Podcast
Equip Podcast
Hosted by Cornerstone Church of Ames · EN
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.
37episodes
Episodes
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Sins We Tolerate: Sins of the Tongue
3w ago00:28:17Tap to summarizeIn 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 Highlights01:18 — Introducing today's topic: sins of the tongue02:00 — Defining sins of the tongue: the wide range of speech Proverbs addresses03:26 — From criticism and gossip to slander: sins of the tongue rooted in pride03:42 — James 3: the tongue as a "world of unrighteousness," harder to tame than any wild animal04:24 — Life and death are in the power of the tongue: how words make and break relationships06:49 — Remembering the gospel: our words are the overflow of the heart (Luke 6:45)08:03 — The "full cup" analogy: whatever is inside spills out when we're jostled10:49 — The hope of the gospel: becoming people whose words reflect Christ, even under pressure13:34 — The "Can I Say That?" test: is it true, is it helpful, is it humble, is it wise?17:31 — Real-life application: parenting teenagers and building up a spouse's dreams21:28 — Fleeing sins of the tongue: fear of the Lord and giving an account for every careless word24:38 — Practices to feed the spirit: praising, praying, and singing out loud26:11 — Mark's lifetime goal to speak fewer words every year27:07 — Closing thoughts: four respectable sins, one gospel invitation to changeResourcesCornerstone Sermons: Listen OnlineRespectable Sins by Jerry BridgesAsk Mark a Question!Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →Sins We Tolerate: Sloth
3w ago00:23:24Tap to summarizeIn 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 Highlights00:59 — Sloth introduced as a sister sin to gluttony01:15 — Defining sloth: more than laziness, it's neglecting duties God has assigned02:00 — Ephesians 2 and the tension between grace and good works03:10 — Giving your best to the useless and your worst to the useful03:22 — Proverbs 26 and the sluggard's excuses04:40 — Busy but lazy: the example of Mary and Martha07:24 — Work isn't a curse — toil is; Jesus as the perfect model of a worker09:37 — "Saved by works" vs. "saved to work"14:57 — Feeding the spirit: the five C's of calling16:22 — AI, dystopian fiction, and WALL-E as a picture of sloth19:58 — An accountability tool: tracking every fifteen minutesResourcesCornerstone Sermons: Listen OnlineAsk Mark a Question!Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →Sins We Tolerate: Gluttony
Jul 800:24:51Tap to summarizeIn 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 Highlights00:28 — Introducing the series on hidden, respectable sins and the topic of gluttony01:49 — Why the modern stereotype of gluttony misses the mark02:07 — How the church fathers, reformers, and puritans defined gluttony: being ruled by your appetite02:45 — Introducing the FRESH acronym: five forms of gluttony from Gregory the Great via Dr. DeYoung03:55 — Fastidiously: the gluttony of delicacy and over-fussiness about food05:13 — Sumptuously: eating for maximum satisfaction and strategically hoarding the best portion06:26 — Ravenously, excessively, and hastily: the three ways gluttony shows up in how we eat09:06 — The biblical case against gluttony: 1 Corinthians 6:12, Philippians 3:19, and what it means to be mastered by an appetite10:15 — Food as a good gift from God — and why guilt isn't the goal11:20 — How gluttony fits into the bigger picture: a battle between flesh and spirit13:35 — The marriage supper of the Lamb, the shadowlands, and keeping food in its right place15:26 — How to starve the sin: study it, hate it, flee it, confess it16:32 — Hating gluttony: looking at where it leads historically and in your own health18:00 — Fleeing and confessing: practical strategies and why community matters21:15 — Feeding the spirit: food neutrality, thanksgiving, and the antidote to gluttony23:26 — Closing thoughts: gluttony as a gateway sin and a window into deeper appetite disordersResources:Cornerstone Sermons: Listen OnlineAsk Mark a Question!Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →What Does Christian Patriotism Look Like?
