Engage and Equip

This episode of the Engage and Equip podcast discusses the history, growth, and impact of Impact Christian Schools (ICS), a network of Christian schools in Wisconsin that emerged from High Point Church in Madison. The conversation between Nic Gibson, a pastor at High Point, and Chuck Moore, the executive director of ICS, reveals how the organization evolved from managing two schools to becoming a significant force in Christian education across Wisconsin, now working with 14 schools. The discussion emphasizes how ICS has leveraged Wisconsin's school choice program to make Christian education accessible to families regardless of their socioeconomic status, while maintaining high educational standards and Christian values. A key theme is how ICS has become uniquely positioned to help other Christian schools navigate the complex processes of establishment, accreditation, and joining the choice program - something particularly valuable as many parents seek alternatives to public education, especially after COVID-19 revealed more about what was happening in government schools. The conversation also explores the broader philosophical and practical reasons for Christian education, including the challenges faced by Christian students in public schools and the importance of creating educational environments that balance both structure and accommodation. The transcript concludes with a focus on ICS's newest venture - a high school on Madison's west side - and reflects on how the organization's success came through patient relationship-building, trust, and the bringing together of various essential skills and people at the right time.

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong (https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

Join us for a weekend's worth of recordings from the 2024 Leaders' Retreat. This podcast has 7 separate recordings put together into one, and much of the content revolves around Crossroads church, the building we have officially voted to plant a church in, and how to join together as the Body of Christ to do ministry for God's Kingdom here in Madison!

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at [highpointchurch.org/podcast](http://highpointchurch.org/podcast)

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong ([https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)](https://music.midwestcollective.us/track/were-finally-landing)

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

In this episode, Pastor Nic interviews Adam Mabry, author of "The Art of Rest," who shares his journey from being a task-driven pastor to discovering the vital importance of rest in Christian life. Despite being naturally inclined toward constant activity, Mabry came to write about rest after experiencing his own crisis with burnout. The conversation explores how rest is fundamentally woven into creation itself, serving multiple essential purposes: it helps believers remember God's sovereignty, restores relationships, allows for spiritual growth, and resists our culture's relentless drive toward productivity. Mabry explains that rest is an art that must be learned and practiced, looking different for each person while connecting to both God's role as creator and redeemer. The episode concludes with an encouraging challenge for listeners to begin practicing rest despite the fear and discomfort that might initially come with "stopping," trusting that God will bless their obedience in this area.

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at [highpointchurch.org/podcast](http://highpointchurch.org/podcast)

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong ([https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)](https://music.midwestcollective.us/track/were-finally-landing)

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

In this episode, Pastor Nic goes deeper into the concept of spiritual ferocity in Christian faith and personal transformation. At its core, the discussion explores how genuine spiritual growth requires an aggressive stance against both worldliness and indwelling sin, while paradoxically enabling gentleness and peace in the believer's life. Nic explains that spiritual ferocity operates in three ways: as brutality against sin, tenacity in faith, and ferocity in love. He emphasizes that this isn't about external violence or aggression toward others, but rather an internal battle that produces genuine love and transformation. Through detailed examples and biblical references, Nic illustrates how believers must learn to distinguish between their true identity and indwelling sin, align their feelings with God's judgments, and remain vigilant against the "little foxes" - small compromises that gradually undermine spiritual growth. This episode culminates in a discussion of worship as an indispensable discipline for developing this spiritual ferocity. Throughout the conversation, Nic challenges common misconceptions about grace and works, arguing that authentic Christian spirituality requires both vigorous striving and complete dependence on God's grace. This nuanced understanding of spiritual growth provides listeners with both theological depth and practical applications for their faith journey.

