Truth Is The Word

  For as long as people have feared death, they have schemed to cheat it through elixirs and philosopher’s stones, frozen bodies, and now silicon and code. This is the last article in the series, and I have kept the biggest delusion for last: the dream of material immortality, the belief that clever enough technology […] The post AI in Our Future Part 9: The Biggest Delusion of All appeared first on Truth Is The Word.

In Part One, I laid the biblical and theological groundwork: who the Antichrist is, what the Mark and the Number have meant across the interpretive traditions, and why the arrival of powerful AI presses these ancient questions on us with fresh urgency. Now I want to bring all of that down to ground level. The doctrine matters little if it does not shape how we live, and AI is no longer a distant prospect but a daily companion in our work, our studies, and our devotions. So the question of this article is not “What is the Beast?” but “How then shall I live faithfully when the Beast’s pattern starts to show up in the systems I use every day?” What follows is pastoral rather than speculative - an attempt to mark out where the line of fidelity actually falls, and how to stand on the right side of it. I introduced some thoughts concerning The Antichrist in an article that prefaced this current series. In this current article, I want to focus on concrete practical things rather than speculation, so just to catch you up, here is an extract: In the article AI – The Good, the Bad, and the Mysterious I wrote the following: There are two well-known passages in the Old Testament, one in Isaiah and one in Ezekiel, that most Evangelical scholars agree are addressing the evil spiritual being motivating the two pagan Kings who are the initial subjects of the prophecies. Isaiah 14:12-14 reads, “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star (Lucifer), son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” Ezekiel 28:12-16 reads, “You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty … You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you … So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendour. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.” Lucifer, Satan, the fallen Archangel, wanted to be like God and rule the creation with no accountability to the one true God. This has remained his burning ambition to this day. Now consider what he would have to counterfeit to persuade the people of Earth to believe that he is God, not the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true ruler of creation. Well, what are the defining attributes of God? His Omnipotence (all-powerful), Omniscience (all-knowing), Omnipresence (everywhere), and Omnibenevolence (perfectly good). He would also have to seem able to create life. So, if he could produce a new form of ‘life’, never seen on Earth, a digital life, then he could perhaps persuade people to believe that he was a true creator. An Artificial Superintelligence (ASI) could be the basis for a claim to Omniscience. The AI developers are competing fiercely with each other to produce just such a god-like AI. Now pair this with Quantum computing and the World Wide Web (internet), and you have a deceptive claim to Omnipotence and Omnipresence. The really tricky one for him to pull off would be to convince people that he was perfectly good (Omnibenevolent). Well, Paul addresses this in 2 Thessalonians Chapter two – here is an edited version of verses 1-12: “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day (the second coming of Jesus) will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God … The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason, God sends them a powerful delusion (The Great Deception) so that they will believe the lie …” The powerful delusion will include the lie that Satan is actually absolutely good and has their best interests at heart. AI could certainly demonstrate that attribute … for a while. Now I want to devote the rest of this article to the very practical issues we as Christians need to confront as we go into the age where AI could be anything from a useful tool, to a job and identity threat, to a silicon representative of the devil. Only God knows the extent of the changes racing up on us, but we need to understand how we should respond to a range of eventualities. Fidelity Under Pressure The challenge that AI brings to the 21st century is not much different in essence to the challenges faced by people of all ages. Adam and Eve in Eden, the people of God in Egypt, the Jews and Christians in Nazi Germany … In every age, the real challenge was not persecution or hardship but the satanic demand to bow before him as god. It was a question of fidelity to God as Lord, Saviour, and Sustainer. The Red Line For Christians in every country and in every age, the challenge doesn’t usually come as starkly and brutally. Instead, it comes gradually and incrementally. There is even a special word for it - ‘backsliding’. The slow slipping back from the spiritual heights of new birth into apathy, indifference and, if not reversed, irredeemable death of the spirit. I know that some teach that once-saved-always-saved, a doctrine that disguises the lethal threat of backsliding. But, I hold firmly that passages like Hebrews 10:26-31 cannot be read with integrity in any other way than their first intended meaning. However, and it is a big however, the Red Line between backsliding and total apostasy is as distinct as that which lies between spiritual ‘death’ and New Birth. A new spiritual life is a gift of salvation and cannot be earned or generated, but it requires from us a definite act of will – “I am lost and spiritually dead – I am sorry for rebelling against you – I accept fully that you Jesus, are Lord and God – I ask you now to give me new spiritual life – I commit all of my life to you”. I am stressing all this because it sets backsliding in its proper context and reveals its lethal threat. In the same way, the threat of AI is its ability to draw us right up to the Red Line and make it terribly easy to step over it of our own volition. Here is the key statement that will guide us through all the discussions and examples that follow in this article. The Line between Life and Death “The line between wise engagement with the world’s systems, and AI in particular, and apostasy is drawn at the point where using them requires the transfer of ultimate allegiance, trust, or obedience away from Jesus Christ” Apostasy is the deliberate, knowing abandonment of Jesus Christ. Backsliding, as it progresses, is a form of idolatry, but between this and apostasy lies a wide territory that requires discernment and resolve to navigate. Idolatry usually entails the gradual replacement of God with something else as the source of security, identity, meaning, and ultimate authority. It is whatever one trusts or serves above God. It begins the moment security in the ‘system’ starts to feel more real than security in God’s providence. And such idolatry, not checked and reversed, leads us up to the Red Line beyond which lies the dark land of apostasy and spiritual death. Now on to some Practical Examples First, what is allowed, and then what is disallowed. What is Allowed Some wrong thinking I often encounter among Christians is that all worldly systems are ungodly - be they identity systems, credit cards, microchips or government laws and policies that are not biblical. Well, here is the thing. In Romans 13:1-2, it reads ‘Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.’ Peter wrote along similar lines: ‘Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honour the king.’ (1 Peter 2:13-17) And remember that at the time these were penned, the known world was ruled by Rome and its emperors. So, the first point under this heading is ‘Engagement with governing systems is not only permitted but expected. Withdrawal from world systems is not the default Christian stance’ This same principle has to apply to AI because if it did not, then all of us would be either living as stone-age Neanderthals or outright idolaters! AI is more than a tool, but it is a very powerful tool. To choose not to use AI is to disadvantage yourself in many areas of daily life and business without benefit. Much like a Neanderthal offered a sharp knife, but deciding not to touch it because it might be from the thunder god in the sky who would kill him with it. So, my advice is: Use AI, but never let it use you. Always be in control....

From the shadows of prophecy to the glow of silicon screens, the Antichrist, the Mark, and the Number converge with Artificial Intelligence in a chilling fusion of ancient warning and modern technology. Ok, you guessed it, this is how one of my AI products would start this article … but it’s too dramatic for me. […] The post AI in our Future Part 8: The Antichrist, the Mark, the Number … and AI – PART ONE: Biblical and Theological groundwork appeared first on Truth Is The Word.