Jul 100:19:11Tap to summarizeIn 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 Highlights00:27 — Setting up a Fourth of July reflection on patriotism and dual citizenship01:09 — Personal memories of Fourth of July growing up in Sheldon and Slater, Iowa02:51 — Gratitude for America's freedoms, "for all her flaws"03:14 — Naming the tension between heavenly and earthly citizenship04:02 — Turning to Jeremiah 29 as a guiding text on exile and citizenship04:31 — Context: Jeremiah's letter to Israelites exiled in Babylon06:20 — The exiles' dilemma: how do you relate to the kingdom that conquered you?07:22 — Jeremiah's command: "pursue the well-being of the city"08:24 — Why pray for Babylon's good: "when it thrives, you will thrive"08:46 — God's promise to restore His people after seventy years10:12 — Applying the picture: citizens of heaven, temporary residents on earth11:04 — Practical instructions: build, plant, and work for the good11:29 — Clarifying what Christian nationalism actually means13:04 — A discerning eye toward the flaws of any human nation13:53 — Daniel's example: working for Babylon's good without compromising conviction14:56 — Applying it to America: gratitude, contribution, and good citizenship17:03 — Unafraid to both love America and critique her flaws17:26 — A simple Fourth of July exhortation: be a participant, not just a critic18:34 — Closing blessing: "God bless America, but even so, come, Lord Jesus"ResourcesCornerstone Sermons: Listen OnlineAsk Mark a Question!Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →Sins We Tolerate: Judgement
Jun 2600:31:02Tap to summarizeIn 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 Highlights00:34 — Introducing the new series: Since We Tolerate and the idea of "respectable sins"01:13 — Why Christians often tackle the obvious sins but miss the subtle ones01:57 — The framework for the series: a four-part process for killing sin03:26 — Defining the process: remember the gospel, remember your identity, starve the sin, feed the spirit05:13 — Introducing the sin of judgment and its grounding in Romans 1406:12 — The Jewish-Gentile tension in the early church as the original context for Romans 1408:10 — What makes a matter "gray" — and why gray doesn't mean unimportant10:26 — Judgementalism as a "crowning vice of modernity," amplified by social media and cable news13:33 — When judgment is right: distinguishing disputed matters from clear biblical teaching17:00 — Diagnosing a judgmental heart: the BAM vs. WAM test (Best Available Motive vs. Worst Available Motive)21:28 — Practical steps to starve the sin: study it, hate it, flee it, confess it27:00 — Feeding the spirit: cultivating edifying love as the antidote to judgment30:34 — A preview of the next episode: gluttonyResourcesRespectable Sins by Jerry Bridges: PurchaseCornerstone Sermons: Listen OnlineAsk Mark a Question!Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →Planting Citizens Church with Simeon Bell
Jun 1800:27:12Tap to summarizeEmily 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 Highlights00:27 — Simeon Bell and the Citizens Church story01:13 — An unexpected timeline change: Simeon's family is now moving to Columbia this August instead of January 202702:18 — How a local Columbia church reached out and accelerated the timeline — and what that partnership looks like03:20 — Who's going: 31 members headed to Columbia03:52 — How Simeon's years leading Cornerstone Youth equipped him for church planting05:50 — The meaning behind the name "Citizens Church" and its roots in Ephesians 2:1907:50 — Citizens Church's five core motives: Spirit-filled, authentic community, purpose-driven, sacrificial living, and kingdom multiplication07:59 — From motives to mission: preparing citizens for heaven by living faithfully on earth13:41 — The 10-year vision: 500 members, five church plants, and a launch pad up the East Coast14:29 — Why Columbia, South Carolina? The brokenness, the diversity, and the need18:02 — Columbia's racial diversity and the vision for a multiethnic church rooted in Revelation 7:919:15 — The University of South Carolina campus: 40,000 students, under 5% reached with the gospel20:04 — A surprising discovery: 52% of USC students come from the Northeast — the exact states Simeon has lived in23:18 — How to support Citizens Church: give, go, pray — and why Simeon's biggest prayer request is holiness25:58 — Simeon's gratitude for Cornerstone and what it means to be equipped and sent wellResourcesCitizens Church: Pray, Give, or GoCornerstone Sermons: Listen OnlineAsk Mark a Question!Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →What's Happening in Rural Iowa with Shane Rothlisberger
