Equip Podcast

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...

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 confu...

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 sing...

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 Citize...

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 I...

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...

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...

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 "fina...

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 remarkable story of growing up in New Orleans, surviving Hurricane Katrina, a crisis of suicidal despair in high school, and ultimately finding faith in Jesus at Texas Tech University. The conversation traces how God used brokenness, mentors, and yea...

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 worldview? With honesty and care, he challenges listeners to stop prolonging death and start pursuing a life of flourishing, all the way to the end. Episode Highlights 00:27 — Introducing the topic: end-of-life health and the final decades o...

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? Drawing from Scripture and real conversations with retirees, Mark offers biblical principles and concrete wisdom for navigating end-of-life finances, inheritance, and Kingdom generosity. Episode Highlights 00:27 — Introducing the topic: end-...

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 how to approach the summer months with intentionality through the Spiritual Workout Plan. This conversation offers a practical ways to stay rooted in Christ during a season that often pulls people away from consistency and challenges listen...

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 the challenges and opportunities that come with this stage, including career pressures, shifting priorities, anxiety, and the process of learning to trust God more deeply.  Episode Highlights 00:27 — Introducing Brent and Tori Haverkamp and t...

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 stories and wisdom, they reflect on navigating relationships, finances, work, and spiritual growth in the early years of adulthood. Episode Highlights 00:26 — Introducing Crystal and the focus on the “summer” season of life 01:00 — Transitio...

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 grow in wisdom during the “spring” season of life. As part of a broader series on the seasons of life, this episode focuses on youth and the unique challenges young people face today. Through an honest and practical conversation, they explore...

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 war theory, they explore how believers can pursue peace while still understanding the role of justice and government. Episode Highlights 00:30 — Introducing the topic: how Christians should think about war 01:19 — Where war comes from: not par...

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 licensed mental health counselor, to talk about God’s design for marriage. Drawing from both Scripture and real-life counseling experience, Steve reframes marriage not as a checklist of spiritual habits, but as a deep, lifelong partnership ma...

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 resurrection is not just a matter of faith, but a claim rooted in real events, eyewitness testimony, and early Christian conviction. Episode Highlights 00:30 — Setting the context: Easter week and the importance of the resurrection 00:59 —...

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 the biblical vision for men and women plays out in everyday life, the church, and broader society. Episode Highlights: 00:29 — Launching the final Q&A episode of the Men & Women series 00:56 — Theological triage: where debates abo...

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 the biblical definitions and distinctions between men and women, this episode addresses the ways those ideas can be distorted both inside and outside the church. Episode Highlights: 00:27 — Entering Part 3 of the Men & Women series:...

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 equal dignity as image-bearers of God, this conversation explores how scripture describes meaningful differences between male and female. Episode Highlights: 00:27 — Returning to the Men & Women series and recapping the foundation fr...

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 cultural conversations, they return to the opening pages of scripture to establish a biblical foundation. Episode Highlights: 00:27 — Introducing a new series: Men & Women 00:46 — Why conversations about gender keep resurfacing in both cult...

In this episode, Mark recaps his recent lecture at Iowa State University, reflecting on the growing problem of political tribalism in America and calling Christians to a distinctly different posture: rooted in conviction, civility, and faithful presence. Episode Highlights 00:00 — Introduction and context: Recapping the Iowa State University lecture 01:52 — A flyover of the talk: Anxiety, anger, a...

 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 is a historic and biblical rhythm for followers of Jesus. From churning up the soil of the heart to aligning ourselves with the ancient church, Mark walks through both the theology behind Lent and the plan Cornerstone will follow together....

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 on practical wisdom—how Christians can use AI responsibly without outsourcing discernment, formation, or trust to technology. This conversation centers on limits: why AI should remain a tool rather than a guide, how dependence subtly shapes...