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.
39episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
AI Part 1: What Should Christians Think About AI?
Jan 2900:29:07Tap to summarizeHow should Christians think about artificial intelligence—and what does faithfulness look like in a rapidly changing technological world? Mark Vance is joined by Emily Jensen to begin a thoughtful, theological conversation about artificial intelligence. Rather than reacting with fear or hype, they explore how Christians can approach AI with wisdom, discernment, and confidence in God’s design for humanity.Mark and Emily discuss why AI raises deeper questions about personhood, creativity, work, and trust, and why technology should be evaluated through a biblical lens rather than cultural panic. This first episode lays the groundwork for understanding AI as a tool—one that can shape society for good or ill depending on how it’s formed, governed, and used—and prepares listeners for a deeper ethical and theological discussion in Part 2.Episode Highlights00:29 — Introduction to the conversation on artificial intelligence 01:11 — Why AI raises big questions for Christians 02:20 — Why the AI conversation isn’t just about technology, but about humanity 03:37 — Cultural anxiety around AI and where that fear comes from 04:38 — The theological heart of the issue: what makes humans unique 05:50 — Why the world AI is shaping isn’t the world Scripture describes 06:51 — Tracing where modern AI ideas come from historically 08:02 — Pulling back the curtain: what AI is (and isn’t) actually doing 21:42 — Everyday examples of AI already shaping our lives 22:54 — The real question AI forces us to ask about meaning and value 24:00 — Convenience, automation, and the tradeoffs we rarely notice 25:56 — Why efficiency alone can’t define what’s good 26:54 — Where Christians should anchor their hope amid technological changeResourcesCornerstone Church Sermons: Listen onlineAsk Mark a Question!Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →How Should Christians Think About ICE and Immigration?
Jan 2800:33:07Tap to summarizeIn this bonus episode, Mark steps into a timely and emotionally charged topic surrounding immigration and ICE, not to offer political commentary, but to pastorally apply biblical truth to a complex cultural moment.Episode Highlights00:39 — Referencing the Minneapolis clashes and ICE-related tensions 00:53 — Equip’s purpose: not political commentary, but pastoral discipleship 02:07 — Why the church must speak truth when culture fills the silence 03:10 — Applying biblical truth to emotionally charged public issues 04:32 — The danger of reacting purely from media narratives 06:05 — Government authority: what Scripture teaches about law and order 08:18 — Holding justice and compassion together biblically 10:44 — Why immigration conversations often oversimplify complex realities 13:27 — How Christians should think about protests, tensions, and public response 16:52 — Guarding our tone and witness in political conversations 19:34 — Loving neighbors without abandoning truth 22:11 — Avoiding partisan capture while remaining biblically faithful 24:58 — The church’s unique role: formation, prayer, and gospel clarity 27:40 — Final pastoral encouragement for humility and faithfulness31:24 — A prayer for leaders and witnessesResourcesCornerstone Church Sermons: Listen onlineThe Briefing with Albert MohlerAsk Mark a Question!Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →What Is A Healthy Church? Reflections on Church Size with Ryan Hill
Jan 2200:29:15Tap to summarizeWhat actually makes a church healthy, and how should leaders think about growth without losing faithfulness?In this episode of the Equip Podcast, Mark Vance is joined by Ryan Hill, an Elder at Cornerstone and the Executive Director of The Salt Network, for a wide-ranging conversation on church health, growth, leadership, and gospel clarity. Together, they explore the difference between churches that simply get bigger and churches that grow in healthy, sustainable ways.Mark and Ryan talk through common misconceptions about church growth, the importance of gospel-centered vision, and why healthy churches don’t chase trends but cultivate spiritual vitality over time. They also discuss leadership development, member care, and how faithfulness to Jesus shapes every layer of church life, from Sunday mornings to long-term discipleship.Episode Highlights 00:33 — Introducing Ryan Hill and framing the conversation on church health 01:31 — Church growth vs. church health: why they aren’t the same thing 02:41 — Why numbers, services, and attendance aren’t the true measure of success 03:52 — The gospel as the engine of long-term church health 05:09 — How leadership decisions shape culture and direction over time 06:29 — Healthy growth requires clarity, patience, and intentional structure 07:55 — Growth as a byproduct of health, not the goal itself 09:08 — Why people stay when they believe in the mission and vision 23:25 — Why healthy churches attract and sustain young people 24:45 — A burden for the lost as a defining mark of church health 27:08 — The weight and responsibility of church leadershipResourcesCornerstone Church Sermons: Listen online Ask Mark a Question! Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →Ask Mark Anything: Dream Jobs, Marketing, & Hard Questions
