about cornerstone

We are a gospel-centred, Spirit-led people on mission with Jesus in the city of Newcastle Upon Tyne. As the church we exist to Know Jesus and Make Jesus Known, not just in our city but all across the North East, including: Durham, Northumberland and the Coast where people who call Cornerstone home live in their local communities; living out and displaying grace and mercy.


Cornerstone is part of Advance: a movement of churches belonging to the New Frontiers family of churches around the world. We partner together to plant and strengthen churches.  

cornerstone's leadership

Michael Duff is the lead pastor at Cornerstone Church Newcastle. He is married to Esole and they have three sons: Malachi, Levi and Noah. 

They moved from South Africa to re-plant Cornerstone in 2012.  


Joining him on the eldership team is Joel Marsden. Joel is married to Lynette and they have four children: Joshua, Annabelle, Lottie and Caleb.

frequently asked questions

Is There a Dress Code at Cornerstone? 

No, please come as you are.


How Long Does the Service Last? 

We start at 10:30am and usually finish by 12pm. Please stick around to chat and enjoy tea and coffee with us at the end.


Does Cornerstone Have a Kids Work? 

Yes! Children are a key part of our community and we love serving them in this way. Find out more about Cornerstone Kids here.


Is There Disabled Access? 

Yes there is.  


What Happens During Your Sunday Services? 

We do what churches have done from the beginning of Christianity: we sing songs that remind us of who God is and what He has done, we read from the bible and have it explained to us in a sermon. We pray, and as Christians, we take communion and baptise new believers.  

Our kingdom cultures

There are five cultures we want to see cultivated at Cornerstone:


1. Biblical Teaching and Training.

Jesus is our teacher, His words are the words of eternal life and faith come from hearing His word. We not only seek to connect people to Christ, but also want them to deepen their knowledge of, and trust in, Christ. We want to equip people for engagement in the world.


2. Humble, Courageous & Sacrificial Leadership.

We want to be led by Jesus, lead like Jesus and lead others to Jesus. We want to train men and women for leadership in the home, workplace, university and church. At Cornerstone we want to model to the wider city of Newcastle a different and counter-cultural city. We want to model a gospel-centred life in the areas of marriage, sexuality, finances, community and truth.


3. Spirit-Filled and Spirit-Led.

We believe that every facet of the Christian life is reliant upon the infilling and guidance of God the Holy Spirit. We also believe he speaks to us through God’s word and through the demonstration of the power of God through gifts given to believers, for God’s glory and the edification of the church. We intend for our individual lives and our church gatherings to reflect a willingness to follow His leading and walk with confidence in His empowering. This would include a less scripted approach to our gatherings, an openness to the filling of the Spirit and to the use of His gifts of power and supernatural revelation.


4. God-Centered Generosity.

The generosity of God is displayed perfectly in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. His generosity is costly, indiscriminate, selfless and abundant. At Cornerstone we seek to mirror this generosity.


5. Communities of Life, Love & Mission.

God is by nature in community (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). At Cornerstone we seek to not only grow in size and influence, but also in closeness and connection. We want to see people welcomed and join gospel communities that exist to serve their neighbourhoods.