving with his wife Rebekah and their three children from a family farm in Charlotte, Michigan. He is a Grace Baptist College graduate who has served as a deacon, youth pastor, song leader, and soul-winner. Pastor Emilio Girón leads the Spanish ministry; he assumed that role on December 19, 2021, alongside his wife Dina and their four sons, after graduating from Ontario Baptist College in 2017 with a diploma in Pastoral Theology. The founding pastor, Dr. Donald R. Mitchell, who served Cornerstone for 38 years after being saved in 1960, is now Pastor Emeritus. Josh Bond directs the music ministry, a graduate of both Fairhaven Baptist College and Heritage Baptist College and a former United States Air Force staff sergeant.

A School on the Same Campus

Cornerstone Baptist Academy shares the church's campus and serves students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade as a fully accredited Christian school. The school welcomes families from the wider community, provides a distinctly Christian education, and accepts Indiana Choice vouchers, which cover tuition for participating students.

Reaching the Neighborhood with a Free Bus

Few things set Cornerstone apart more than its bus ministry. The church runs buses that pick up children, individuals, and families from the surrounding neighborhoods and brings them to services free of charge. Parents who want their child to ride can register online through the church's bus registration page. The ministry is part of a broader soul-winning effort: organized visitation happens once a month as a whole church, and church members go out soul-winning during the week as well.

Music That Fills the Building

The music ministry is built around a large traditional program that includes an adult choir, a full orchestra, ensembles, a brass ensemble, children's choirs, and solo instrumentalists. Josh Bond leads a team providing a Christ-centered, uplifting atmosphere of worship. Services feature congregational singing in the hymn style typical of independent Baptist churches, supported by the choir and orchestra on Sundays and special occasions.

Children and Teens

Children from birth through sixth grade have a place in the life of the church at every hour it is open. The nursery, staffed and clean, welcomes babies from infancy through age three during every service. Children ages 3 to 12 attend graded Sunday School classes at 10:00 AM on Sunday mornings and the Kids 4 Christ program at 7:00 PM on Wednesday nights, with Vacation Bible School and a Summer Kids Club added throughout the year. Teens meet on Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM and Wednesday nights at 7:00 PM for Bible teaching, activities, and fellowship, with regular outings such as summer camps supported by church-wide fundraisers.

Services in Spanish and Sign Language

Cornerstone's Spanish ministry exists to serve Spanish-speaking families in the Indianapolis area, and Pastor Emilio Girón leads it with the support of his family. All Spanish ministry services are provided in Spanish. Every worship service in the main auditorium also offers American Sign Language through the Deaf Ministry, so that deaf and hard-of-hearing members and visitors can follow the preaching and singing alongside everyone else.

Groups for Every Stage of Life

The church organizes its small-group ministry around age and stage. Kids Groups cover newborns through age 18. The Firm Foundation Group, open to anyone 18 and older, is designed for new believers, those new to church, anyone considering membership, and those who want to study the doctrines of the Bible more deeply. The Young at Heart Group brings together senior adults 50 and older. The Young Adults Group serves single adults ages 18 to 30, focused on service, fellowship, and discovering God's will. The Homebuilders Group, for adults ages 19 to 64, centers on faith, marriage, and relationships. Group information and sign-ups are handled through the Groups page.

What Cornerstone Believes

The statement of faith begins with confidence in the whole Bible as the verbally inspired Word of God from Genesis to Revelation and identifies the King James Version as the translation used in English. Cornerstone teaches that Jesus Christ was miraculously begotten of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and is both the Son of God and God the Son. Salvation, in the church's view, is by God's grace through faith and is not earned by works; it comes when a repentant sinner believes the gospel and is born again by the Holy Spirit. Cornerstone practices believer's baptism and the Lord's Supper, holds to the eternal security of the believer (once saved, always saved), affirms biblical separation from worldly practices, and defines a church as an independent, local, visible body of baptized believers whose mission is to preach and teach the gospel.

Planning a First Visit

Visitors may use the Plan My Visit form, where the pastoral team promises a warm greeting at the door. Cornerstone's services are friendly and welcoming, with the choir and orchestra leading congregational singing and the pastor preaching through a passage of Scripture. Dress at Cornerstone is typically traditional Baptist, with many families in their Sunday best. The 10701 E. 56th Street location is easy to reach from I-465 on Indianapolis's east side. Services are available in English and Spanish, with American Sign Language at every English service. Sermons are posted on the church's YouTube channel, where past messages from Pastor Morton are also available for those who want to listen before coming. Giving is handled through a secure online portal, and a Next Steps section points newcomers toward a group, a visit, or a first step of involvement.