Something is shifting beneath our feet. For years, most people have treated artificial intelligence as one more technology story - important, certainly, but still manageable, still distant enough to discuss without feeling personally threatened by it. That mood is changing. AI is moving exponentially fast, and it is beginning to unsettle more than industries and software systems. It is starting to unsettle confidence, identity, work, security, and the assumptions most people have built their lives on. That matters spiritually. When life feels stable, people tend to ignore the deeper questions of the soul for a long time. They can stay busy, distracted, productive, and outwardly fine. But when familiar structures begin to shake, deeper questions surface. What am I worth? Who can I trust? What does it mean to be human? What can still anchor my life if the world I expected is disappearing more quickly than I can adapt? Those are not merely emotional questions. They are spiritual questions. And that is why the age of AI may well become one of the greatest moments of spiritual openness we will ever see. This does not mean that disruption is good. Job loss is not good. Anxiety is not good. Social dislocation is not good. But God has often moved powerfully in times when people and nations have been shaken. When false securities weaken, hearts often open. When human systems look less impressive, people become more willing to seek what is eternal. The coming years may create exactly that kind of climate. If they do, the church must be ready. Why AI disruption can open hearts We are entering a period in which many ordinary people begin to feel that the world no longer makes sense. Work feels less secure, or we may no longer have a job. Skills and knowledge we spent years building may suddenly feel inadequate. Information is harder to trust, and institutions are increasingly uncertain. Even human uniqueness may feel under pressure as machines imitate more and more of what was once distinctly ours. That kind of disruption affects more than economics. It reaches into the soul. It destabilises a person's sense of meaning, value, and direction. And when that happens, spiritual hunger often rises. Many people do not seek God seriously while life feels predictable, but they seek him when their usual supports fail them. They seek him when success stops satisfying, when security becomes fragile, and when the future no longer feels negotiable. In that sense, the rise of AI becomes not only a technological turning point, but also a spiritual one. However, for Jesus-followers, we should not read the times only in terms of threat. Yes, there is real danger ahead, but also an unusual opportunity. A destabilised society becomes a spiritually open society. A deeply unsettled generation becomes a deeply seeking generation. True revival will require more than good intentions If large numbers of people begin asking ultimate questions again, the church will need more than better branding, sharper content, or slightly improved Sunday services. It will need the real ministry of the Holy Spirit. People facing fear, grief, confusion, addiction, identity fracture, relational breakdown, and economic shock will need more than instruction. They will need conviction of sin, assurance of God's love, healing, deliverance, wisdom, courage, and hope. They will need a church that can act with authority, serve with compassion, speak truth clearly, and embody the presence of Jesus Christ in a world that feels increasingly unstable. That means believers must recover confidence in the Holy Spirit’s active work. For too long, many Christians have been comfortable speaking about the Spirit in ways that are safe but thin. We affirm that the Spirit lives in believers, and that is gloriously true. But the New Testament says more than that. The Spirit does not only indwell; he fills, anoints, empowers, guides, gives gifts, and manifests God's presence in ways that are fresh, dynamic, and directed towards the needs of a particular moment. The book of Acts does not present the church as merely correct in doctrine. It presents the church as clothed with power. That is the kind of church that will be needed in the years ahead - a 'book-of-Acts' type church that acts. But power on its own is never enough Whenever people become spiritually hungry, there is an increased temptation to chase whatever appears powerful. Urgency can make people undiscerning. Need can make us vulnerable to exaggeration. Emotional intensity can be mistaken for anointing. Crowds can be mistaken for fruit. Dramatic moments can be confused with the presence of God. That is why our response to revival must never be guided by power alone. It must be guided by Jesus. Revivals are motivated by Almighty God, but they are administered by fragile people. The great question is not simply, “Is something supernatural happening?” The deeper question is, “Does this look like Jesus?” This is an anchor question. This is an indispensable question that needs constant asking and answering. Jesus is the fullest revelation of God's character. If we want to know what God's power looks like in action, we look at Jesus. His ministry was full of authority, but never manipulative. Full of truth, but never arrogant. Full of power, but never self-serving. He healed the broken, welcomed the sinner, confronted hypocrisy, restored the fallen, and moved towards people with both holiness and compassion. That means any ministry of the Holy Spirit that becomes harsh, theatrical, coercive, self-exalting, or spiritually abusive has already lost its way, no matter how impressive it appears. In the years ahead, the church may need more power than it has known for a very long time, but it will need that power to remain tethered to the character of Jesus Christ. We must honour both the person and the power of the Spirit There is another imbalance the church must avoid. Some Christians become so cautious about excess that they speak of the Holy Spirit almost entirely in quiet, inward, non-disruptive terms. Others become so eager for spiritual experience that they speak as though the Spirit were just a kind of divine energy to be accessed, channelled, or displayed. Neither path is healthy nor biblical. The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force. He is the divine person who teaches, convicts, leads, comforts, and glorifies Christ. He is to be loved, obeyed, and honoured. But the Holy Spirit also genuinely empowers. Scripture speaks of believers being filled, emboldened, gifted, and used in ways that clearly involve more than inward reassurance. There is real impartation, real anointing, real enabling for ministry. We need both truths together. If we lose the person of the Spirit, we drift towards spiritual technique. If we lose the power of the Spirit, we drift towards respectable weakness. But if we honour both the person and the power of the Spirit, we can minister with reverence and power at the same time. That balance will matter enormously in a world rattled by AI. People will not only need sound teaching. They will need churches where the Spirit of God is genuinely present and active — not in hype, not in showmanship, but in truth, holiness, love, and genuine power. A warning the church must take seriously The possibility of revival should excite us, but it should also sober us. When spiritual power is active, human character matters even more, not less. The greater the gifting, the greater the need for humility, discernment, and accountability. One of the clearest lessons from the New Testament is that spiritual reality does not eliminate the possibility of human misjudgement. Power in human hands is never made safe simply by being spiritual. That is why the church must resist the cult of personality that often appears in revival settings. We must not confuse charisma with maturity, intensity with truth, or spiritual effect with spiritual health. Leaders must remain accountable. Discernment must remain active. Scripture must remain open. Jesus must remain central. If the coming years bring a fresh moving of the Spirit, we must welcome it gratefully, but we must also steward it wisely. What should believers do now? Preparation for revival does not begin when crowds arrive. It begins now, in ordinary obedience. We need churches that pray before they panic. Churches that learn to hear God before the crisis peaks. Churches that practise repentance, humility, generosity, and courage before disruptions force the issue. Churches that know how to care for the unemployed, the anxious, the confused, and the spiritually hungry. Churches that can preach the Gospel clearly and also minister the compassion and power of Christ personally. We also need believers who will not be intimidated by the future. The rise of AI may shake many things, but it does not dethrone Jesus. It does not weaken the Gospel. It does not reduce the Holy Spirit to irrelevance. If anything, it creates the very conditions in which the emptiness of a hyper-technological civilisation becomes impossible to ignore. That is not a reason for fear. It is a reason for readiness. A call to action The church must not sleep through this moment. If AI-driven disruption is going to produce deeper instability, then this is the time to seek God afresh. This is the time to repent of prayerlessness, spiritual passivity, and our dependence on methods that cannot carry the weight of what may be coming. This is the time to ask the Lord for clean hands, clear hearts, renewed boldness, and a greater filling of the Holy Spirit. Pastors must prepare their people. Leaders must cultivate discernment. Ordinary believers must learn again how to pray, how to listen, how to serve, how to witness, and how to minister in the Spirit without losing balance or humility. ...

