Equipped

We would love to have you join us for Equipped.

Equipped Adult Education Program
Our goal is to engage the hearts and minds of participants, equipping participants to be fully devoted disciples of Jesus.

Join us for classes and events that will deepen your understanding of Scripture, Theology, Church History, and Christian Living.

When: Sunday mornings, 10– 10:45am (September – May)

In addition to Sundays, we offer special events throughout the year as part of our “More Than Sunday” mission. We invite you to join us on Sunday mornings or at one of our special programs.

Sunday Mornings

Including and Welcoming Persons with Disabilities and Their Families in your Church
Class Leader: Beth Bauer
Sunday, March 2 | 10-10:45am | Parlor

Class Description

This class will discuss simple and easy ways to make families of persons with disabilities and persons with disabilities welcome in church.

CLASS LEADER: Beth Bauer earned her doctorate from Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.  Her dissertation focused on teaching piano to children with Down syndrome.  She is the faculty advisor for the pedagogy degree at Wheaton College Conservatory of Music and the Director of Beethoven’s Buddies, a music program for children with developmental delays.  Her work has been published in professional music and education journals.  She has served in professional music organizations on special education committees and has received awards for her work teaching piano to persons with disabilities.   Beethoven’s Buddies has been featured on the NBC National News, the Chicago Tribune and the Daily Herald.  She is a sought after clinician and speaker on the Inclusion of persons with disabilities in music, churches, and children’s programs. 

Discipleship and the Demands of Safety
Class Leader: Dr. Jeremy Lundgren
Sunday, March 9 | 10-10:45am | Parlor

Class Description

We live in a world that is often obsessed with safety. But the pursuit of safety puts demands on our lives—what we should eat, how we should raise our children, where we should look for guidance in the face of danger. In a world where safety has such an elevated status, the words of Christ echo loudly, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mk 8:34). This class will explore what it means biblically and practically to subject the demands of safety to the lordship of Christ as we seek to follow him.

CLASS LEADER: Dr. Jeremy Lundgren is president of Nicolet Bible Institute, a one-year undergraduate program located in the Northwoods of Wisconsin and dedicated to Christ-like formation through study, mentorship, and service. He also teaches theology at Wheaton College and serves as program coordinator for the M.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies. He is the author of The Pursuit of Safety: A Theology of Danger, Risk, and Security, and has many years of experience in cross-cultural and pastoral ministry. He and his wife, Kaci, have been married for 24 years and have 3 children.

More than Sunday Mornings

Equipped Movie Night – The Good Lie
Sunday, March 2 | 4-7pm | Parlor

Class Description

Join us for dinner and a movie and challenging conversation. This year our Equipped film choices will focus on the theme of refugees. Our conversations will encourage us to expand our understanding so that we might better equip ourselves to engage with others in a more meaningful and compassionate way.

  • We’ll gather in the Parlor
  • Watch The Good Lie
  • Enjoy a light dinner and challenging discussion

Four Sudanese children orphaned after their village is massacred in the Second Sudanese Civil War make an arduous, dangerous trek through the plains, enduring hardship, death, and sacrifice all the way until they reach safety in a refugee camp in Kenya. Years later, these youths are among 3600 selected for resettlement in America, only to have the one girl among them sent to Boston, while the three boys must make a new life in Kansas City. Together, these young men must adjust to an alien culture as the emotional baggage of their past haunts them. However, these newcomers and their new friends, like employment counselor Carrie Davis, strive to understand one another in this new home as they make peace with their histories in a challenge that will change all their lives.

This movie is rated PG-13. 

Register here today! | Popcorn: Free | Dinner: $10

Love and Justice: Reimagining Hope in a Divided World
Saturday, March 22 | 9-10:30am | Gathering Place

Class Description

In a time of deep political polarization and social fragmentation, Dr. Theon E. Hill will offer a lecture inspired by the prophetic voice of James Baldwin to illuminate a path of hope, justice, and radical love. Baldwin’s profound writings challenge us to confront the deep-rooted injustices that divide our communities while holding fast to a vision of human dignity and divine reconciliation.
Rooted in Baldwin’s nuanced understanding of American identity, social struggle, and spiritual transformation, this presentation explores how Christian faith calls us to be agents of both love and justice—a calling that refuses to be trapped by ideological echo chambers or passive acceptance of systemic wrongs. Participants will be challenged to see justice not as a political weapon, but as a sacred expression of God’s heart for human wholeness and dignity. Drawing from Baldwin’s powerful insight that “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced,” Dr. Hill will offer a compelling vision of hope—a hope that is active, courageous, and deeply rooted in both love and the pursuit of justice. Specifically, the presentation will challenge listeners to move beyond surface-level reconciliation, calling instead for a robust, faith-driven approach to justice. Register here today!

Speaker Bio: Dr. Theon E. Hill serves as Associate Professor of Communication at Wheaton College, where his work examines the intersection of faith, justice, politics, and popular culture. As both a scholar and ordained minister, he brings unique insights to conversations about cultural engagement and social transformation. His research appears in academic journals, books, and popular media. Dr. Hill is Scholar-in-Residence at The Redemption Church, where he serves on the preaching team and leads the justice & mercy ministry. He is also a Civil Society Fellow with the Aspen Institute and member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.