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This week we’re talking about how AI can be used to generate “fake” Bible verses. The danger in this is that those who are not familiar with the Scriptures can be easily deceived by fake verses that sound vaguely like Biblical statements but contain teaching that is contrary to what the Bible actually says. Instead, they will provide some sense of comfort to people who simply want to hear what they want to hear.Continue Reading
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This episode is our monthly news roundup for August. In this episode, we’re talking about Richard Dawkins’ recent comments about transgenderism, a new app that lets people “text with Jesus,” and the number of Americans who have tried marijuana.Continue Reading
In our modern culture, nearly everyone we meet has a phone in their pocket and/or a computer in their home (and likely more digital devices than that). Anyone reading this will be reading it on a screen. Anymore, this is simply the easiest and quickest way to access information and see the content we are interested in.
The problem with this comes when we are not mindful of how we are using these devices. As author Jeff Mingee stated in the book, Digital Dominion, “when it comes to our digital devices, we are tempted to forego mindful dominion and instead enter in with mindless consumption. So, who is controlling who?” (Digital Dominion: Five Questions Christians Should Ask to Take Control of Their Digital Devices, p. 26).
The premise of the book is that when God created man, He gave Him dominion over the world. “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth’” (Genesis 1:28, NKJV).Continue Reading
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This week we’re talking about seeking meaning in life. Everyone does this, but how is it different during the age of smartphones, internet search engines, and social media? We will consider that in our episode today.Continue Reading
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This is the last episode for the month of August – time for our monthly news roundup. In this episode, we’ll be talking about the number of women who have lost access to abortion, idolizing pets, and reading on paper vs. reading on screens.Continue Reading
In this lesson,* we are going to be looking ahead into the future and trying to determine how our local congregation fits into it. My purpose is not to make any predictions or prophecies. Like Amos would say, “I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet” (Amos 7:14). Instead, the purpose for this lesson is to examine the direction we are going so we can plan, prepare, and adapt as best we can.
The future has always been uncertain, yet it seems as though there is even more uncertainty now than ever. There are a few reasons for this.
As we go through this lesson, we are going to break it up into three parts:
So let us begin our consideration of this question: Where will your church be in twenty years?Continue Reading
The internet is arguably (and I would say almost definitely) the most significant technological advancement in the history of mankind. Yet as it is still relatively new, we are still learning how to use it. There are many ways we can use the internet for good, but there are also a lot of negatives that it has introduced to our lives and the world around us.
I have been following Chris Martin for a few years because I appreciate his perspective on social media and his warnings about the dangers of it. When I found out that he had a book coming out (Terms of Service), I pre-ordered it from Amazon so I could have it as soon as it was available. So I started this book with some anticipation and high expectations, and it was every bit as good and important as I assumed it would be.
From the book’s description:
Do we use social media, or are we being used by it?
Social media is brilliant and obscene. It sharpens the mind and dulls it. It brings nations together and tears them apart. It perpetuates, reveals, and repairs injustice. It is an untamed beast upon which we can only hope to ride, but never quite corral.
What is it doing to us?
Peter issued this challenge to all Christians: “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15). However, many Christians feel unprepared to do this; therefore, many conversations that could potentially lead people to the truth never get started.
This book will help equip all Christians to start engaging in spiritual conversations with those around them by providing simple answers to some basic Bible questions. Being ready to give an answer does not mean having an answer to every possible question at the drop of a hat. Instead, it means being able to give a ready answer to questions that are fundamental to our faith that can open the door to further discussions and studies with those who are interested. By studying the material in this book and becoming familiar with the Scriptures cited in each answer, Christians will be better prepared and have more confidence when they discuss their faith with others.
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