Featured
No . . . Pastors Do Not Need Artificial Intelligence For Sermon Preparation!
The rapid advancement of technology over the last several decades has brought many new and pressing issues to the forefront. No one ever heard of television until less than 100 years ago and radio is less than 125 years old. Many new technologies have had both positive and negative impacts on the world. Our role as Christians is to steward every tool well using it with great wisdom and care. One such discussion that has arisen recently is the subject of pastors using artificial intelligence for sermon preparation. Christianity Today recently published a piece by YI-LI LIN where they discuss the supposed helps for pastoral ministry that they believe ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence tool could offer. Citing the lack of time for sermon preparation is one cornerstone of the piece:
Continue Reading No . . . Pastors Do Not Need Artificial Intelligence For Sermon Preparation!
Spotlight
Pursuing Sanctification
A vitally important area for followers of Christ is that of understanding how to be made more like Him. Sanctification is the process of being conformed to the image of Christ in how we live. Certainly, we are saints now because of the fact that Christ has purchased us, redeemed us, and saved us by the power of the Gospel, this is true of every believer who has been declared holy in the Lord (Ephesians 1:1, Colossians 1:2, and 1 Peter 2:9). In terms of progressive sanctification, however, we are still growing in the Lord. Every Christian is still working to put sin to death, to live more righteously for Christ, and to be more like their Lord.
The Christian Life: Quiet, Little, & Long
“What do you want to do?” people wanted to know as soon as I finished high school. It was a problem, because I was already doing what I wanted to do. I was writing. I was teaching in my local church. I was using my extra time to plant my garden. The culture around me—even the Christian culture—scolded that it wasn’t enough. I needed to do something bigger that would really pack a punch in the boxing ring of faith. Just look at Paul, Christians seemed to say. The apostle’s radical conversion was trailed by a glittering firework of sermons, letters, missionary trips, and miracles.
Explore
The Call of The Hobbit
The ring of power has been handed down to Frodo, the heir of Bilbo. Years have gone by since he received this “heirloom” from the elder hobbit. Now, Gandalf the wizard is advising Frodo on what to do with the ring of power. Shall they destroy it? Perhaps, Frodo thinks, it could be obliterated with a hammer? Maybe burned in the fire? None of this is actually possible. In order to destroy the ring, Gandalf knows Frodo must travel to the Cracks of Doom in the land of Mordor, the home of the dark lord. Leading the hobbit and the wizard to this conclusion:
The Strength of Wisdom
I recently found myself in a difficult situation. Since I am a beekeeper it is normal for me to need to lift boxes that weigh 60-100 pounds. Not a big deal whenever I am healthy. However, when you suffer a significant shoulder injury it necessitates a change in approach. A small colony can have 2 boxes making it weigh somewhere north of 100-150 pounds or a larger one with something like 4 boxes can weigh closer to 250-300 pounds. I found myself in a season needing to lift the back of these colonies so I could slide pieces of equipment underneath them and out again. How was I going to do it essentially with one arm? Even as someone who strength trains frequently, a 200 pound curl is certainly out of the question for my 160 pound frame. The answer . . . leverage.
Dear Young Pastor . . . Apply The Text
In the year 2020, I preached my first true sermon. Meaning that I am early enough along in pastoral ministry to still be in the formative years, but far enough along to have learned a few lessons by the grace of God along the way. My “Dear Young Pastor” series on the blog seeks to chronicle some of those lessons for the sake of my own soul and others. Every pastor has portions of the preaching they find easier than others. Some are more natural at exegetically dissecting a passage word by word while perhaps being weak at the verbal part of delivery. Still yet, some are very skilled at seeing the application but possibly struggle with weaker theology in their early days. Pastors should constantly be growing in every way, but just as with anything else some points will naturally come easier than others to them.
