Dr. Michael Atherton, Senior Pastor

Mike was born in Grand Junction, Colorado, but was primarily raised in St. Louis, Missouri. Early religious teaching and guidance in his life came from two places. The first place was a Christian home, where his parents reared him in the way of the Lord. The second place was his church, where he met sincere Christians who taught him by both lesson and example. Mike accepted the Lord into his life while in the fourth grade. He followed the Lord in Baptism shortly after. It was while Mike was a sophomore in high school that he felt God calling him to surrender his life to full time Christian ministry. After beginning college, He began a pastorate in the local church and it is through the pastoral ministry that he has been serving the Lord ever since.

Mike has earned a Bachelor of Science in Christian Education from Hannibal LaGrange College in Hannibal, Missouri. After college, he attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where he earned a Master of Divinity degree with Biblical Languages, followed by a Master of Arts in Christian Education. Most recently, Mike has earned a Doctorate of Ministry degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with an emphasis in preaching.

Mike and his wife Sara were united in marriage on August 5, 2000 and have been serving the Cornerstone family since 2006.  They have five children: Anna Leigh, Abigail Kara, Joshua Michael, Julia Mikayla, and Micah James.