In this final episode of the season, AI Alan and Annie are no longer with us. I thought it would be more appropriate to bring in a living and breathing creature.

Dr. Don Barger is my guest. Don is the director of innovation and artificial intelligence with the International Mission Board. He is the co-author (with Grant Lovejoy) of Unreadable: Another Book You Probably Won’t Read.

He shares some of the work of the IMB in this area. We also discuss AI, ChatGPT, Notebook LM and other options available today. You will hear some encouraging stories from the field as well as some cautions.

Can this technology be leveraged for the Kingdom? Should it be used? You are going to enjoy this conversation.

My interview with Don was conducted on Zoom. If you want to see our smiley faces, check out the full video on my YouTube Channel. There you will find other video resources. Don’t forget to subscribe!

I must confess. . . in this episode Alan and Annie let me down. And just when they were doing so well! Their conversation is related to an article I wrote in February 2010, “Ethical Guidelines for Church Planters.” I encourage you to check out the post (for context) at jdpayne.org and then listen to their dialogue.

AI is a tool that may be beneficial in missiological conversation, thought, and writing. However, we must not blindly pass the baton to technology. As you will hear, Alan and Annie frequently take my work into a generic and wrong direction.

I interrupt their dialogue several times to note where they are accurate and where they mislead. I hope my running commentary does not annoy you.

Technology and innovation are important and valuable in our Great Commission efforts. But may we always move forward with caution, discernment, and supervision.

AI Allen and Annie continue this season as they discuss my March 3, 2023 writing, “8 Challenges to the Apostolic Imagination.” In this episode, I find myself in more agreement with them. Should I be concerned? Is this a fluke? Are they learning my views as they “train” on my work? They are now using phrases such as “I’ve heard of this,” “I’ve noticed that,” “I was wondering about that,” and “I was hoping he would….”

At one point, AI Annie raises the question that I may be contradicting myself. However, AI Allen comes to my rescue and clarifies matters. You go, Allen! Strange and fascinating.

In addition to being amazed at this this technological development, I think you will find their conversation both informative and helpful about challenges related to recovering a biblical vision for the Church today.

The five billion remain.

AI Alan and Annie return in this episode and discuss two of my blog posts (at jdpayne.org), “To the World through the Stomach” (July 26, 2011) and “A Way to the Heart is through the Stomach” (June 25, 2017). Check out these three minute reads and then listen to where Alan and Annie take a 20 minute conversation about cooking and mission. In some ways they accurately represent my work; in others, they misrepresent my views. Regardless, they provide some excellent, bad, but interesting perspectives.

You will be surprised, shocked, and inspired.

If you find this topic interesting, you may want to check out my brief post: “Wanted: Cooks for the Kingdom.”

The five billion remain.

Today is the long-awaited day! The ninth season of Strike the Match launches with this episode. This season will be brief and will include a series of special episodes. . . unlike any I have posted in the past.

Long-time listeners know from the intro this podcast is about “missions, innovation, and leadership.” In this season, the focus will be on innovation, particularly AI.

Over the years, I have brought guests on to my program to discuss issues. This season comes with a twist. My guests are AI Alan and AI Annie (That’s what I’m calling them.). I want to show some of the realities of AI at this moment in time and challenge us to consider how to think about and leverage innovation and technology for our Great Commission task.

In this episode, AI Alan and Annie discuss my May 5, 2023 blog post (jdpayne.org), “An Overlooked Reason for Decline in Seminary Enrollment.” I strongly recommend you check out this 3 min read. However, this podcast episode is not primarily about the contents of my blog post but what AI has done with it. AI Alan and Annie have turned it into a 15 minute conversation. In some ways they accurately represent my work; in others, they misrepresent it and my views. Regardless, they provide some interesting perspective.

Check it out. I think you will be surprised, shocked, and inspired.

The five billion remain.

This episode ends season 8 of Strike the Match.