The confounding speed of the AI revolution is not an accident, and it is not just the result of clever people making bold decisions. It is the outcome of three interlocking forces that, once understood, explain why no government, corporation, or individual can slow this down. It also explains why the Church may be the only institution positioned to respond meaningfully. Introduction to the Three Drivers My son Lance and I have written a book to try to make sense of the speeding AI tsunami and how we as Jesus-followers should respond. It is aimed at Christian Leaders, but its core message is for all. More about the book later, but for now, I want to introduce you to the hidden engine that drives the ever-accelerating flywheel of change. I have called this the Three-Driver Hypothesis, and this graphic will help explain it: Think of the engine as three interlocking cogs turning faster and faster, and generating immense power and reaching unexpected velocity. The top cog is Technology, and the left-hand one is Geopolitics. I will go into a little detail in this article, but in short, these two are defined as follows: 1. Technology is the actual flywheel, and it is obvious to almost everyone. It represents the development and adoption of AI and robotics. Billions have been poured into massive AI tech developments, now far exceeding the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of many mid-sized countries. Let that sink in – The investment in AI development equals the total monetary value of all finished goods and services produced within a country's borders during a specific period. The most visible parts of this flywheel are the AI laboratories that build AI and enhance it on an almost weekly basis. Companies like Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, XAi, and several others offer both free and subscription versions of Large Language Models (LLM) like Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT, and Grok – names as familiar today as Microsoft Windows, Meta, Google Search and so on. These are some of the massive corporations that have taken us from Calculators to electronic brains that are already smarter and more efficient than almost everyone you and I are likely to know, and they are getting more powerful all the time. Sure, they do not always display common sense and are noticeably short on creative thought. However, they provide billions in value to millions of people at little or no cost, and their products are, in one form or another, on our desks and in our pockets. They are even in our TV sets, our SmartGlasses, and almost everything else we use every day. If AI were a virus, most of human society would already be incurably infected … and perhaps it is. Every day, the Technology flywheel, Driver One, spins faster and faster, and just thinking too much about it makes our heads spin. 2. The second driver is Geopolitics. It is not just big businesses that are focused on AI; it is also nations. Put simply, the nation that masters AI first will be the nation that rules the world, or at least this is how world leaders see it. The main reason for this claim is something called autonomous recursive learning and development, and this means that AIs are so smart that they are already self-improving. Model 1 helps develop Model 2, which builds Model 3 under human supervision, and Model 3 develops Model 4 all by itself. Model 1 is smart, Model 2 is brilliant, Model 3 is beyond understanding, and Model 4 is “god-like”. This, of course, is a simplified illustration rather than a technical roadmap, but the trajectory it captures is precisely what AI researchers are describing. I don’t use that ascription lightly, and I will explain it when I introduce the third Driver in this strange trinity. Introduction to the Book: The Acts 8 Moment Here is how The Acts 8 Moment book describes the first two drivers. To navigate the Hinge Period, we must look beyond the daily headlines of stock market fluctuations and software updates. We must understand the structural forces that are propelling us toward this new epoch. In our strategic analysis, we have identified three distinct, convergent drivers that ensure this revolution will not stall. We call this the Three-Driver Hypothesis. Understanding these drivers is essential for church leaders. Without this framework, the speed of change looks like chaos. With it, the speed of change is revealed as a calculated, inevitable trajectory. Driver One: The Technological Flywheel The first driver is the technology itself, which has entered a phase of recursive self-improvement. We are no longer dealing with linear progress, where humans painstakingly write better code. We are entering a cycle where AI helps build better AI. This is the “Flywheel.” The breakthroughs we witnessed in late 2024 and early 2025 – specifically the move to “System 2” reasoning models like OpenAI’s o3 and DeepSeek’s R1 – have closed the loop. These systems can now debug their own code, optimise their own architectures, and generate the synthetic data needed to train their successors. When you combine this self-improving software with the physical amplifiers of quantum computing and advanced robotics, you get an engine of innovation that spins faster than human cognition can track. The "data wall" has been breached; the machine is beginning to teach itself. Driver Two: The Race for Dominance (The Moloch Trap) If technology were the only driver, humanity might collectively decide to slow down for the sake of safety. Driver Two ensures that we cannot. This is the geopolitical and corporate arms race - a dynamic game theorists call the "Moloch Trap." As we saw with the Stargate Project and the DeepSeek shock, the United States and China are locked in an existential contest for sovereignty. This is not friendly market competition; it is a winner-takes-all battle for the future. The logic of the race dictates that safety margins must be sacrificed for speed. If a US lab pauses to ensure a model is safe, they risk being overtaken by a Chinese lab that did not pause. This dynamic destroys the “off switch.” It forces rational actors – governments and corporations – to take irrational risks, driving the timeline of deployment forward regardless of the societal cost. Some words and phrases from the book will probably seem strange to you – Hinge Period, Moloch Trap and so on – but these are explained in the book, and there is also a Glossary of Terms. The big idea is that technology development and corporate and government ambition are resulting in a rapidly escalating race towards Super Artificial Intelligence. This race is at an almost incomprehensible speed, and it is creating changes that will affect all of our lives at every level. The Hidden Third Driver Drivers 1 and 2 explain what is happening, but do not explain ‘why’ it is happening. Driver 3 does explain much of the ‘why’ of it, but you will seldom or ever read about this – here it is, once again, as an extract from the book The Acts 8 Moment: Driver Three: The Spiritual Accelerant The first two drivers are widely recognised by secular analysts. The third driver is visible only through spiritual lenses, yet it is the most critical for the Church to understand. We posit that the acceleration of AI is being fueled by a spiritual ambition as old as Eden: the Luciferian impulse to be “like God.” We are not speaking merely metaphorically here. As Christians, we believe there is an active spiritual intelligence - the biblical Satan - who shapes human desires toward ‘transcendence’ without repentance. In theological terms, we understand this as a deeper layer behind the human dynamics described by Drivers One and Two. We do not claim this as an empirically testable mechanism, but as a confessional reading of the age in light of Scripture. However, we see this evidenced in the language of the tech elite who speak of "summoning the digital god" or achieving immortality through "uploading consciousness." It is the spirit of Babel reborn - a unified human attempt to achieve omniscience (all-knowing AI), omnipotence (agentic AI), and immortality (transhumanism) apart from the Creator. This spiritual driver explains the fervour of the age. It explains why brilliant men and women are building machines that they admit could destroy them. They are blinded by the promise of a counterfeit glory. At the surface, there are two main reasons offered by politicians and technology leaders for their hell-bent pursuit of developing powerful AI as quickly as possible. That AI is a good thing and will offer many wonderful benefits to humanity, ultimately ushering in a utopian age of heaven on earth. If ‘bad’ players achieve Superintelligence first, then they will subjugate all opposition. What they mean by this is that if their own corporations reach the goal first, then they will dominate and eliminate all opposition, but if the opposition wins the race, then their companies and personal wealth will be wiped out. At a national level, it is even starker. For the USA, if Russia or China win the race, then it is game over for American society. The stakes are high, but in the fog of war caused by these forces, few seem concerned about what the outcomes will be for ordinary people. I foresee a coming personal crisis of identity, worth, and purpose. If I no longer have a job, or just don’t need to work or achieve, struggle and overcome, innovate and create, then who am I, what am I worth, and what is my purpose in this world? So, whether we have a godless heaven on earth or a societal hell, the outcome for most people is likely to be the same. We are designed by the Almighty to be industrious people of clear identity and purpose. When we lose our sense of identity, worth, and purpose, then we inevitably fall into the pit of self-destructive despondency and hopelessness. The answers to the questions of “who am I, what am I worth,...

