Multigenerational contexts designed to provide biblical literacy, training, and practical application for wise living in the places God has positioned us.
Oct 20, 27
Baptism 101
Nov 8 & 9
Equip Weekend: Church History
Nov 17
Crash Course: Social Media
101 Class
Foundational classes for all ages introducing you to Christian beliefs and practices. Four weeks on Sunday mornings.
Crash Course
Free, workshop-style classes providing a deep dive on a theological subject for Christian life, practice, and discipline. Monthly on Sundays at 6p.
Equip Weekend
Intensive seminars providing theological understanding & training on a particular subject and how it relates to Christian beliefs & practices. One weekend each semester.
Course Archive
Recorded sessions from Equip Weekends & Crash Courses.
Equip Podcast
Designed to provide insight, resources and biblical wisdom. Hosted by Mark Vance.
Suggested Reads
Cornerstone Staff’s favorite & most helpful books.
Teachers: Alanna Sellinger with Ministry Staff Leaders • Cost: Free
For 30 years, we have seen God do more than we could ever ask or imagine. As a church family, we want membership to be a way for us to covenant together and affirm a shared confession, vision, and commitment to one another as members of Cornerstone Church. If you are interested in joining Cornerstone as a family member, this 2-week class is your next step!
Teachers: Cornerstone Staff & Elders • Cost: Free
Free, workshop-style classes providing a deep dive on a theological subject for Bible, Community, Mission rhythms of the Christian life. Monthly on Sunday nights at 6p.
Check the Podcast Late October for this content!
In May 2023, a U.S. General Surgeon called loneliness a “public health epidemic,” and it only takes a very quick Google search to find that 1 in 3 people in our country feel loneliness each week. Join us for this crash course as we look at what the Bible says about the cure for loneliness (spoiler: it’s friendship!), biblical examples of gospel-centered friendship, and how we can pursue deep, meaningful relationships in an age of loneliness.
Teacher: Alanna Sellinger
Sunday, 6:00-8:00p
in The Box
More information coming soon!
Teacher: Laura Wifler and Alanna Sellinger
Sunday, 6:00-8:00p
in The Box
Have you ever felt the growing tension between knowing how good, merciful and compassionate God is while also being faced with stories of such incredible violence in the Old Testament? It’s difficult to make sense and reconcile these two, seemingly opposing realities; and it makes explaining the Bible to someone who doesn’t know God incredibly challenging. Join us for this crash course where we’ll tackle head-first some of the most troublesome texts of violence in the Old Testament so we can better understand how to make sense of God for ourselves and others.
Teacher: Rudy Hartmann
Catch up on classes you couldn’t make (or just revisit ones you enjoyed) here:
Discover and learn how to leverage your unique, God-given purpose and assignment. Our semester-long Equip Group will focus on Blueprint: a gospel-centered life design where you’ll learn the theology of vocation, reflect on facets of your life story and personal history, as well as utilize tools to articulate your unique passions, abilities, and ideal context. By integrating these discoveries into a life of healthy rhythms and boundaries, you will learn to glorify God and enjoy Jesus in both work and rest.
Registration cost is $20 / person
Registration opens July 31st
Save the date for a weekend you won’t want to miss! Check back soon for more details on the weekend.
Evangelicalism is not a new thing, but a historical faith, rooted in centuries of faithful believers passing down the faith “once delivered to all the saints” (Jude 3). Now more than ever, we must take a closer and deeper look at our rich Christian tradition to learn invaluable, and relevant, lessons from faithful followers who precede us. Join us at Equip Weekend as we journey through church history with Gavin Ortlund!
Dr. Gavin Ortlund is a pastor, author, speaker, and apologist for the Christian faith. He is a husband to Esther, and a father to Isaiah, Naomi, Elijah, Miriam, and Abigail. He serves as President of Truth Unites and Theologian-in-Residence at Immanuel Nashville. Gavin has a Ph.D. from Fuller Theological Seminary in historical theology, and an M.Div from Covenant Theological Seminary.
He is the author of eight books as well as numerous academic and popular articles. His Why God Makes Sense in a World that Doesn’t won numerous awards. Gavin is a fellow of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics, a fellow of The Center for Baptist Renewal, a fellow of Credo, a member of St. Basil Fellowship of The Center for Pastor Theologians, and a Visiting Scholar at Reasons to Believe. He regularly speaks at churches and conferences around the country.
Gavin runs the YouTube channel Truth Unites, which seeks to promote gospel assurance through theological depth. Truth Unites has a dual purpose as both a theological resource to the church as well as an apologetics voice to our culture. In its inward-facing role, it seeks to serve the church with theological education. It especially focuses on historical retrieval and theological triage, seeking to buttress and unify evangelical theology amidst its current fragmentation. It also produces content in defense of Protestantism.
In its outward-facing role, Truth Unites seeks to provide a winsome and credible voice to the culture for the existence of God and the resurrection of Christ.
Learn more about Gavin Ortland’s ministry:
Learn more about Gavin Ortlund’s book:
See an overview of each session below. There will also be a live Q&A with Gavin Ortlund after every session.