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at [highpointchurch.org/podcast](http://highpointchurch.org/podcast)

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong ([https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)](https://music.midwestcollective.us/track/were-finally-landing)

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

In this episode of the Engage the Equip podcast, Pastor Nic interviews Mike Woodruff about his book "How Do You Know," which explores reasons to trust and read the Bible. They discuss the Bible's unique historical significance, including its unparalleled sales figures and manuscript evidence, its internal consistency, and its historical accuracy confirmed through archaeology. Woodruff addresses common skepticisms and explains how the Bible's reliability has been repeatedly validated over time. The conversation also covers practical advice for new Bible readers, including recommended translations and starting points for study. The discussion is particularly relevant for those interested in understanding why the Bible remains significant in modern times and how to approach reading it thoughtfully. The episode concludes with reflections on the importance of having guidance when studying the Bible and understanding its role as a source of truth in an ever-changing world.

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at [highpointchurch.org/podcast](http://highpointchurch.org/podcast)

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong ([https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)](https://music.midwestcollective.us/track/were-finally-landing)

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

Join us for a conversation between Pastor Nic and Mike Woodruff where they discuss multiple topics from Mike Woodruff's podcast: "Beneath the Headlines". In this fast-paced discussion, Nic and Mike go over several topics about things happening to our culture, the danger in declining masculinity, and the church's role in challenging the cultural shift.

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at [highpointchurch.org/podcast](http://highpointchurch.org/podcast)

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong ([https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)](https://music.midwestcollective.us/track/were-finally-landing)

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

Guy Conn of Fox River Church in Waukesha joins Pastor Nic to discuss his experience in running a multi-site church. As High Point gears up to decide whether or not we will accept the Crossroads campus, Guy brings an important perspective on what it takes to do multi-site church work, and how High Point should look realistically at the adoption of another church building.

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at [highpointchurch.org/podcast](http://highpointchurch.org/podcast)

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong ([https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)](https://music.midwestcollective.us/track/were-finally-landing)

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

In this AMA, or Ask Me Anything, Nic addresses questions asked by listeners that came in at the beginning of the Rule of Life sermon series that's been taking place at High Point. Rule of Life is a sermon series directed at measuring various aspects of our life, evaluating what needs to be cut out, and at the end determining what set of disciplines we want to live by in order to center our life around Christ. For more Rule of Life content, check out our website at www.highpointchurch.org/ruleoflife

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at [highpointchurch.org/podcast](http://highpointchurch.org/podcast)

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong ([https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)](https://music.midwestcollective.us/track/were-finally-landing)

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

The staff team went through the Rule of Life process over the spring and summer in preparation for this series. Quite a bit has changed, but you can still use this as a further resource to understand the background behind the sermon each week and read all the things Nic wishes he could include on a Sunday morning here: https://account-media.s3.amazonaws.com/21096/uploaded/r/0e18544378_1727285555_rule-of-life-in-the-making.pdf

In this episode of Engage & Equip, Pastor Nic reads through week five of the Rule of Life series from this content that the staff went through. He focuses on escaping diversion, exploring the crucial practice of creating space for spiritual growth by eliminating distractions and embracing spiritual disciplines. He introduces the concept of "subtraction and experimentation," emphasizing the need for temporary minimalism and strategic deprivation to reset our relationship with technology and consumption. The episode outlines four categories of spiritual ordinances - space, rituals, disciplines, and obediences - and discusses the balance between personal effort and God's grace in spiritual transformation. From Sabbath-keeping to fasting, from silence to fellowship, Nic provides practical insights on how to make room for God in our busy lives, ultimately aiming for progress and joy in faith.

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at [highpointchurch.org/podcast](http://highpointchurch.org/podcast)

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong ([https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)](https://music.midwestcollective.us/track/were-finally-landing)

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

On September 16, 2024 we gathered for another Engage & Equip: LIVE where Pastor Nic dove into what is a Rule of Life and how we can approach this in our various volunteering roles. Take a listen to this encouraging, informative, and fairly entertaining edition of Engage & Equip!

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at [highpointchurch.org/podcast](http://highpointchurch.org/podcast)

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong ([https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)](https://music.midwestcollective.us/track/were-finally-landing)

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast