Shows / Equip Podcast
Equip Podcast
Produced by Cornerstone Church of Ames, The Equip Podcast is designed to provide insight, resources and Biblical wisdom to help us live faithful and fruitful lives together.
Episodes
- Equip Podcast
Why Christians Should Vote: A Christian Guide to Election Season
In this special solo episode of the Equip Podcast, Mark explores what the Bible says about government and why Christians have a responsibility to vote. He…
- Equip Podcast
Why and How to Read the Old Testament
Most Bible reading plans include an Old Testament column, but strange names, ancient customs, and unfamiliar history can make it the hardest part to read well…
- Equip Podcast
Grow to Go: What Does Healthy Church Growth Look Like? w/ Alex Tuckness
Mark sits down with Alex Tuckness, Iowa State professor and longtime Cornerstone elder, to talk honestly about church growth. They trace Cornerstone's history…
- Equip Podcast
Essentials of the Local Church: Leadership
In the final episode of the Essentials of the Local Church series, Mark and Emily talk about church leadership. Mark explains why Cornerstone is led by a…
- Equip Podcast
Essentials of the Local Church: Communion
Mark and Emily continue the Essentials of the Local Church series by digging into communion. They explore why a God who loves remembrance gave his people a…
- Equip Podcast
Essentials of the Local Church: Baptism
Mark and Emily continue the Essentials of the Local Church series by digging into baptism: what it is, why the church practices it, and what the Bible actually…
- Equip Podcast
Essentials of the Local Church: Prayer
In this episode of the Essentials of the Local Church series, Mark and Emily get personal about prayer: naming the excuses, fears, and false theology that keep…
- Equip Podcast
Essentials of the Local Church: Gathering on Sundays
In this episode of the Essentials of the Local Church series, Mark and Emily dig into a question every Christian eventually asks: why do we actually gather on…
- Equip Podcast
Essentials of the Local Church: Gospel Friendship
In this first episode of a new series, Essentials of the Local Church, Mark and Emily introduce the "why" behind the series and dig into the first essential…
- Equip Podcast
The Gospel Way with Trevin Wax: Ask Trevin Anything (Pt. 2)
In part two of this special series, Mark and Emily bring Trevin Wax back for an unscripted Q&A, pulling questions straight from his own writing and years of…
- Equip Podcast
The Gospel Way with Trevin Wax: Why We Need a Catechism (Pt. 1)
In part one of a special two-part series, Mark and Emily sit down with author and pastor Trevin Wax to introduce The Gospel Way Catechism, a new 50-question…
- Equip Podcast
Building Spiritual Habits That Last (with Hannah Beth Gilbert & Chelle Lambert)
Mark sits down with Chelle Lambert and Hannah Beth Gilbert, two Salt Company staff members who've actually lived with the Spiritual Workout Plan, not just…
- Equip Podcast
How Does Cornerstone Decide What to Teach? Introducing The Gospel Way
Mark and Emily pull back the curtain on how Cornerstone decides what to preach and introduce the church's new series through The Gospel Way. Mark walks through…
- Equip Podcast
Ask Mark Anything: Dating Age Gaps, The Shroud of Turin & More
In this Ask Mark Anything episode of the Equip Podcast, Emily puts Mark in the hot seat for a round of listener questions kicked off with a back-to-school…
- Equip Podcast
The Church Is the Answer to Iowa's Foster Care Crisis with Mel Pearson
In this episode of the Equip Podcast, Mark Vance sits down with Mel Pearson, who leads City Ministry at Cornerstone Church, to talk about the real state of…
- Equip Podcast
21 Days of Prayer: Praying for a Move of God This Fall
In this episode of the Equip Podcast, Mark and Emily introduce 21 Days of Prayer, a church-wide season of focused, kingdom-centered prayer leading into the…
- Equip Podcast
Sins We Tolerate: Sins of the Tongue
In the final part of the Sins We Tolerate series, Mark and Emily tackle a sin so common we barely notice it: the sins of the tongue. They unpack why our words…
- Equip Podcast
Sins We Tolerate: Sloth
In this episode of the Equip Podcast, part of the Sins We Tolerate series, Mark and Emily turn to sloth, the "sister sin" to gluttony. They define sloth not…
- Equip Podcast
Sins We Tolerate: Gluttony
In this episode of the Equip Podcast, Mark flips the script, handing the mic to Emily Jensen to walk through the third entry in their series on hidden…
- Equip Podcast
What Does Christian Patriotism Look Like?
