AI and the Church

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here. How do ministry leaders understand this technology through a biblical lens? This session provides a balanced look at the use of AI in the Church, focusing on its role as a tool to enhance, not replace, ministry work. We will look at the biblical and ethical framework for AI usage, offer some practical tools to enhance your work and ministry, and try a few live demonstrations to evaluate the capabilities of AI. 

Presenter Bio: Dr. Craig Curtis is the Director of Church Multiplication for the District and the Executive Pastor of  Stone Oak Bible Church. He also serves as an Adjunct Faculty member at The Baptist University of the Americas in San Antonio, Texas. Craig holds a Master of Arts in Christian Education and a Doctor of Educational Ministries from Dallas Theological Seminary. Craig has helped plant the church where he now serves, as well as two daughter churches. 

Effective Tools for Discipleship

Grace Bible Church has a reputation for having great tools to help leaders build others up as disciples. These tools focus on aspects of soul care, counseling, and addressing sin. Come to these sessions for simple and powerful tools to easily implement in your context.

The tools covered at 8:30 will be:
1. The Three Trees and
2. The Worry Wheel.

The tools covered at 10:15 will be:
1.  The Jesus/Human Paradigm and
2. The Six Gospels.

Bio: West Brazelton serves as the Senior Pastor of GBS. Hayden Pottkotter serves asthe Men’s Discipleship Pastor. Bobby de Leon serves as the Family Pastor. Wes Carpenter serves as the Mission Pastor.

Developing a Women’s Teaching Team

Gospel ministry demands processes that lead to the maturity of the whole body. Part of that maturity includes developing the teaching gifts of women God is raising up in your church. In this session, we’ll go over how to identify and develop these gifts in your context.

Bio: Ranelle Woolrich has served as the Women’s Discipleship Director at Grace Bible Church in Houston for the past 13 years. Prior to coming on staff, she worked in full-time youth ministry and then as a teacher & school administrator. In her role at GBC, she especially loves helping women study God’s Word and further equipping them for ministry. 

Purposeful Community Engagement

How can intentional community outreach open doors for meaningful evangelism? In this session, we’ll share some best practices and lessons learned from engaging our local community. You’ll hear stories of what God is doing in north Tulsa, and we hope to share practical ideas to help your church reach and serve people in ways that fit your unique context.

Bios: Avarice (pronounced uh-‘var-es) sensed a call to ministry at a young age, leading him to Oklahoma to pursue higher education and develop a deep love for the local church. After marrying his wife, Elizabeth, they chose to remain in Oklahoma to continue serving the church they attended as college students. God has provided Avarice with diverse ministry experiences in local church, church plant, and parachurch contexts. He is licensed with the EFCA and currently serves as Executive Pastor at Crossover Bible Church in Tulsa, OK. Avarice enjoys jazz, board games, traveling with his wife, and listening to podcasts while riding his bike on a beautiful day. His greatest desire is to glorify God and shepherd God’s people with passion and joy.

Justin Pickard is  co-founder and Executive Director of Crossover Community Impact (CCI), a Christian non-profit community development corporation that works in the Hawthorne Neighborhood (36th St. N. and Peoria) in north Tulsa. Justin and his wife, Leah, have four children and have lived in north Tulsa since 2008. Justin received his  Bachelor’s degree from the University of Tulsa, his Master’s in Urban Planning (focusing on housing and community development) from Harvard University, and his MTh from Union School of Theology (in the UK).

Respondiendo al Desafío Posmoderno

Las generaciones  Posmoderna y Milenial (o Milénica) son profundamente escépticas ante la autoridad y la verdad absoluta. Cuestionan activamente las enseñanzas, verifican las afirmaciones y rechazan las explicaciones basadas en la mera autoridad. Históricamente, la concepción de la verdad en la sociedad ha pasado de estar fundamentada en las Escrituras y la Iglesia a ser vista como subjetiva, incierta o incluso inexistente. 

El posmodernismo rechaza la verdad absoluta, la autoridad tradicional y las afirmaciones religiosas exclusivas. La verdad y la moralidad se consideran personales y fluidas, no fijas. La ética es relativa, la sexualidad no es binaria y todas las religiones se consideran igualmente válidas. Muchos están desilusionados con las instituciones, incluida la iglesia, debido a los fracasos y la hipocresía percibidos. 

Para los pastores, las personas posmodernas seculares deben ser abordadas como un grupo de personas no alcanzadas.

Un ministerio eficaz requiere: 

1. Compromiso a través de relaciones auténticas 

2. Indagación  mediante preguntas pertinentes y una escucha atenta 

3. ​Edificación atendiendo a necesidades reales como la soledad y el aislamiento 

4.​ Animo invitando a las personas a un encuentro personal con Jesús («Venid y ved» – Juan 1:43-49) 

La estrategia pastoral principal es la credibilidad relacional junto con la proclamación teológica. 

Bio: Antonio es graduado de Instituto Bíblico Moody y del Seminario Teológico de Dallas. Casado con Becky y tiene dos hijas, Jessica y Susie.