I recall antique cars from my childhood due to restoring them with my father. I drove them to school after I was granted my school driver’s permit. Cars nowadays are so much faster and convenient. This allows us to travel much faster to destinations over 100 miles away, enabling us to attend more events and connect with more people. I recall my mom’s wringer washing machine. When helping her wash clothes, she repeatedly warned me of the danger in getting my fingers caught in the wringer. It was much better and faster than the old washboard used for washing clothes. It allowed mom’s (mostly) more time to do Bible study, serve as a taxi for the pre-16-year-old kids, have a social life, and much more.
High technology and AI are both amazing and efficient. It is a better speller than I am, for sure. But in this instance, it’s also much more expensive, although not in the way you think. That has nothing to do with money.
It helps us be creative, complete tasks faster, and be progressive. AI is now being utilized by pastors to write their sermons, articles, and speeches. Will we see audio holograms used for sermons and podcasts in a few years? That would be a vast improvement for multi-campus use with large screens.
However, what impact does it subtly have on our ability to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice? Will our ability to connect with God decrease as we progress? Or on the sermons that are Spirit-directed and anointed? Could it be we will no longer need the Holy Spirit in all we do?
What effect have cell phones had on face-to-face interaction that we gain, need, and get social and emotion support from? Research tells us young people depend increasingly on social media tools while reporting more loneliness and depression among the same age groups. So, is technology always better than old-school methods?
I’m intrigued that theology professor Brad East’s college course makes students abstain from digital technology for a whole month. It’s one of the most popular classes at the college. Is it possible that new technologies have limitations? Is this mere nostalgia, or a signal that something is wrong?
It’s obvious that busyness is a huge barrier to a person’s spiritual development. Is our spiritual journey helped or hurt by the expansion of technology? Is a counter-formation necessary to re-prioritize our relationship with God? Could it possibly bring us to spend more time seeking God’s value system, ways, heart and life? Considering Jesus’ words, “Seek God’s kingdom first, and live a life that pleases him, and he will give you all you need.” These words of Jesus illuminate the difference between deeper spiritual needs and new innovations.
We easily become distracted by life’s opportunities that choke out what our inner-being needs most. I suspect this especially is experienced in our family relationships and spiritual lives.
Yes. AI is going to be a huge stumbling block for many nominal Christians. AI has no God!!