In this special Fourth of July episode of the Equip Podcast, Mark reflects on patriotism, love of country, and what it means for Christians to hold citizenship…
- Equip Podcast
Sins We Tolerate: Judgement
In this episode, Mark and Emily kick off a brand new series called Since We Tolerate, a look at the "respectable sins" Christians often overlook or excuse…
- Equip Podcast
Planting Citizens Church with Simeon Bell
Emily Jensen sits down with Simeon Bell to talk about Citizens Church, a church he and his team are planting in Columbia, South Carolina. Simeon shares the…
- Equip Podcast
What's Happening in Rural Iowa with Shane Rothlisberger
In this episode, Mark sits down with his friend and fellow pastor Shane Rothlisberger to tell the story of how the Acreage Church, a church plant in northeast…
- Equip Podcast
Ask Mark Anything: Swearing, Greek Life & More
In this third installment of the "Ask Mark Anything" series, Emily puts Mark on the spot with questions submitted by listeners. From the ethics of swearing to…
- Equip Podcast
What Is Church Membership?
Mark and Emily dig into one of the most practically important, and often misunderstood, topics in the Christian life: church membership. From what the Bible…
- Equip Podcast
Leadership, Legacy, and Aging Well with Troy Nesbitt
In this episode of the Equip Podcast, Mark sits down with Troy Nesbitt, founding pastor of Cornerstone Church and the man who started Salt Company in 1987…
- Equip Podcast
Planting a Church in Austin, TX with Mitchell Johnson
Mark sits down with Mitchell Johnson, a church planter being sent out from Cornerstone to launch The Way Church in Austin, Texas. Mitchell shares his…
- Equip Podcast
Finishing Well: Health, Medicine, and Dying Well
Mark tackles one of the most avoided conversations in the Christian life: how do we approach health, medical care, and dying in a way that reflects a biblical…
- Equip Podcast
Finishing Well: End-of-Life Finances and Generosity
Mark tackles one of the most practical (and often avoided) topics in the Christian life: what does faithful stewardship look like in the final season of life?…
- Equip Podcast
Preparing for Summer: The Spiritual Workout Plan
Summer is one of the most enjoyable seasons of the year, but it can also be one of the most spiritually distracting. In this episode, Mark and Emily talk about…
- Equip Podcast
Navigating Midlife with Brent & Tori Haverkamp
In this episode of the Equip Podcast, Mark is joined by Brent and Tori Haverkamp to talk about the “fall” season of life: midlife and beyond. They talk about…
- Equip Podcast
Marriage, Money, and Calling with Crystal Vance
Mark is joined by his wife, Crystal, to talk about the “summer” season of life: young adulthood, marriage, and building a life marked by faithfulness. Through…
- Equip Podcast
Pursuing Wisdom in Your Teens with Owen & Brenna
In this episode of the Equip Podcast, Mark is joined by high school seniors Brenna Van Cleave and his son Owen for a conversation about what it looks like to…
- Equip Podcast
How Should Christians Think About War?
In this episode, Mark and Emily talk through how Christians should think about war in a world filled with conflict. Looking at Scripture and ideas like just…
- Equip Podcast
Building A Healthy Marriage with Steve Jones
What does a godly marriage actually look like? In this episode of the Equip Podcast, Emily sits down with Steve Jones, Executive Director of Ministries and a…
- Equip Podcast
Easter Apologetics: Evidence for the Resurrection
In this special Easter episode of the Equip Podcast, Mark walks through the historical and biblical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. He explores why the…
- Equip Podcast
Men & Women Part 4: Q&A
In the final episode of the Men & Women series, Mark and Emily respond to questions submitted by listeners throughout the series. These questions explore how…
- Equip Podcast
Men & Women Part 3: Dangers & Distortions
In Part 3 of the Men & Women series, Mark and Emily turn to the tensions and misunderstandings that often arise in conversations about gender. After exploring…
- Equip Podcast
Men & Women Part 2: Distinct by Design
In Part 2 of the Men & Women series, Mark and Emily move from definitions to distinctions. After establishing in the previous episode that men and women share…
- Equip Podcast
Men & Women Part 1: God's Good Design
Mark and Emily begin a new series exploring what the Bible teaches about men and women. At a time when questions about gender, identity, and roles dominate…
- Equip Podcast
Iowa State Talk Recap: Political Tribalism and the Importance of Christian Presence
In this episode, Mark recaps his recent lecture at Iowa State University, reflecting on the growing problem of political tribalism in America and calling…
- Equip Podcast
Lent & Fasting
Lent isn’t about giving something up, but about cultivating something deeper. In this episode, Mark casts vision for the Lenten season and explains why fasting…
- Equip Podcast
AI Part 3: Using AI Wisely in Daily Life
What does faithfulness look like as artificial intelligence becomes a normal part of everyday life? In Part 3 of this series, Mark Vance and Emily Jensen focus…
- Equip Podcast
AI Part 2: Wisdom and Discernment in a Digital Age
How should Christians think about the ethical limits of artificial intelligence, and where should wisdom, restraint, and responsibility come into play? In Part…
- Equip Podcast
AI Part 1: What Should Christians Think About AI?
How should Christians think about artificial intelligence—and what does faithfulness look like in a rapidly changing technological world? Mark Vance is joined…
- Equip Podcast
How Should Christians Think About ICE and Immigration?
In this bonus episode, Mark steps into a timely and emotionally charged topic surrounding immigration and ICE, not to offer political commentary, but to…
- Equip Podcast
What Is A Healthy Church? Reflections on Church Size with Ryan Hill
What actually makes a church healthy, and how should leaders think about growth without losing faithfulness? In this episode of the Equip Podcast, Mark Vance…
- Equip Podcast
Ask Mark Anything: Dream Jobs, Marketing, & Hard Questions
What does it look like to be deeply rooted in Christ in a world of cultural chaos? In this Ask Mark Anything episode, Mark Vance responds to honest questions…
- Equip Podcast
Reflections on Revival & Revivalism
What’s the difference between true revival and revivalism, and how should Christians respond when God seems to be stirring something fresh? Mark reflects on…
- Equip Podcast
Goal Setting: How to Spend Your Time and Energy Well (+ Spring Spiritual Workout Plan)
As a new year approaches, how should Christians think about goals, habits, and productivity—without slipping into hustle culture or empty self-improvement? In…
- Equip Podcast
Q&A: Understanding the Differences Between Catholicism and Protestantism
How should Christians navigate real-life questions about faith, family, dating, and church differences—especially when Catholic and Protestant worlds overlap?…
- Equip Podcast
The Clarity of the Gospel: Understanding the Differences Between Catholicism and Protestantism
If both Catholics and Protestants believe we’re saved by grace through Jesus Christ, why do they still disagree so sharply about the gospel—and how we actually…
- Equip Podcast
Advent: Keeping Christ At The Center
Advent is here, which means an opportunity to slow down, refocus, and remember who Christmas is really about. In this bonus episode, Mark Vance and Emily…
- Equip Podcast
The Authority of Scripture vs the Pope: Understanding the Differences Between Catholicism and Protestantism
Why do Catholics look to the Pope and the Magisterium for ultimate authority, while Protestants look to Scripture alone—and what does that mean for everyday…
- Equip Podcast
The History of the Church: Understanding the Differences Between Catholicism and Protestantism
Why do Protestants and Catholics differ so sharply on authority, Mary, and the nature of the true church—and why does it matter for following Jesus today? In…
- Equip Podcast
The Nature of the True Church: Understanding the Differences Between Catholicism and Protestantism
Why are some Protestants drawn toward Roman Catholicism—and how should we think about the “one true church”? In this episode, Mark Vance launches a five-part…
- Equip Podcast
The Ten Commandments: Contentment and Advertising
What does the Tenth Commandment have to do with Target runs, Amazon carts, and Instagram ads? In this episode, Mark and Emily explore “Do not covet” and talk…
- Equip Podcast
The Ten Commandments: Social Media and Bearing False Witness
Should Christians think differently about what we post, share, and say online? In this episode, Mark and Emily explore the Ninth Commandment, “Do not bear…
- Equip Podcast
The Ten Commandments: Am I Too Cheap?
Should I splurge on Burgie’s coffee? Can I buy the nice toilet paper? In this episode, Mark Vance and Emily Jensen take a closer look at what the eighth…
- Equip Podcast
The Ten Commandments: Marriage, Purity, and Pornography
Equip Podcast Episode 298: The Ten Commandments — Marriage, Purity, and Pornography Show Notes: What does it look like to pursue purity in a world that’s lost…