We are not the first generation to face a world that has decided it no longer needs God. From the moment Lucifer declared, “I will make myself like the Most High”, the trajectory of cosmic and human history changed drastically. The Luciferian ambition, the creature’s determination to unseat the Creator and seize divine prerogatives, did […] The post AI In Our Future Part 5: The Luciferian Ambition appeared first on Truth Is The Word.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already part of our lives and, in the near future, will have a profound effect on almost every aspect of modern life. It will probably surprise you that in this article, I am time-travelling back 215 years to draw out some key principles we need to embrace now in 2026. The Luddites of 1811-1816 The First Industrial Revolution started around 1760 and ended around 1840. This era was defined by the transition from hand production to machines, the rise of the steam engine, and the growth of the textile industry. Textile workers in the English Midlands were among the most badly impacted by mechanisation. They organised themselves into a sophisticated resistance movement. They were not unskilled labourers but trained and experienced framework knitters, wool croppers, and weavers. They occupied a respected social tier, had guild traditions, and earned reasonable salaries, much like today's white-collar workers, a class that faces the greatest challenges from today's AI.  Luddites have been wrongly described as anti-progress, technology-averse insurrectionists. They were not. They were focused not on change, progress, or industrialisation, but on the specific deployment of machinery designed not primarily to increase production but to destroy wage structures and replace skilled workers. Sound familiar? Similarly, today’s AI tools can be deployed either to uphold or undermine human dignity and livelihoods. Their  operational method was to break the machines used to impoverish them and send threatening letters to mill owners demanding compliance with fair wage agreements. Their violence was directed at property, not people, but tragically, some deaths resulted from their actions. The government's reaction was violent and disproportionate. They deployed troops into the affected regions and passed a law making ‘machine-breaking’ punishable by death. What They Stood For While there are some similarities between the Luddites of 1811 and the white-collar workers of 2026, what they stood for is very relevant for us today: The destruction of human skill and dignity without consent or compensation. The breaking of the social contract between labour and management. The concentration of economic power in the hands of business owners who bore none of the social cost of disruption. State complicity through the deliberate removal of protective legislation. The instrumentalisation of human beings. Now, anyone familiar with the exponentially rapid development and deployment of AI will immediately recognise the stark similarities. However, two things are not at all similar: The first is that industrialisation developed and was deployed over roughly 150 years, whereas AI will be fully integrated into our lives, for better or for worse, within the next 150 weeks! Secondly, because people had time to adapt and reskill over a long period of time, the process was hugely beneficial to most segments of society. Industrialisation changed the nature of work and created more jobs than before. AI is almost certainly going to replace jobs at scale (lots and lots of jobs lost). Some ‘experts’ say that we will all be able to reskill ourselves to take on more advanced jobs, but AI will be able to do most jobs at all levels, and with the highest proficiency long before we can reskill. The heart of the problem is the super-speed with which AI is advancing on us, and our human inability to change that fast. As the character in the movie Apollo 13 said, “Houston, we have a problem!” Yes, indeed, we do have a problem! What The Luddites Can Teach Us All the ground covered so far is to bring us to the critical questions: What can the Luddites teach us, and what should we be doing in response to this? Lesson One: Name the real questions accurately The Luddites were an organised and determined people who asked the right question: ‘Who governs the terms of technological deployment?’ AI raises many important questions that we need to answer. Three of them are: Is it dangerous? Well, yes, it could be, but it could also be a benefit … eventually. How long will it be before it radically affects our lives? We do need an answer to this, but experts are divided, some saying very soon and others saying up to ten years. However, each of us needs to prepare ourselves, our families, and our income sources, and so our own answer to this question is important. A third question is the one we can borrow from the Luddites – who decides how it is deployed and over what period? As things stand at the moment, it is the AI company executives and the government officials who decide this. However, we all need to have something to say about this because we are the ones who will pay the price if AI brings anything other than utopia. Lesson Two: The dispossession of human agency is a theological problem Christian theological tradition insists that we are all made in the image of God and bearers of rationality, creativity, moral agency, and relational dignity (Genesis 1:26). Work, properly understood, is a participation in God’s ongoing ordering of creation. Beyond providing for us physically, it gives us dignity, purpose, and a sense of identity as responsible sons and daughters of the Almighty. If AI strips meaningful work from human beings, it is not just an economic problem; it is an assault on human dignity. Lesson Three: Productivity gains do not automatically distribute themselves evenly The Industrial Revolution ultimately raised living standards, but only after a century of struggle and hardships for many people. A major reason for this is that at first, the benefits all accrued to the business owners and governments. In the Luddites case, it was the mill owners and the British Crown. Currently, AI wealth is almost all going to a remarkably small group of AI executives, shareholders, and the governments that rake in the taxes payable by these elites. The amount of wealth accruing to these few is staggering! We cannot assume that this situation will self-correct, so we should be taking steps to earn income and accrue our own wealth by using AI for as long and as best we can. For instance, an administrator or office manager who uses AI proficiently will be more in demand than less AI-literate people. Lesson Four: Speed of deployment is a moral issue The Luddites understood that the pace at which technological change is imposed is a moral and not just a mathematical problem. People and communities need time to adapt, retrain, redeploy, and reorganise. AI is coming at us at an exponential rate. There are options available - such as limiting its capabilities or slowing its rate of deployment - but we, ordinary people, have almost no say in this. A very small number of very knowledgeable AI insiders are warning the world right now and proposing alternatives to the AI industry and governments. Men like Dario Amodei (The CEO of Anthropic), Tristan Harris (ex Google), Roman Yampolskiy (AN influential AI safety researcher) and to a lesser extent Kai-Fu Lee (ex Google China). They can all be found on YouTube and have also written extensively over the last few years. We need to listen to them. All of us need to pay heed and speak supportively for AI safety and common-sense control where we can. So, what do we do about all this? Three things: Find out as much as you can about AI and become fully informed about the risks and the timelines. Speak about it within your circle of influence so that others become aware. Learn to use AI to do your job better and to earn income and influence. For my part, my son and I, using AI have written a book aimed at Church Pastors and Leaders, setting out what we have discovered, along with some suggestions on how this information can be used. It is called The Acts 8 Moment, and you can get a copy from https://shorturl.at/5pZmr Conclusion By now, you will realise why I titled this article ‘Resurrected Luddites Needed Now’. The Luddites provide us with historic principles, but we do not attempt to reproduce their approaches in our age. Just as the resurrected body will be recognisable but different from the body of flesh, so we should rise up in 2026 as recognisable but different Luddites – clear-eyed about technology, but committed to human dignity, justice, and Jesus-centred hope. In my next article, I want to introduce you to the three forces driving AI development and deployment, now and during the next few years. Please note, if you are reading this via email and it doesn’t look right or there are audio problems, please go to www.truthistheword.com to view the post online or go to the AudioVisual page (https://truthistheword.com/audio-visual/) where you can access any of the series posts and audio files from one place. The audio should be below:

The posts in this series, ‘AI In Our Future’, have been sobering and more than a little disconcerting. I have always tried to include positive ideas and assurances, but in this article, I want to focus on the positive. AI: The Near-Future Upside Artificial Intelligence represents the most consequential technological transition in human history, compressing centuries of progress into years and potentially resolving humanity's most entrenched problems. Here are just some: Medicine stands to be transformed first and most visibly. Advanced AI can accelerate drug discovery, personalise treatment, and make accurate diagnoses for everyone, everywhere. It could go further, curing currently intractable diseases. Scientific progress from its ability to simultaneously transfer insights between fields. A single system could model cancer genetics, design sustainable infrastructure, and develop poverty-reduction strategies concurrently. AI is triggering an intelligence explosion that no human team, however brilliant, could replicate. Climate risk management becomes tractable. AI can optimise energy allocation, improve disaster early-warning systems, and model carbon reduction strategies at a systems level. It can also regulate dangerous emerging technologies, like bioengineering and nanotechnology, by anticipating cascading consequences before they manifest. In addition, there are other potential benefits such as individually customised education, space exploration, governance, and decision-making. These benefits are possible, but conditional. They presuppose that AI systems reliably pursue genuinely human-beneficial goals. The Human Responses to any AI Future These wonderful benefits are utopian and may or may not materialise in the near future. However, what is far more certain is something that no AI expert or forecaster mentions is a genuine worldwide Holy Spirit revival! A revival, perhaps more intense and widespread, is a very real possibility for the following reasons: If AI leads to societal chaos with massive job layoffs and currency collapse, then people of all races, ages and walks of life will be confronted with three overwhelming needs. I have mentioned these before, but they need to be repeated here: A loss of a real sense of identity: If I have no meaningful occupation as an essential part of my identity, then who am I? A loss of a sense of worth: If what I can do is no longer valued and does not yield resources for my family and me, then what am I worth? A loss of a sense of purpose, then why am I living the way I do now? If AI leads to an age of abundance where all people receive everything physical that they need, the same three pressing needs will emerge. It may take a little longer than the first scenario because a lack is a more urgent problem than a surplus. However, it will surely loom large in our lives because we humans are ‘wired’ to seek identity, worth, and purpose. What was later called the ‘Protestant work ethic’ was part of our primordial design when God set us loose in the Earth to be productive and industrious (Genesis 1:28). If the superficial ‘blessing’ of unearned abundance is thrust upon God-created human beings, it will soon taste like dust in the mouth, tasteless and unsatisfying - driving people to seek real identity, worth, and purpose. The result will no doubt be people, en masse, turning to drugs, games, sex, or sinking into despondency, depression, and self-destruction … or they will seek God, the only real source of identity, worth, and purpose. From my perspective, the only access to the One True God is the divine person of the Lord Jesus Christ. In him, we find identity as sons and daughters of the Almighty. In him we find worth beyond the physical and the temporal. In him we have a clear purpose – to know him, become like him, and help others to do likewise. The Historic Evidence The biblical record and 2,000 years of church history reveal that periods of social crisis often precede seasons of genuine Holy Spirit revival. The scale of approaching disruption AI is likely to introduce an identity, meaning, vocational, truth, worth, and purpose crisis. This hugely negative consequence is fertile ground for the healing rain of the Spirit. The historical pattern of revival confirms that the "Holy Spirit revival" I anticipate is the divine response to the collapse of human self-sufficiency. When society has experienced a drastic loss of identity, worth, and purpose, whether through moral decay, economic shifts, or "dead" intellectualism, the Holy Spirit has intervened to restore a Christ-centred reality. The following synthesis explores these movements, moving from the biblical record through the first 2,000 years of church history, through to the 20th-century Charismatic renewal.   Biblical Revivals: Restoring the Covenant The Revival under King Josiah Preceding Conditions: Decades of institutionalised paganism and child sacrifice under Manasseh and Amon. The Temple was derelict, and the "Truth Claims" of the Torah had been literally lost and forgotten. Revival Characteristics: Triggered by the rediscovery of the Law, this was a revival of National Identity. It involved the systematic destruction of idols and a corporate return to the "One True God" through covenant renewal and the celebration of Passover. The Post-Exilic Revival (Nehemiah) Preceding Conditions: A "loss of worth" among returned exiles living in a broken city. They were culturally assimilated, impoverished by high taxes, and physically vulnerable due to the ruined walls of Jerusalem. Revival Characteristics: A massive Epistemic (knowledge) Awakening. Ezra read the Word of God for hours while the people stood in reverence. The revival was marked by deep repentance, a restoration of the Sabbath, and a renewed "sense of purpose" as a set-apart people. The Nineveh Awakening Preceding Conditions: Extreme military brutality and "wickedness" that had reached the Almighty. The city was on the brink of "cascading consequences" and divine judgment. Revival Characteristics: A rare Gentile revival defined by universal repentance. From the King to the animals, the city fasted and turned from their "evil ways," resulting in the stay of execution and a temporary spiritual transformation of a pagan superpower. The Pentecost Visitation Preceding Conditions: Spiritual despondency under Roman occupation and a religious system that offered "form without power." The disciples were fearful, hidden, and lacked a "clear purpose" after the crucifixion. Revival Characteristics: The definitive Holy Spirit Revival. It broke through "all races and walks of life," granting the believers a new identity as the "body of Christ." It was characterised by supernatural power and radical generosity. The Ephesian Breakthrough Preceding Conditions: A society dominated by the occult and the "curious arts." Economic identity was tied to the cult of Artemis, creating a "post-truth" environment where magic and superstition provided a false sense of security. Revival Characteristics: A Power Encounter. The revival was so intense that occult books were burned en masse. It disrupted the local economy, proving that the identity found in Christ is more valuable than any temporal industry or "sustainable infrastructure" of the day. Historical Revivals: Navigating Societal Chaos Several periods could loosely be considered as revivals, such as the Francian Renewal of the early 13th century, the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, but I will highlight some more recent spiritual outpourings. The First Great Awakening (1730–1740s) Preceding Conditions: The rise of Deism and a "loss of a real sense of identity" as the Enlightenment relegated God to a distant observer. Moral decay was rampant; gin addiction threatened to collapse the social order. Revival Characteristics: Characterised by "intense and widespread" conviction of sin. Leaders like Edwards and Whitefield preached the necessity of the "New Birth," restoring a sense of Worth that was not contingent on social status or rationalist philosophy. The Welsh Revival (1904–1905) Preceding Conditions: Mass industrialisation left many disillusioned and poor. Social unrest destabilised the populations, church attendance declined radically, and moral problems like alcohol abuse, gambling, and crime dominated. Revival Characteristics: A "sovereign visitation" that saw people en masse turning to God in church buildings, houses and fields. It was characterised by spontaneity, musical worship, lay leadership, social transformation, and global influence. These resulted in a renewed sense of purpose. The Azusa Street Revival (1906–1915) Preceding Conditions: Racial segregation and the rise of "ultra-liberal" Darwinian ideas that denied the spiritual worth of certain races. The church was fractured and powerless. Revival Characteristics: The catalyst for modern Pentecostalism. It broke "economic and geographic divides" through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. People of all races worshipped together, finding a new identity that transcended the "WOKE" equivalent of their day. The Hebrides Revival (1949–1952) Preceding Conditions: Post-WWII nihilism. The youth were turning away from the church, and the community was "sinking into despondency." Empty churches and a "loss of a sense of purpose" characterised the Scottish islands. Revival Characteristics: A deep "Presence of God" that fell upon entire villages. People were "confronted with their need" even while working in the fields. It was a revival of and a return to the One True God, where people rediscovered their sense of identity. The Charismatic Revival (1960s) Preceding Conditions: The rise of the "counter-culture,...

