Articles by Ted Esler
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An AI-Native Ministry asks, “What is the necessary human element we can serve?” and AI comes along to implement that vision as part of the ministry's core infrastructure rather than a set of tools external to the organization. This is not without its risks but wise Christian leaders must be prepared for the shift that is already upon us. -
How the UAP moment opens the door for the gospel
The release of files by the US Government revealing the existence of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) has generated much creative content online. But the myth of little green (or grey) beings is just that—a fantasy. It does, however, open the door for great gospel conversations about spiritual realities! -
The church growth movement and the challenge of carrying methods across cultures
Mega-churches evolved from principles born out of the mission fields of India into a consumer‑driven operating system that prioritizes attendance over discipleship, programs over relationships, and addition over multiplication. But, as missionaries have long known and wrestled with, non‑indigenous ideas can too easily harm indigenous churches. -
Barbarians are at the literary gates once more and missionaries may yet save civilization
Christian missionaries have carried the Bible and have taught people how to read it, shaping the entire modern world through literacy projects. As we face radical literacy disruption by AI, missionaries may yet be a balwark against knowledge loss once more. -
How prepared are we for when ministries "go toward free"?
What do the pundits mean when they say things are "going toward free" and why should we be ready for when it inevitably happens to ministries as AI starts doing a lot of the heavy lifting? We had better start preparing for a time very soon when AI will radically change the way we engage in ministry. -
Why the coming AI transformation should make you feel icky
A few weeks ago, an open-source project was released—an AI personal assistant that is now called OpenClaw. It is a tool to tie together disparate AI systems into a cohesive whole. You need technical expertise to set it up but it very quickly starts to feel icky.