SESSION ONE
How to Thrive in a Hostile Culture: Lessons From the Early Church
In Session 1, Ortlund will share how the early Christians responded to a hostile and ungodly surrounding culture with neither retreat nor attack. Special attention is given to the early Christians’ attitude toward entertainment (gladiator games, theater, etc.), which provides many lessons for how Christians today should respond to television and social media.
SESSION TWO
Tales of Martyrs: Faithful Courage From Forgotten Stories
In Session 2, Ortlund will share about inspiring and often neglected stories of faithfulness amidst suffering in church history. Special focus will be given to how Christians responded to persecution in the early church, and the courage of missionaries and martyrs who brought the gospel into Northern Europe in early medieval history.
SESSION THREE
Overcoming Anxiety: How the Puritans Can Help
One of the most acute and prevalent modern struggles is anxiety. We have resources in our theological traditions that can speak to this struggle. In Session 3, Ortlund will draw lessons from the Puritans, who excelled at applying the gospel as a balm to the human heart. Special attention is given to the role of the Holy Spirit in providing assurance of the love of God.
SESSION FOUR
Which Battles Are Worth Fighting? Lessons From the Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy
A great need in the church today is theological triage: which issues are worth fighting over? Going back 100 years into church history provides helpful perspective on which doctrines we should be willing to divide over—and which are not. Despite the negative connotations of the word “fundamentalist,” the early fundamentalists can actually help us consider how to prioritize the gospel amidst our theological disagreements. In Session 4, Ortlund will provide an overview of what the early fundamentalists stood for, and how their legacy relates to contemporary conversations.
Yes! You are welcome to attend as much of the weekend as possible.
No, this is a free event and registration is not required.
Please plan to arrange for childcare on your own as it will not provided at Equip Weekend. The nature of this event is designed for students (MS, HS, college) and community members.
Yes, you can find all Equip Weekend recordings for this event — as well as previous ones — on the Equip Course Archives podcast.
Equip Weekend will be held in the Main Auditorium at Cornerstone Church.
No problem, email Cornerstone’s Equipping Ministry so we can help!
6:00p
Doors open (book sales open)
6:45p
Session One: How to Thrive in a Hostile Culture: Lessons from the Early Church
7:30p
Live Q&A
7:45p
Break
8:00p
Session Two: Tales of Martyrs: Faithful Courage from Forgotten Stories
8:45p
Live Q&A
9:00p
Dismiss (book sales open)
8:30a
Doors open (book sales open)
9:00a
Session Three: Overcoming Anxiety: How the Puritans Can Help
9:45a
Live Q&A
10:15a
Break (book sales open)
10:30a
Session Four: Which Battles Are Worth Fighting? Lessons From the Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy
11:15a
Live Q&A
11:45a
Dismiss (book sales open)
Yes! You are welcome to attend as much of the weekend as possible.
No, this is a free event and registration is not required.
Please plan to arrange for childcare on your own as it will not provided at Equip Weekend. The nature of this event is designed for students (MS, HS, college) and community members.
Yes, you can find all Equip Weekend recordings for this event — as well as previous ones — on the Equip Course Archives podcast.
Equip Weekend will be held in the Main Auditorium at Cornerstone Church.
No problem, email Cornerstone’s Equipping Ministry so we can help!
Want to go back and listen to past Equip Weekend sessions? Stream the “Equip Course Archive” podcast on Apple or Spotify.
Our Fall 2022 Equip Weekend explored answers to questions regarding God and science issues. Participants attended four sessions to learn about modern scientific evidence for God, proposed naturalistic alternatives, a scientific approach to the biblical account of creation, the Big Bang, and evolution, and what we learn about God through science. Taught by Dr. Mike Strauss.
Our Spring 2022 Equip Weekend explored Blueprint Foundations: understanding how our unique stories, abilities, passions and contexts bring focus to a gospel-centered life design powered by Younique to provide a sense of clarity, courage, and calling for our distinct roles in God’s redemptive mission. While breakout session recordings are not available for the public, both main sessions are available in our course archive library. Taught by Cornerstone Staff.
Our Fall 2021 Equip Weekend explored Christian theology and how it relates to mental health. Participants attended both main sessions and focused track sessions in one of the three arenas mental health can most impact a person: in technology, in community, and in vocation. Taught by Cornerstone Staff.
Address
56829 US Hwy 30
Ames, IA 50010
Phone
(515) 232-5488
Office Hours:
Mon-Thur, 9:00a–3:00p
Join Us In Person:
8:30a & 10:30a
Sundays
Join Us Online:
8:30a & 10:30a
Livestream →
Get Updates:
Cornerstone Newsletter
Subscribe →
Access all our available resources like sermons, podcasts, reading plans, and classes.
The Stories of Cornerstone series is dedicated to showing how God is moving in the lives of members.
Learn more about Cornerstone’s values, ministries and staff.
Find ways to get connected here. You can also sign up for the newsletter to stay in the loop!
