Not All AI Involvement in Ministry Is the Same
In my previous post, I suggested that the most important question is not, “Did AI write this?” Rather, the better question is, “Whose wisdom, experience, and discernment does this material represent?” That question gets to the heart of responsibility, trust, and ministry integrity.
However, many discussions about AI assume there are only two possibilities: either a human wrote something, or AI wrote it. In practice, AI involvement in ministry is far more complicated.
For example, a missionary may use AI to proofread a prayer letter. Meanwhile, another worker may ask AI to organise meeting notes. Someone else may use it to summarise several reports. Still another person may spend hours discussing a biblical passage with AI, testing ideas and refining conclusions. Finally, a user might ask… Read the whole post
More Than Writing: Understanding AI in Ministry
Cross-cultural missionaries regularly use written communication in ministry as they prepare sermons, Bible studies, devotionals, training materials, reports, and newsletters. Sometimes we need to do so in another language. We write newsletters for our financial and prayer partners, prepare annual reports for churches, provide ministry updates for field leaders and Regional Directors, and take minutes for important meetings. Some of us go further and write blog posts, books, or journal articles. As AI in ministry becomes more common, many missionaries are asking new questions about how these tools should be used.
From ‘Can I Use AI?’ to a Better Question
Over more than forty years of cross-cultural ministry, I have written thousands of pages. Only within the last year or so have I begun to realize how much… Read the whole post
![Raising Up a Generation of Healthy Third Culture Kids: A Practical Guide to Preventive Care by [Lauren Wells]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41+yAaHAGEL.jpg "A Preventive Guide to Raising Healthy TCKs")
Editor’s note: This blog post is republished by permission of the author, Jack Gilbert. Jack & his wife are missionaries with SEND International in Spain. Jack regularly blogs at I’m Listening to GOD. This particular blog post is part of Jack’s series on the book of Romans.
Those whom God receives by grace must welcome others with grace as well.
Pastoral intent:
Paul wants to demonstrate that not all disagreements are of equal importance. He calls the Roman believers to seek to live together in peace by building each other up in Christ and welcoming one another in the same way Jesus has welcomed them
Outline of Romans 14:1 – 15:13
Rom. 14:1–12 — Receive One Another Despite Differences
Rom. 14:13–23 —Love One Another Through Self-Restraint
Rom. 15:1–7 — Serve One Another Through Self-Sacrifice
Rom. 15:8–13 — Glorify God as One People in Christ
Context
The Changing Makeup of the… Read the whole post
Editor’s note: This blog post is republished by permission of the author, Jack Gilbert. Jack & his wife are missionaries with SEND International in Spain. Jack regularly blogs at I’m Listening to GOD.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.(1 Thessalonians 5:17-18)
We all live busy lives, juggling responsibilities, challenges, and expectations. And in the middle of it, Paul’s words can hit hard: “Pray without ceasing.” At first, that might feel impossible, or even a little unfair. But what if it’s not a rule to follow, but a way of life to enter? Instead of an obligation, what if we are being invited into something better than just getting by? Prayer is the rhythm that sustains the soul, the connection that shapes how we face each day. And that is what Paul wanted to communicate… Read the whole post
Many missionaries today live with a quiet tension. On the one hand, they are deeply committed to relationships—within teams, churches, and communities across cultures. On the other hand, they often experience relational fatigue, misunderstanding, and isolation, even while surrounded by people. Conversations that once felt natural can become complicated by language barriers, cultural differences, and ministry pressure.
Heather Holleman’s book The Six Conversations: Pathways to Connecting in an Age of Isolation and Incivility speaks powerfully into this reality. Rather than offering communication techniques or formulas, Holleman calls for a revival of loving conversations—conversations shaped by posture, not performance; by presence, not persuasion.
For those serving cross‑culturally, this message is especially timely. Missionary life places extraordinary relational demands on people, and the quality of our conversations often determines the health of our teams, partnerships, and witness.
Understanding the Author’s Perspective
Heather Holleman is an associate teaching professor of advanced writing at… Read the whole post