Revelation not only concludes the New Testament, but takes readers back into the Old Testament. John draws deeply from Torah and the Prophets to provide a vision of what was and is to come. Churches were struggling to remain faithful to the mission of God. They needed hope, encouragement, and exhortation. They needed to see the bigger picture. All things we need today!

In this book, the blessing of the nations comes through the: 1) Promises Fulfilled to Abraham and David; 2) Lamb’s Ransom; 3) Suffering and Death; 4) Encouragement and Exhortation; 5) Return of the King; and 6) Elect’s Redemption and Cosmic Restoration.

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Few scholars have written on the topic of mission in the General Epistles. In this episode, I discuss how these epistles address the mission of God to bless the nations. These writings offer a glimpse into some of the struggles of the early Church. The authors were much concerned with the holiness and righteous living of the saints during their trials. Their walk with the Lord and fellowship with one another were critical to the global work to which they had been called.

Here we understand the blessing of the nations comes through: 1) Steadfastness in Suffering; 2) Lifestyles Lived before the World; and 3) Engagement as the Day Approaches.

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The Pauline literature is a deep reservoir of information related to God’s mission in the world. I continue in this episode with the discussion of mission in the Pauline Literature.

Here we encounter additional sub-themes of how God brings blessing to the nations with: 1) A Plan – Planting Local Kingdom Communities; 2) A Process – Ingathering of the Gentiles; 3) An Invitation – Call to the Lord; 4) A People – God’s Living Temple; and 5) A Practice – Regular and Intentional Evangelism.

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In part one of this two-part study, I address mission in the Pauline Literature.

Pauline Literature is a deep reservoir of information related to God’s mission in the world. This episode addresses four sub-themes related to mission. The blessing of the nations comes through: 1) A Man – Paul’s Conversion and Calling; 2) A Message – Justification by Faith; 3) A Mystery – Mercy through Resistance; and 4) A People – the Church.

In the next episode, I will address an additional five sub-themes related to mission.

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In this episode, I address the mission of God in Acts. This book reveals how the story of God’s glory through relationship and blessing continues, starting with the Jews and extending to the Gentiles. The Messiah ascends. The Spirit is poured out. The last days arrive. Jew and Gentile must repent and believe before the Kingdom is restored.

While much may be stated regarding mission in Acts, five general matters summarize God’s glory through blessing the nations.

Blessing comes through: 1) True Israel; 2) Sending the Spirit; 3) Beginning with the Jews; 4) Providing a Light for the Gentiles; and 5) A New Multi-ethnic Kingdom Community.

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The fourth Gospel has a great deal to say about mission. One scholar noted, “the Fourth Gospel’s focus is not on God’s mission per se, but on his mission through Jesus and on Jesus’ mission through his followers.”

In this episode, the blessing of the nations shows up in three manifestations.

John notes the blessing of the nations occurs through the sending of John the Baptist, Jesus, Temple, Spirit, and Disciples.

The blessing of the nations only comes through the testimony of those who are sent.

And those who are sent will suffer on account of their testimony and the One who sent them.

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In this episode, I address the theme of mission in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. It is important to understand the Synoptics provide a continuity between the Old Testament and New Testament. When we arrived at the New Testament, 400 years have passed since the conclusion of the Old Testament.

In the Synoptics, the blessing of the nations comes through a: 1) Person-Jesus Sent to the Jews; 2) Judgment-New Covenant by Death and Resurrection; 3) People-Church to Reflect the Kingdom; and 4) Command-Make Disciples of Jews and Gentiles

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The Writings comprise the latter section of the Hebrew Scriptures and attempt to show how the people of God were to live in a variety of circumstances. The mission of God saturates the books of Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther, Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, and Chronicles.

In this episode (Season 8, Ep. 7), I address the blessing of the nations through:

Israel’s Influence

God’s Sovereignty

Israel’s Restoration and Reconstruction

Invitation to Praise

A Person: God’s Anointed One Who Reigns

A Person: God’s Anointed One Who Suffers

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This episode continues the second discussion of God’s mission in the Prophetic Literature. An examination of the Latter Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, The Twelve), reveals several sub-themes related to the blessing of the nations.

