This entry is part 1 of 1 in the series Using AI Wisely in Ministry
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
Self-Theologizing and Church Maturity
A recent blog post highlighted three books written by Christian Ukrainian authors and scholars. In my view, this points to an often-overlooked fourth metric for church maturity.
Most church planters are familiar with the traditional criteria for church maturity or an exit strategy. We often look for churches that demonstrate the three “selves”: self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating.
These three “selves” do not always develop in a linear way. From my observation, Ukrainian churches have shown a strong vision and trajectory for self-propagation. Their progress toward self-sustainability (self-supporting), however, has been less consistent. At times, churches have looked too quickly to the West for financial support. This is simply my perspective.
The Ukrainian Church as a Sending Church
By 2022, the Ukrainian church was not only self-propagating. In practice, it had also become a sending church. Ukrainian missionaries were already serving among some unreached people groups.
The… Read the whole post
