Using Artificial Intelligence

“The [British] Prime Minister said recently that ‘Artificial Intelligence will drive incredible change in our country’ and that he wants to ‘turbocharge’ the industry and make Britain a world leader in this area.

Growth in this arena has really taken off and caught the public imagination in the last few years, and naturally that has led many Christians to be curious and ask questions about it.

So I decided to dig into AI, and did a bit of training…”

– At Church Society’s blog, Lee Gatiss looks at AI.

The seed that will bear fruit has been planted

“At the turning point in John’s Gospel, Jesus makes a seemingly obscure reference to his death. As we get ready to celebrate Easter, let’s take a moment now to explore a powerful yet often overlooked verse to see in a fresh way what Jesus endured and the life he has won for us.

The moment comes in John 12, when some Greeks visit Jesus shortly after his triumphal entry to Jerusalem. …”

– Callan Pritchard writes at The Australian Church Record in the lead up to Easter.

Marshall Ballantine-Jones: Pastors helping parents to talk to teens on social media, the internet and porn

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“The addictive nature of social media, the mental health impact on teens, distorted identity and comparison, the way the attention economy undermines discipleship.

Parents (and pastors) so often feel out of their depth.

Marshall Ballantine-Jones created the Digihelp school curriculum addressing sexualised media, and the Resist Recovery Program.”

– Watch or listen here – with links.

Pastoral Care that Commends the Gospel, with Sarah Condie

A Gospel Coalition Australia podcast with Jonathan Holt:

“One key part of the ministry we share as the body of Christ is the pastoral care we extend one another. In this episode we are joined by Sarah Condie to talk about how our pastoral care might commend the good news of Jesus.

How do we fulfill the many one-another verses in the New Testament, especially when we often feel burdened with our own concerns, or very aware of our own limitations.

Sarah works with her husband Keith, for Anglican Deaconess Ministries, at the Mental Health and Pastoral Care Institute.”

– Most encouraging. Photo: Keith and Sarah Condie.

Thoughts on Preaching on Good Friday

“The Easter season should be the high point on our church calendars- what an absolute privilege to focus on the death and resurrection of Jesus, the very heart of the gospel message.

Most of our practice during the easter season, would be a lead up to Easter for perhaps 1-2 weeks, then Good Friday, on to Easter (Resurrection) Sunday.

Regarding our preaching specifically on Good Friday, Ive been thinking of a few things, I’d like to share. …”

– Jim Mobbs writes at The Expository Preaching Trust.

Daylight Saving in NSW ends Sunday 6th April 2025

In NSW, Daylight saving ends at 3:00am Australian Eastern Standard Time on Sunday 6 April 2025.

What and Who are Humans?

From Phillip Jensen:

“As we look at Genesis 1, we come to a great climax in the creation of humans in God’s Image.

More bottles of ink have been spilled over this phrase than possibly any phrase in the Bible. What is the image of God? In what way are we in the image of God? What are humans and who are we?

The questions go on and on. Yet this teaching of Genesis 1 has stood the test of time in identifying God’s universal identity and value of humans.”

– Listen to the latest Two Ways News podcast with Phillip and Peter Jensen.

Taking the gospel to communities consumed by the here and now

“When I’m at the beach, a phrase I often hear is, ‘Where else would you rather be?’

For a lot of people, living by the beach is their idea of paradise. There is a strong secular hedonism that is pervasive in the culture around suburban coastal contexts. Gripped by lifestyle and materialism, you get a clear idea of where people’s hearts are, and what their idea of heaven might be …”

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Rich Wenden has some suggestions on connecting with “communities consumed by the here and now”.

And all the people said… [inaudible mumble]

“I probably said it at church today about 15 times. You might have said it slightly less. It’s a ‘religious’ word. You find it translated in English Bibles 50 times, each time in connection with worship. What am I talking about? It’s the little word: ‘Amen’. …

Nothing saps the spirits like reaching the end of a prayer and getting a whimper of an ‘Amen’. …”

– Simon Arscott at Gentle Reformation reminds us what “Amen” is for. (Link via Tim Challies.)

Talks from the Bathurst Diocese 2025 Conference

Videos of the talks from the Diocese of Bathurst 2025 Conference – held last weekend – are now available for your encouragement and edification.

And food for your prayers too.

Complementarian: Church Society Podcast S16E09

From Church Society:

“Ros Clarke, Kirsten Birkett and Lee Gatiss discuss complementarian theology and practice in the Church of England today.”

– Listen here.

Chris Braga: ‘I believed therefore I spoke’

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“That’s what the Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:13. And yet it’s a verse hardly referred to in the last few decades in discussions over who is responsible for evangelism.

Chris Braga of Grace West Anglican Church Sydney told the Nexus Conference in Sydney that 2 Corinthians 4:13 shows that there’s a spiritual reflex that internal faith (in the death and resurrection of Jesus) will challenge fear and lead to speech.

Not because we’re commanded, but because we can’t help ourselves.

Chris Braga says implications are that proclamation is for every Christian, one’s Christian faith is always public and a command is not needed to link faith to speech.”

– Watch or listen here.

The Goodness of God — Two Ways News

From Phillip Jensen:

“‘Good’ is such a strange word. We all know what we mean by it, but it is so difficult to define. So when God declares his creation to be ‘good, very good’ what is he saying? Is the world itself good or simply pleasing? And if it is good, what is it good for?

In this week’s Two Ways News, Peter and I venture into the meaning of God calling the world good and the implications that has for living in this world and the next.”

– Listen (or read the transcript) here.

Addressing a Roman Catholic Resurgence

“We are in the midst of something of a resurgence of Roman Catholicism, though many are not aware of this.

Despite many recent controversies, failures, disputes and divisions, it remains a real force in the world, influencing society, politics and spirituality.

Just recently, The Rosary in a Year podcast surpassed The Joe Rogan Experience to claim the top spot on Apple’s charts, with much being made of what implications this has for our understanding of where modern culture is heading. …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Adrian Russell commends the Reformanda Initiative to help us understand and helpfully respond to the resurgence of Roman Catholicism.

Word In Song Conference Sydney West — 21 June 2025

Here’s something which may well be of interest to churches and church musicians in Sydney’s west –

Emu Music’s Word in Song Conference for Sydney’s west. Saturday 21st June 2025.

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