Jan 1500:37:10Tap to summarizeWhat 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 from the Cornerstone Church community about faithfulness in everyday life—especially when culture, technology, and suffering raise complex tensions.From staying consistent in spiritual habits, to navigating social media and marketing with integrity, to honoring God in our vocations, Mark offers biblical wisdom that is both grounded and practical. The conversation also addresses deeply pastoral questions about grief, infants and intellectual disability, and how Christians can trust God’s goodness when Scripture doesn’t provide simple answers. The episode closes with a thoughtful discussion on artificial intelligence, urging believers to engage wisely—using technology as a tool that serves human flourishing rather than replacing it.Episode Highlights01:33 — What is delighting you about Jesus right now in your scripture reading? 05:17 — Is there a Christian way to do marketing and sales? 10:16 — Should we avoid social media? 12:41 — Is there a hierarchy of holiness in vocation? What should we be doing with our time and lives?20:04 — How do we think about infants (or those with childlike cognitive ability) who die without being able to profess anything? 29:35 — Can AI be my doctor? Could AI be my counselor? How should Christians think about the everyday role AI plays in their life? 33:48 — What's the “monk vs. missionary” idea when it comes to AI and technology?ResourcesCornerstone Church Sermons: Listen onlineThe Spring Spiritual Workout PlanGod at Work — Gene Edward Veith Ask Mark a Question! Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →Reflections on Revival & Revivalism
Jan 800:16:10Tap to summarizeWhat’s the difference between true revival and revivalism, and how should Christians respond when God seems to be stirring something fresh? Mark reflects on the Salt Company Conference and the broader signs of spiritual hunger he’s seeing among Gen Z. He explains why this moment is deeply encouraging, while also offering a needed distinction between revival and revivalism.Mark draws from Iain Murray’s Revival and Revivalism and echoes a helpful framework often attributed to Tim Keller: in true revival, dead Christians come alive, sleepy Christians wake up, and non-Christians are converted. As he looks ahead, Mark shares both a fear and a hope: that momentum could drift toward big event “mountaintop moments,” or instead fuel a lasting renewal centered on the local church, discipleship, and church planting.Episode Highlights00:04 — What does it look like to be deeply rooted in Christ in a world of cultural chaos? 00:32 — Reflecting on Salt Company Conference and what God is doing through it02:29 — Introducing the key question: revival vs. revivalism 05:03 — Defining revival: God’s Spirit igniting ordinary means of grace 06:06 — Defining revivalism: using human methods to produce extraordinary results 06:57 — Mark’s fear: momentum gets centered on big events and emotional moments 07:29 — Mark’s hope: a renewal movement that strengthens the local church 10:13 — The main point: God’s plan is the local church (not revival events) 15:43 — Luke 10:2: pray for laborers and for lasting fruit through church plantingResourcesCornerstone Church Sermons: Listen onlineSalt Company Conference: Listen to Sessions & BreakoutsRevival and Revivalism — Iain MurrayThe Gospel Coalition — "It's Here: Gen-Z Revival Hits Campuses This Fall" Ask Mark a Question! Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →Gavin Ortlund on Assurance of Salvation
Nov 14, 2024Tap to summarizeThis episode was recorded at our recent Equip Weekend at Cornerstone Church. To get more resources from Cornerstone Equip Weekend go to cornerstonelife.com/podcasts. To see more of Gavin Ortlund's YouTube Ministry - visit him at truthunites.orgEpisode 250- Gavin Ortlund on Assurance of SalvationThis podcast is designed to help you live a faithful and fruitful life where Jesus has called you. Connect with Cornerstone Church Online at cornerstonelife.com. Subscribe to our "Sermon" and "Equip" podcasts on iTunes and Spotify and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.Ask Mark a Question!Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →Gavin Ortlund on Church History
Oct 31, 2024Tap to summarizeEpisode 248 - Gavin Ortlund on Church HistoryCheck out more from Gavin at www.truthunites.orgThis podcast is designed to help you live a faithful and fruitful life where Jesus has called you. Connect with Cornerstone Church Online at cornerstonelife.com. Subscribe to our "Sermon" and "Equip" podcasts on iTunes and Spotify and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.Ask Mark a Question!Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →Thank You God for Tim Keller
Jul 6, 2023Tap to summarizeEpisode 181- Thank You God for Tim Keller, hosted by Mark Vance.This podcast is designed to help you live a faithful and fruitful life where Jesus has called you. Connect with Cornerstone Church Online at cornerstonelife.com. Subscribe to our "Sermon" and "Equip" podcasts on iTunes and Spotify and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Ask Mark a Question! Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →Critical Race Theory 3: What is Justice?
Sep 22, 2020Tap to summarizeEpisode 39- Critical Race Theory 3: What is Justice?, hosted by Mark Vance and Alex Tuckness. Welcome to the Equip Podcast from Cornerstone Church of Ames - this podcast is designed to help you live a faithful and fruitful life where Jesus has called you.This is part three of a four part series walking through Critical Race Theory. This episode is a small piece of a bigger conversation held as a part of the theology program at Cornerstone Church. You can watch that whole conversation here- https://cornerstonelife.com/criticaltheory/.Helpful resources for this episode are "A Biblical Critique of Secular Justice and Critical Theory" by Tim Keller (https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/a-biblical-critique-of-secular-justice-and-critical-theory/) and Keller's book Generous Justice (https://www.amazon.com/Generous-Justice-Gods-Grace-Makes/dp/1594486077/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=general+justice+tim+keller&qid=1600711173&sr=8-1).Connect with Cornerstone Church Online at cornerstonelife.com. Subscribe to our "Sermon" and "Equip" podcasts on iTunes and Spotify and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Ask Mark a Question! Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!
Transcribe →