This entry is part 3 of 3 in the series Using AI Wisely in Ministry
New technologies often make us nervous, particularly when they change how people communicate and gain access to knowledge. Artificial intelligence certainly does that. We see some amazing possibilities for ministry, but we also see dangers. AI can spread misinformation, threaten some types of employment, and enable people without much expertise to create materials that sound authoritative. Perhaps most unsettling is that we really do not know how extensively AI will change our work and our ministries in the coming years.
But Christians have been through communication revolutions before. One of the most significant was the development of the printing press in Europe in the fifteenth century. The printing press transformed access to knowledge and had an enormous impact on the church and the spread of the gospel. As I have thought about those changes, I… Read the whole post
Author: Ken Guenther Page 1 of 42
Director of SEND U
This entry is part 2 of 3 in the series Using AI Wisely in Ministry
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
This entry is part 1 of 3 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
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
Recently, the International Leadership Team (ILT) of SEND International went through an exercise to identify our strengths and weaknesses in relation to Patrick Lencioni’s model of the Five Dysfunctions of a Team. (Yes, Lencioni wrote a book about this, and it definitely is worth reading.) This framework has been widely used in leadership development because it highlights common barriers to team effectiveness.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Lencioni’s identifies these five dysfunctions:
Absence of Trust – Team members are unwilling to be vulnerable.
Fear of Conflict – The desire to preserve artificial harmony stifles productive, ideological conflict.
Lack of Commitment – Without clarity and buy-in, decisions lack support.
Avoidance of Accountability – The need to avoid interpersonal discomfort prevents members from holding one another accountable.
Inattention to Results – Pursuit of individual goals erodes focus on collective success.
Fear of Conflict and What Leaders Can Do
Fear of conflict… Read the whole post