Here we find God works to bless the nations through: Judgment (Israel in Diaspora and Day of the Lord); Restoration (Israel’s Return, Reconstruction, and Day of the Lord); A Person (the Servant and Spirit); and A Promise (New Covenant). The Prophets also provide a glimpse of the movement of the Gentiles into the Kingdom known as the great eschatological ingathering.

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In this episode, I address a theology of mission by examining the mission of God in the Prophets.

The methods by which the nations move into relationship with the nation of Israel and her God has been described as historical incorporation and eschatological ingathering. The Former and Latter Prophets address both and how blessings come to the nations.

In this episode, the importance of the Promised Land, Israel’s King, and the Temple are discussed as critical to understanding God’s mission to bring redeem the nations and restore all things.

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I conclude the discussion of mission in Torah. God’s mission to bless the nations primarily happens through: 1) A Person (Abraham); 2) A People (Israel); and 3) A Place (Tabernacle). While the previous episode addressed God working through Abraham, this session draws attention to the latter two categories.

Israel was chosen to be a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” to represent God before the peoples of the world (Ex 19:6). As W. Ross Blackburn wrote, they were to be a “kingdom with a priestly function.” While Israel kept the commandments of the Lord, all the nations would recognize the greatness of her God and be drawn to Him and His people.

The tabernacle served as a reminder of God’s immanence and covenantal faithfulness as a means for redemption and restored fellowship–and as a testimony to the nations. How may a sinful people live with a holy God in their presence? The tabernacle and sacrificial system made it clear.

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In this two-part episode, I continue the series on theology of mission with the discussion of God’s mission in Torah. Throughout these five books, God’s glory among the nations comes through three particular means: 1) A Person: Abraham; 2) A People: Israel; and 3) A Place: Tabernacle.

Abraham, and Israel, quickly learn God’s election is both a privilege and responsibility. They are chosen to be God’s people for a purpose.

This particularism would be the means by which God brings blessings to the nations. Rather than Israel’s election excluding the nations from the Creator, it would be the means of grace whereby the Gentiles would come to know him.

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The biblical storyline reveals a God who remains faithful to His promises which require the ongoing sending of Himself and His servants into a tragically suffering and deeply needy world to accomplish His mission of redemption and restoration. Mission began with God, is sustained by God, and will culminate with God.

The blessing of the nations, which includes the Church’s Great Commission activity, is rooted in this apostolic act: God creates and sends Himself into the creation.

In this episode, I provide an overview of the God Who Sends and define important words related to the theology of mission such as universality, particularity, and centripetal and centrifugal methodology.

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Today is the first day of Season 8 of Strike the Match! Over the past seven seasons, I have addressed a variety of topics related to missions, innovation, and leadership, but we will focus on one topic this season: theology of mission.

Earlier this year, I published Theology of Mission: A Concise Biblical Theology and wanted to take time to share my thoughts with you. If you are not a subscriber to Strike the Match (or my blog at jdpayne.org), consider taking this moment to subscribe.

Whenever I ask believers for biblical support for our global task, I usually receive only two or three verses. But is this all that is found in 66 books on the mission of God that has implications for the Church? In this episode, I address the biblical Pattern of Purpose when it comes to mission and the importance of using a missional hermeneutic.

Unfortunately, the Church only became serious about defining, describing, discussing, and understanding the missio Dei in the early 20th century. It is my hope that this season will assist with this important on-going conversation for the glory of God among the nations!

This episode of Strike the Match concludes season 7. In this podcast, I take a journey down memory-lane.

What are the 10 most downloaded episodes of Strike the Match over the years? Think you can guess which ones made the list? Listen in as I provide a top-ten countdown along with commentary on each episode.

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