Jun 1100:20:34Tap to summarizeIn 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 Highlights00:26 — Introducing Shane Rothlisberger, pastor of the Acreage Church01:39 — How a family crisis and a move to northeast Iowa set everything in motion02:33 — Streaming Cornerstone from a living room03:17 — Wrestling with whether to call it what it was: a church plant04:26 — A moment in John 21 and Shane's calling to shepherd this flock05:33 — Cornerstone's role as the sending church for the Acreage06:00 — What a typical Sunday looks like at the Acreage Church today07:17 — Using Cornerstone's teaching series, one week behind, and how Shane contextualizes it09:31 — The spiritual landscape of rural Iowa: overchurched but unreached, and how that's shifted11:06 — A generational turnover: from cultural Christianity to irrelevance13:22 — The decline of mainline denominational churches in rural communities15:16 — Faithful pastors in rural Iowa stretched thin across multiple congregations16:13 — Easter at the Acreage: 175 people, four baptisms, and lives changed17:26 — Running out of room, and what a glorious problem that is18:28 — What Cornerstone is praying about next: rural church planting as a growing vision19:16 — "We didn't even pray for this", and what that stirs up for what God might do intentionally20:00 — A call to pray for rural Iowa and the harvest waiting thereResourcesCornerstone Sermons: Listen OnlineAsk Mark a Question!Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →Ask Mark Anything: Swearing, Greek Life & More
Jun 400:38:01Tap to summarizeIn 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 Highlights01:57 — 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 — Should college students consider Greek life?27:51 — How should Christians think about conspiracy theories and trust in authority?ResourcesCornerstone Sermons: Listen OnlineThe Reason for God by Tim KellerAsk Mark a Question! — Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!Ask Mark a Question!Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →What Is Church Membership?
May 2800:33:47Tap to summarizeMark 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 Highlights02:58 — What is church membership, biblically? Where do we even find it in Scripture?07:36 — Common ditches: individualism, the "marriage to a church" extreme, and church hopping09:52 — The two-way promises involved in church membership — what members commit to, and what elders commit back11:00 — State church vs. free church: why the American context changes how we think about leaving a church19:14 — How to know when it might be time to leave a church — and how to do it well27:45 — How does a church the size of Cornerstone actually keep track of its members?ResourcesCornerstone Sermons: Listen OnlineAsk Mark a Question!Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →Leadership, Legacy, and Aging Well with Troy Nesbitt
May 2100:25:59Tap to summarizeIn 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 Mark01:33 — Entering the "final quarter" of life at 63 — and what that actually means03:09 — Why Troy handed off lead pastor responsibilities earlier than most03:50 — The principle: pastors reach a decade either side of themselves — nobody gets the third decade05:39 — Retirement vs. reallocation: a biblical framework for the final season06:43 — From the work stage to the wisdom stage: what that shift actually looks like08:12 — The hardest thing about transitioning out of authority — and what a wise leader does instead11:31 — How cheerleaders empower leaders: the gift of being believed in13:12 — The NCAA study: why grandparents are athletes' best memories, not dads on the ride home15:00 — Relating to adult kids who are now parents themselves: the "counsel if asked" rule16:27 — "Visiting Friday": Troy's weekly habit of sitting with his 88-year-old parents18:25 — Caring for aging parents as part of finishing well — even when it's hard23:14 — Troy's vision for the years ahead: more prayer, more coaching, more of lessResourcesCornerstone Sermons: Listen OnlineAsk Mark a Question!Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →