Equip Podcast

Bölümler

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  Essentials of the Local Church: Prayer 17.09.2026 23dk

  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 even seasoned believers from a vibrant prayer life. They unpack why prayer flows from who God is rather than how eloquently we speak to him, and Mark closes with news of upcoming nights of prayer and worship at Cornerstone. Episode Highlights 00:59 — Why prayer is hard even when we know we're supposed to do it 01:17 — Mark: What prayer...
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  Essentials of the Local Church: Gathering on Sundays 10.09.2026 25dk

  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 Sundays, and what makes that gathering distinctly biblical rather than just a cultural habit? They unpack the difference between what Scripture commands and what it simply describes, walk through the non-negotiable essentials of a healthy church gathering, and make the case for why showing up in person still matters in a digital, AI-sat...
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  Essentials of the Local Church: Gospel Friendship 03.09.2026 27dk

  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: Gospel Friendship. They explore why church practices can feel strange in a post-Christian culture, unpack some of the New Testament's 50+ "one another" commands, and get practical about how to actually build gospel friendships as a busy adult. Episode Highlights 01:52 — Why the Christian life was never meant to be a solo sport 02:35 — ...
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  The Gospel Way with Trevin Wax: Ask Trevin Anything (Pt. 2) 27.08.2026 26dk

  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 curiosity built up over their friendship. They talk through the difference between spiritual discipline and self-help optimization, wrestle with pride and holy ambition, and more. Trevin closes things out with his top five most influential books and a candid answer to one final question: is he hopeful or fearful for the future of the ...
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  The Gospel Way with Trevin Wax: Why We Need a Catechism (Pt. 1) 27.08.2026 22dk

  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 resource he co-wrote with Thomas Wax to root Christians in truth amid cultural chaos. Trevin unpacks what a catechism actually is, why this centuries-old discipleship tool is making a comeback, and takes listeners behind the scenes of writing the book in C.S. Lewis's own study. Along the way, they dig deep into one question in particular,...
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  Building Spiritual Habits That Last (with Hannah Beth Gilbert & Chelle Lambert) 25.08.2026 30dk

  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 recommended it. They get honest about what's worked, what's been hard, and how the plan flexes across different seasons of life, whether you're a college student or a "30-something rando floating in the abyss of adulthood." If you've started a dozen Bible reading plans and never finished one, this conversation is the reset you need before t...
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  How Does Cornerstone Decide What to Teach? Introducing The Gospel Way 20.08.2026 25dk

  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 the history and philosophy behind preaching styles, why Cornerstone leans expository, and how topical teaching, liturgical seasons, and book-by-book exposition all fit together into one intentional plan. Episode Highlights 00:52 — What the Gospel Way Catechism is and why it was written 01:44 — How the 50 truths are structured across se...
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  Ask Mark Anything: Dating Age Gaps, The Shroud of Turin & More 13.08.2026 31dk

  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 theme. From dating age gaps and spiritual readiness, to the Shroud of Turin and relics, to prayer for the sick and getting the most out of a sermon, Mark and Emily work through it all with a mix of humor and biblical grounding. Episode Highlights 01:33 — The most satisfying new school supply: pencils, pens, and Trapper Keepers 03:14 — What ...
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  The Church Is the Answer to Iowa's Foster Care Crisis with Mel Pearson 06.08.2026 25dk

  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 foster care in Iowa right now, and why it should matter deeply to Christians. Mel shares her own family's unglamorized journey into foster care, the theology behind caring for the vulnerable, and how a new initiative called The Table Project is working to change the system one family, one church, and one child at a time. Episode Highlight...
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  21 Days of Prayer: Praying for a Move of God This Fall 30.07.2026 20dk

  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 fall semester. They talk through why prayer matters even though God already knows our needs, what makes "kingdom-centered intercession" different from ordinary requests, and practical boosters to help sustain a rich prayer life. Episode Highlights 00:39 — Casting the vision of 21 Days of Prayer 02:08 — Setting aside focused seasons of pray...
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  Sins We Tolerate: Sins of the Tongue 22.07.2026 28dk

  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 are never neutral, always spilling out of what's really in our hearts, walk through a practical four-question test for evaluating what we say, and point to the only real hope for taming something James says is more untamable than a wild animal. Episode Highlights 01:18 — Introducing today's topic: sins of the tongue 02:00 — Defining sin...
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  Sins We Tolerate: Sloth 16.07.2026 23dk

  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 simply as laziness, but as neglecting the work God has assigned, then offer practical, gospel-rooted ways to move from sloth toward diligent, faithful work. Episode Highlights 00:59 — Sloth introduced as a sister sin to gluttony 01:15 — Defining sloth: more than laziness, it's neglecting duties God has assigned 02:00 — Ephesians 2 and t...
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  Sins We Tolerate: Gluttony 08.07.2026 24dk

  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, respectable sins: gluttony. Far from the exaggerated stereotype most of us picture, Emily unpacks why this sin is far more common, subtle, and spiritually dangerous than we think, and how the gospel gives us a better way forward. Episode Highlights 00:28 — Introducing the series on hidden, respectable sins and the topic of gluttony 01:49 — Wh...
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  What Does Christian Patriotism Look Like? 01.07.2026 19dk

  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 in heaven while living as faithful residents on earth. Turning to Jeremiah's letter to the exiles in Babylon, he unpacks what it looks like to genuinely love your country, work for its good, and offer honest critique, all without confusing any earthly nation, including America, with the Kingdom of God. Episode Highlights 00:27 — Setti...
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  Sins We Tolerate: Judgement 26.06.2026 31dk

  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. They start with one of the most culturally relevant: judgment. Drawing from Romans 14, Mark unpacks how Christians can fall into a pattern of casting judgment on brothers and sisters in areas where scripture doesn't demand a single answer, and what it looks like to pursue edifying love instead. Episode Highlights 00:34 — Introducing the n...
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  Planting Citizens Church with Simeon Bell 18.06.2026 27dk

  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 unexpected timeline change that has his family moving this August, the vision behind the Citizens Church name rooted in Ephesians 2:19, and why Columbia is exactly where God is calling them. Episode Highlights 00:27 — Simeon Bell and the Citizens Church story 01:13 — An unexpected timeline change: Simeon's family is now moving to Columbia...
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  What's Happening in Rural Iowa with Shane Rothlisberger 11.06.2026 20dk

  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 Iowa, came to life in the most unexpected way. What began with a sick father, a family in need of community, and a living room livestream became something neither of them saw coming. Shane and Mark also discuss the spiritual state of rural Iowa and why it matters deeply for the future of the gospel. Episode Highlights 00:26 — Introduc...
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  Ask Mark Anything: Swearing, Greek Life & More 04.06.2026 38dk

  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 conspiracy theories, waiting on God to Greek life, Mark tackles a wide range of real-life questions with pastoral honesty, biblical grounding, and plenty of laughs along the way. Episode Highlights 01:57 — Is swearing just part of sports culture, even for Christians? 12:15 — What does it actually look like to wait on the Lord? 21:07 — ...
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  What Is Church Membership? 28.05.2026 33dk

  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 actually says about it, to the common ditches people fall into, to how a large church like Cornerstone keeps track of its people, Mark offers pastoral clarity and honesty on why formal membership matters for every believer. Episode Highlights 02:58 — What is church membership, biblically? Where do we even find it in Scripture? 07:36 — Co...
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  Leadership, Legacy, and Aging Well with Troy Nesbitt 21.05.2026 25dk

  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. Troy reflects on what it looks like to navigate the final quarter of life with faithfulness and joy. Episode Highlights: 00:27 — Introducing Troy Nesbitt: founding pastor, Salt Company pioneer, and mentor to Mark 01:33 — Entering the "final quarter" of life at 63 — and what that actually means 03:09 — Why Troy handed off lead pastor respon...