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, and political tribalism

02:06 — The central appeal: Learning how to disagree without dehumanizing

02:58 — A disturbing example: Political violence and the celebration of hatred

04:02 — Diagnosing the moment: Living in an “age of anxiety”

04:15 — Mark Sayers and the “gray zone”: Cultural transition and moral confusion

05:15 — The clash between post-Christian culture and the values of the Kingdom of God

13:01 — The university as a training ground for citizenship and civility

13:20 — The absence of viewpoint diversity and the danger of intellectual tribalism

21:00 — The call to Christian faithfulness: Being loyal first to Christ our King

Resources:

• We Need to Disagree: The Importance of Honesty and Debate in an Age of Political Tribalism (Please note: This recording will remain live until March 2, 2026)
• Cornerstone Church Sermons: Listen online

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 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.

Episode Highlights

00:27 — Introducing Lent and the vision for this season
01:14 — Jesus assumes his followers will fast
02:08 — “Break up the fallow ground” (Hosea 10:12)
02:48 — Lent connects us to the ancient church

03:21 — The 40-day rhythm of fasting & feasting

06:26 — Introducing the Lent Bookmark and weekly plan
08:00 — Overview of the seven weekly fasts
08:34 — Weekly communion throughout Lent

13:31 — Scripture memory: Philippians 2
14:51 — Final encouragement: Now is the time to seek the Lord

Resources

• Text 'LENT' to 515-329-3343 to sign up for weekly reminders plus daily Holy Week readings and videos to guide you through this season.
• Cornerstone Church Lent Resources
• Lent Bookmark & Weekly Plan
• Cornerstone Church Sermons: Listen online

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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 our spiritual habits, and why Christian maturity requires presence, patience, and embodied wisdom in an increasingly automated world.

Episode Highlights 

 00:46 — Framing the conversation: living faithfully as Christians amid rapid technological change
01:53 — Everyday AI usage and how quickly dependence can form
03:14 — The danger of outsourcing thinking, discernment, and wisdom
05:02 — Why AI can assist productivity but cannot shape character
07:18 — Formation happens through presence, not efficiency
09:41 — The spiritual cost of convenience we rarely notice
12:06 — Why Christian growth requires friction, struggle, and patience
14:38 — AI as a tool, not a teacher or authority
17:05 — Discernment as a learned habit, not a technological feature
19:44 — How embodied community resists technological isolation
22:31 — The church’s responsibility to form people, not compete with tools
25:06 — Holding a posture of confidence rather than fear
27:26 — Final encouragement: use technology wisely, know its limits, trust Christ

Resources

• Cornerstone Church Sermons: Listen online

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How should Christians think about the ethical limits of artificial intelligence, and where should wisdom, restraint, and responsibility come into play? In Part 2 of this series, Mark Vance and Emily Jensen move from foundations to application, exploring the moral, ethical, and spiritual questions AI raises for individuals, churches, and society.

This episode focuses on discernment: how Christians can engage emerging technology without fear, cynicism, or blind optimism. Mark and Emily discuss limits, unintended consequences, and why Christian wisdom must be shaped by Scripture.

Episode Highlights

00:00 — Why Christians need more than excitement or fear when talking about AI
01:04 — Recap of Part 1 and why ethics must follow theology
02:28 — The difference between technological capability and moral permission
04:11 — Why “we can” doesn’t mean “we should”
06:02 — Human limits as a gift, not a flaw
07:46 — How AI subtly reshapes our understanding of work, creativity, and value
10:03 — Convenience, automation, and the danger of moral laziness
12:21 — Loving your neighbor in an age of powerful technology
15:04 — Why wisdom requires slowing down rather than keeping up
17:36 — The church’s role in forming people, not just reacting to tools
20:11 — Discernment as a spiritual discipline, not a personality trait
22:48 — Where Christians should draw lines
25:14 — Hope rooted in Christ, not technological progress

Resources

• Cornerstone Church Sermons: Listen online

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How 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 Highlights

00:29 — 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 change

Resources

• Cornerstone Church Sermons: Listen online

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In 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 Highlights

00:39 — 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 faithfulness

31:24 — A prayer for leaders and witnesses

Resources

• Cornerstone Church Sermons: Listen online
• The Briefing with Albert Mohler

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What 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 leadership

Resources

• Cornerstone Church Sermons: Listen online

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What 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 Highlights

01:33 — 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?

Resources

• Cornerstone Church Sermons: Listen online
• The Spring Spiritual Workout Plan
• God at Work — Gene Edward Veith

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What’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 Highlights

00:04 — 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 it
02:29 — 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 planting

Resources

• Cornerstone Church Sermons: Listen online
• Salt Company Conference: Listen to Sessions & Breakouts
• Revival and Revivalism — Iain Murray
• The Gospel Coalition — "It's Here: Gen-Z Revival Hits Campuses This Fall"

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As a new year approaches, how should Christians think about goals, habits, and productivity—without slipping into hustle culture or empty self-improvement?

In this episode, Mark offers a pastoral framework for goal setting that prioritizes faithfulness over frenzy. Rather than chasing vague resolutions or cultural pressure, he encourages listeners to think carefully about how they steward their time, energy, and attention as followers of Jesus. Drawing on biblical wisdom and pastoral experience, Mark contrasts surface-level goal setting with intentional rhythms that shape who we are becoming.

Mark also introduces the Spiritual Workout Plan (SWP) as a practical tool to help believers grow in grace through daily and weekly practices like Scripture reading, prayer, silence, and intentional rest. This episode invites listeners to move from pressure-driven productivity to Spirit-formed faithfulness as they plan for the year ahead.

Episode Highlights

00:00 — Why goal setting matters—and why most approaches fall short
02:12 — Faithfulness vs. hustle: rethinking success as a Christian
04:35 — Time, energy, and attention as spiritual stewardship
07:18 — The danger of vague resolutions and cultural pressure
09:50 — Forming rhythms instead of chasing outcomes
12:40 — Introducing the Spiritual Workout Plan (SWP): what it is and how it helps
15:22 — Daily and weekly practices that shape long-term faithfulness
18:10 — From discipline to delight: how habits form loves
21:05 — Planning your year with wisdom, margin, and dependence on grace

Resources

• Cornerstone Church Sermons: Listen online
• The Spring Spiritual Workout Plan
• James Clear, Atomic Habits
• Justin Whitmel Earley, Habits of the Household
• David Mathis, Habits of Grace

Ask Mark a Question!

Suggest a topic or question for Mark to discuss on a future episode of the Equip Podcast!