My last article was a gentle introduction to this new series, 'AI In Our Future'. Before I introduce two key concepts, I'd like to share a story with you: When the World Moved On The morning light cut through the blinds, too clean,  indifferent. David sat at the dining table in his work clothes, even though there was nowhere to go. The habit of decades refused to die easily. Outside, the neighbour’s alarm chirped, a car reversed, and somewhere down the street a delivery drone buzzed low. Ordinary sounds of a city moving on without him. He stared at his hands — steady, capable, but suddenly useless. “Good with numbers,” his retrenchment letter had said, as if that were an outdated technology. Over coffee gone cold, he tried to open a spreadsheet he’d made for job leads, but the screen’s blue pulsing notifications reminded him that the world no longer needed clerks. His wife Nomsa lingered by the window. Her phone rested untouched on the sill, vibrating occasionally with messages from former colleagues. She hadn’t replied all week. It wasn’t shame — it was something deeper, a quiet unravelling of who she believed herself to be. For years, reports, deadlines, and mentoring younger staff had been her rhythm of purpose. Without them, time felt wide and formless. From the corridor came the sound of Amahle’s school shoes tapping on the tiles. She was sixteen. “They say the new maths tutor at school’s an AI,” she said, slipping toast into her mouth. “It marks our papers in seconds.” She laughed without irony, but there was an anxious tremor in her voice. “At least it can’t get retrenched.” Nomsa forced a smile, but the words landed like stones. At the far end of the kitchen, their son Liam sighed over his laptop. His graduation photo still hung above the counter, showing a young man in robes, eyes full of untested promise. Now, he was writing proposals for potential clients who preferred the “AI-hybrid freelancer plan.” Deep down, he wondered if he was already obsolete. That evening, the house seemed heavier. Job portals glowed unanswered. A half-cooked supper congealed on the stove. David finally spoke. “You know,” he said quietly, “I used to think my work meant I mattered — keeping order, balancing accounts, being needed. Now …” His voice trailed off. “Now I don’t know what I am.” Nomsa placed a hand over his. “Maybe that’s what we need to find again — not the jobs, but what we are without them.” The couple sat in silence, not hopeless, but hollowed, waiting for meaning to return, or for faith to remind them that dignity is not a job title, and worth is more than a login. (AI-generated) That's a rather sad story, isn't it? Unfortunately, it's already painfully real for so many people in my country, South Africa. Right now, most unemployment isn't because AI has taken jobs - it's because of our struggling economy and difficult socio-political situation. But in the very near future, AI is likely to become a major driver of joblessness. The story is also a graphic summary of the rest of this article. Now, perhaps you are thinking, "Ah yes, Chris, I know something about AI, and I don't think things will be much different to when computers came along - two jobs created for every one lost." Well, maybe. But there's that troublesome word: maybe. Maybe this will happen, or maybe that, or maybe something else entirely… or maybe we just don't have the right mental tools for assessing what all these 'maybes' really mean. So the first topic I want to address is something I'm calling Exponential Ectopia. Exponential Ectopia "Say what now?" I hear you ask. Well, you shouldn't have heard that term before because I've just invented it (as far as I know). 'Ectopia' is a condition, when applied to an eye, where the lens is misaligned, commonly causing short-sightedness. 'Exponential' means getting faster and faster. Put them together, and you've got our collective problem: we're short-sighted about how rapidly things are accelerating. Here's the thing: we are practically hard-wired for a way of thinking about the future. We make an estimate based on what happened before and project it forward. We subconsciously construct a mental graph where the angle shows a rate of change we're used to. Trouble is, change no longer happens in that nice, steady, linear way — it's exponential. The rate of growth doesn't stay constant; it doubles, then doubles again. Let me give you a concrete example: There's a dam near where I live that became infested with Kariba weed. On day one, there were just a few plants bobbing about. By day two, they were appearing in different places. By day 12, the dam was a quarter full of them. By day 16, it was half full. And by day 20? One hundred per cent of the dam was covered in floating weeds! The coverage doubled every four days. Now, if that's hard enough for us to wrap our heads around, here's the kicker: AI and its related technologies are doubling in capability every seven months. Their rate of exponential growth started small and seemed to have a nice, gentle slope. But like those weeds, the rate of change took off, and now we're in what I can only describe as an exponential tizzy, with little capacity to comprehend what's actually happening. Humans are naturally designed for slow, linear thinking. In the past, this was an asset and helped us to function well in a slowly changing environment, but things are different now. Our brains are brilliant at many things, but grasping exponential change isn’t one of them. We can only juggle a handful of items at once, which is why even smart people consistently misjudge compounding effects — like accumulated investment interest – often by about half. So when you catch yourself thinking, "AI can't possibly be changing that fast; I'm sure we'll have years to adapt," please think again! It is like looking at the Kariba weed in the dam on day sixteen and thinking, “Well, it’s taken 16 days to get half choked up, so we still have over two weeks to find a solution.” Unfortunately, you would be totally wrong, because in four days the dam will be full of weeds! Exponential Ectopia leads to complacency and a dangerous lack of preparation. It's far better to err on the side of realistic expectations, even when it’s a disturbing prospect. Better to recognise that the light at the end of the tunnel might actually be a rapidly accelerating train and prepare to jump, than to be caught unawares. Beyond this perceptual problem, there's another psychological challenge we need to be aware of: Change Trauma. Change Trauma Here's the truth: we simply don't know with any certainty whether Artificial Superintelligence will bring good or bad changes to us and our society. What we do know is that change - whether positive or negative - can be deeply traumatic when it happens too quickly or too intensely for a person or community to process and adapt. We're pretty certain that AI is bringing unimaginably rapid change into our world. So we can be equally sure that there will be real trauma involved. What does this look like? Well, a few things: First, there's the disruption to our sense of stability. Change destabilises our routines, our identities, and our expectations — basically, everything we've built our daily lives around. Then there's the feeling of losing control. Events start to feel like things happening to us rather than developments we're navigating alongside. We lose our sense of agency. Our brains also experience cognitive overload. Too many new variables hitting us almost simultaneously exceed our working memory and our capacity to adapt. This leads to confusion, anxiety, or mental paralysis — we just freeze and end up doing nothing positive. Finally, there's a mismatch stress. When what's familiar and what's suddenly required are miles apart, our brains trigger stress responses similar to trauma: fight, flight, or freeze. Having some idea of what's coming down the tracks, and at what speed, helps us both to cope and think clearly about how we should respond. Can you imagine the irony? Superintelligent AI turns out to be genuinely beneficial, but we've shredded ourselves mentally because the speed and magnitude of the changes were just too much for us to handle. Conclusion But here's an even greater irony, one that troubles me deeply: Jesus-followers suffering unnecessarily during times that could actually be productive and faith-building. Think about it. Jesus told His disciples, and that includes us, that he will never leave or forsake us, that he'll be with us until the very end of the age, and that we shouldn't fear because he has overcome the world. These aren't just nice-sounding verses for quieter times. They're solid promises for exactly these kinds of moments. I'd encourage you to read passages like Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5, Romans 8:38–39, and 1 Peter 5:7. Let them sink in. Let them become not just familiar words, but anchors for your soul. Throughout this series, I'll be giving you glimpses into what we can reasonably expect regarding AI and some idea of the timelines involved. More than that, though, I want to bring you practical wisdom that will help build your confidence and strengthen your faith for the times ahead. Not a flimsy optimism based on hoping technology works out, but a deep hope rooted in the One who remains sovereign over every algorithm and every acceleration. God bless you, my friend As with my last article, here is a debate by tw0 AI characters. Please drop me a line if you find this approach helpful or unhelpful.

By now, everyone knows that AI stands for Artificial Intelligence and that it is causing both excitement and alarm.  It is one of the technological subjects that interests me, but I will resist the temptation to waffle on about how it works, and other aspects that most people are just not bothered with. Instead, I want to focus on two things: what everyone needs to know about AI, and then what might interest Christians in particular. Some things that should concern all of us A much-lauded positive result of applying AI is that it frees humans from performing low-level or repetitive tasks, thereby creating more time to be creative and innovative. In First-World countries with low unemployment rates, this could be a positive development. However, in Third-World countries with high unemployment rates, perhaps it is not. I live in a Third-World country where the expanded unemployment rate is over 42%. The total population, including an estimate of unregistered immigrants, is about 65 million. So, that means that about 28 million people do not have employment! So, for millions of people, the fact that AI is doing the routine and repetitive work is not good news. To exacerbate the situation, according to some research findings, a large percentage of the country's total population, and not just the unemployed, is estimated to be incapable of facing the cognitive challenges of a rapidly increasing AI-driven economy. In my country, the state avoids terrible hardship or anarchy by paying out huge amounts of taxpayers’ money in monthly allowances and subsidies to unemployed people. The problem is that the government has run out of money, taxpayers, and loan financing! So, what is to be done? For starters, where precision and accuracy are not paramount, the private sector could forgo the additional profits that come from employing AI to do low-grade tasks. That is highly unlikely because businesses in South Africa need to compete with overseas companies if they are to survive. Secondly, both private and public sectors could upskill as many low-IQ education people as they can, and this is where AI can help a lot. AI is great for designing and implementing educational and skills training programmes. This would require massive and rapid organisation, funding and expertise, so this too is very unlikely to happen in the near future. Private home owners could also help by employing people with cognitive challenges to work as domestic helpers, gardeners and so on, and responsibly help them get by if they can. Some people who live in large houses often employ the minimum number of domestic helpers on the grounds that they can’t afford it, yet they eat out frequently and go on expensive holidays. Perhaps we should all rethink where we stand on this? Even if there was an immediate and country-wide change of heart, this strategy would be a drop in the unemployment ocean. How we all should use AI at a personal level For most of us, AI is probably best used for quickly getting information on almost anything, and it beats Search Engines hands down. It is also great for comparing and evaluating options, critiquing assertions. summarising and so on. Another great use for AI is to treat it as a discussion partner. Ask it questions and then interact by challenging or qualifying its responses or your questions. This yields the best results while still fully engaging our brains, personal experience and knowledge bases. How not use AI, in my opinion, is to set it tasks and allow it to do our thinking for us. This is ethically questionable and also detrimental to us. A recent study was conducted by a top American University, which tracked 54 participants writing essays over four months.  They were allowed to use AI as much as they wanted.  They then compared the results to a control group that did not use AI and found that the AI-assisted group displayed lower brain activity, particularly the mental activity linked to creativity and memory. Moreover, the reports claim that there was an 83% inability to accurately recall what they had written! Another 2025 study of 666 participants found a marked correlation between frequent AI use and critical thinking scores. Younger users showed higher dependence and worse performance. The study did not prove permanent brain decline, but that the danger of ongoing dependence on AI is nevertheless real. Ethical Considerations A question that our experts and legislators are currently grappling with is 'To what extent can ‘creators’ claim ownership or take credit for something they produce with the help of AI?' I write a lot, so I will use that as an example. On one end of the spectrum is the use of spelling and grammar checkers in products such as Microsoft Word or Grammarly (forms of AI). I am both dyslexic and a lousy speller, so for me these aids are essential. They don’t save me time because I have to make so many corrections, but they save face and reputational damage.  These aids are as necessary to me as audio-to-text applications are to some physically impaired people. I do not regard these aids as presenting an ethical problem. What is more, I have no problem with using AI to scan my work for tone or content that could cause offence or be misunderstood. I have, on occasions, also asked AI to adapt my writing to be better understood and related to by certain age groups or types of people. It is at this point that things get a little dodgy for me. Would I ask AI to write an article, or even a book, for me by just giving broad guidance and a few parameters? No, I wouldn’t normally do this, and if, for some reason, I did, I would clearly disclose that it was AI-generated. I would certainly never consider submitting an AI-generated document for peer review or educational credits. Publishers, writers’ associations, and educational institutions have already set clear standards, but we all need to settle for ourselves what is ethically and legally acceptable and what is not. And, of course, the same would apply to artistic works or innovations. The broader societal impact of AI I have recently watched several AI experts talking about the future effects of AI on society. Some have waxed lyrical about the hugely positive influence AI is having in the fields of medicine, pharmaceutics, and so on, where it performs admirably in helping doctors diagnose more accurately and assisting surgeons in delicate and difficult procedures. It helps in developing aids for the disabled, finding new cures and seems to have many other clear benefits to humanity. I am sure they are right about this, and we will all benefit from the rapid advances being made. On the other side of the coin are the equally rapid AI-led advances in lethal arms development, narcotics creation, and techno-crime of every sort. AI is also being used to trick us into giving access to our banking accounts! I get about 5 emails or SMS attempts to defraud me every day, as well as sporadic telephone calls trying to get me to allow access to my bank accounts! Of late, they have been getting sophisticated and deceptive with the use of AI, making them even more convincing. Beyond financial deception, there is a more subtle and troubling effect of AI that impacts our mental and spiritual well-being. At this level, the impact of AI, as I experience it, is almost entirely negative. The other day, I stumbled on a YouTube video where a so-called professor of applied mathematics claimed to have had a near-death experience where Jesus gave him five warnings to the world. Strangely enough, he was presented as an avowed and vigorous atheist. He said that these warnings would be observed by everyone around the world and would all occur in January 2026. I used AI to research and analyse the video and unsurprisingly found it to be an AI-generated fake. I also discovered that there were dozens of variations of the theme flying around the internet – an imaginary elderly woman claimed a similar experience, as did a soldier, a Jewish scholar, a boy, a political advisor, and many more. This example is not an isolated incident, but part of a rapidly growing pattern. Why do people do this? The main reason is no doubt that they get paid money by advertisers and media companies, depending on the number of views they get and the duration of each view. Also, it is easy to get a suite of AI applications that produce high-quality and potentially convincing content. One person can produce up to ten of these videos a day by using AI! To make matters even worse, these videos can sow fear or morbid satisfaction for some folks – some even call it ‘fear-porn’, can you believe it? A global concern Some of what I have described so far may sound like a uniquely South African crisis, but the same dynamics are beginning to surface globally - and at a scale that could affect every nation. Some of the same AI experts I have mentioned watching also debated a big concern for all thought-leaders, politicians, and top business executives. If AI does away with as many jobs as it seems it will, then how do the jobless survive? The apparent answer is that the governments of the world will have to pay a universal income allowance to everyone on the planet- a sort of dole or social grant on steroids. So apparently, we will all be able to get along just fine without earning a living. But here is the thing. Who would pay for these multi-gazillion-dollar grants? Why the governments, of course. And where would they get the money to do this? Well, in taxes from the tech giants, who make obscene profits from producing the AI that is the cause of the problem. It sounds a bit like a snake-eating-its-own-tail metaphor. This whole scenario raises a question that is not merely financial, but profoundly human and spiritual. Beyond the economic questions lies a deeper human issue - one that goes far beyond employment figures and government policy. ...

If God in the Old Testament sometimes feels less than all-loving to you, then you need to listen to this TruthTalk to find out something quite different. Dr Christopher Peppler talks on THIS post in the Insights from Isaiah series. If you have an interest in AI (in this case an engine called Perplexity) and how much you can trust it, then this TruthTalk will also interest you as Chris takes us through just what AI says about Isaiah too. If you missed the first part, it's not too late to hop on board. Click HERE to read Part 1 or HERE to listen to it. Click on the button below to listen now, or you can delve through all the AudioVisual content supplied including sermons, YouTube videos, sermon notes and more. Until next time.

Dr Christopher Peppler describes the book of Isaiah as being "... a ‘place’ where I often ‘hear’ the Holy Spirit speaking to me." To find out why listen to the first part of this series by clicking on the play button below or click here to read the original post. When you are in the mood to listen and watch the TruthTalks and sermons don't forget that they are all here in this handy AudioVisual library.

This is the third and final pillar in the series. Here, I speak on subjects such as the New Birth, Trichotomy, Spiritual Baptism and Infilling, practical dependence on the Holy Spirit, gifts, manifestations, and ministries, as well as the dangers of division and misunderstanding. The final section is a conclusion to the whole series, emphasising how the three pillars of truth stand together as foundations for the Christian Faith. You can find: PILLAR 3 Part 1 Video HERE PILLAR 3 Part 2 Video HERE PILLAR 3 Q&A Video HERE Read on for a summary of the transcript of the two videos, which captures just the gist of the teaching. Finally, the TruthTalks Audio is HERE or at the very bottom of the page.  Summary of Transcript: Pillar Three: Spirit-Dependent In this final part of the "Three Pillars of Truth" series, I focus on what it means to be Spirit-dependent. My aim isn’t to be dogmatic or try to dictate beliefs, but to encourage you to think deeply and perhaps differently about familiar topics. The New Birth: Where Dependence Begins For me, the most fundamental act of dependence on the Holy Spirit is the new birth. This is where spiritual life starts: the regeneration of a dead spirit, a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. As Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3, unless we are born again - born of water and the Spirit - we cannot even perceive the kingdom of God. Peter echoes this in 1 Peter 1:23, emphasising that this birth is not physical but spiritual. In my understanding, the process begins with conviction (a work of the Spirit), leading to confession, then a sincere request for new birth, and finally, spiritual regeneration. This sequence is vital to my theology and experience. Understanding Human Nature: Why Trichotomy Matters I subscribe to a trichotomist view of human nature: we are body, soul, and spirit. The spirit is the part of us dead to God until new birth. This distinction is crucial because it guards against a "mind-based Christianity," where faith is reduced to intellectual assent or cultural identity rather than spiritual transformation. I’ve seen too many people who identify as Christian but have never experienced the radical newness of being born again. Spirit Baptism and Infilling: Power for Life and Ministry The new birth is the Spirit’s work in making us alive to God, but the infilling, or baptism of the Holy Spirit, is about empowerment for Christian living and ministry. As Jesus promised in Acts 1, the Holy Spirit gives us power. I believe the disciples were born again when Jesus breathed on them before he ascended into Heaven, but the day of Pentecost was about receiving power for ministry. Trichotomy best explains this: we need a living spirit to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit. This isn’t just theory for me; it’s shaped my ministry and my understanding of how God works in and through us. Practical Dependence on the Spirit I have experienced the Spirit’s guidance in life-changing decisions - leaving a secure corporate job to pastor a tiny church, for example. It wasn’t a whim; it was a clear conviction from the Holy Spirit, confirmed by my wife, others, and circumstances. I know I can’t transform myself; only the Holy Spirit can bring true, eternal change. Ministry without the Spirit’s power is empty. I’ve seen how sermons and church activities lack life-changing power unless they are Spirit-empowered. The Holy Spirit also illuminates Scripture for me. Even after years of study, it’s often the Spirit who brings understanding, sometimes years later. I can’t witness, minister, or even hope for resurrection apart from the Spirit’s power. Gifts, Manifestations, and Ministries There’s much confusion about spiritual gifts. I see a clear distinction between manifestations (Spirit-given actions for others’ benefit) and ministries (ongoing roles in the church). I don’t believe gifts are permanent possessions or badges of status. Instead, the Spirit gives as needed, for the common good. I’ve seen the dangers of pride and division when people focus on "their" gifts rather than on serving others in obedience to the Spirit’s prompting. I’ve also learned that most of the gifts described in Scripture were manifested in Jesus’ ministry, except for tongues and interpretation, which are unique signs for the church. A key concept is that the focus should never be on the manifestation itself, but on obedience to God and blessing others. So, Pillar One dealt with being Bible-based, Pillar Two was about being Jesus-centred, and Pillar Three focused on being Spirit-dependent. All three of these concepts are interdependent and together form doctrinal pillars that uphold the truth.

I hope you enjoyed the first Pillar in our series. If you have questions, the link below will take you to the video on YouTube, and the audio track is at the bottom of this post. As always feel free to reach out and contact Dr Christopher Peppler HERE The questions asked and answered are: 1. How should we read and interpret texts about genocide in the Old Testament in the light of a Christ centred Bible understanding? 2. How do we know when a text in the Bible is meant to be literal and when is it being figurative? Click HERE to go to the Q&A If you would like to go to the first post in this series, then click HERE

Welcome to the first multi-media episode in the three-part”Three Pillars of Truth” series starting NOW! Each episode/Pillar will be broadcast on YouTube in 2 sections for your viewing convenience. Next week there will be a Q&A video for you. There is also a summary of the video transcriptions (below) and an audio link to listen to at the very end of this post. Links Pillar One, Part 1 airs on Tuesday the 20th of May at 09:00 and the link is here: PILLARS PART 1 Pillar One Part 2 also airs on Tuesday the 20th of May, but at 09:30 and the link is here: PILLARS PART 2 Obviously, if you are reading this after the premier times don't worry, everything will still be there. The Audio is at the very end of this post, so just scroll down to listen. I would like to extend my thanks to Crowded House Church for the use of their facilities and to Chris Botha, Richard Grove, Luke vd Merwe, and James Perris, who sat through the full presentation and asked such excellent questions in the Q&A. I would also like to acknowledge the excellent videographer and editor, Shaun Shaw. Thanks also to my dear daughter Karen for her great artwork. A summary of the transcript of both parts of Pillar One is as follows: Part 1 "The Three Pillars of Truth," is a framework, based on 30 years of research, prayer, and experience in building both a church and a seminary. I hope to encourage you to deepen your understanding of Jesus and scripture through these pillars: Bible-based, Jesus-centred, and Spirit-dependent. These are not isolated concepts; they are interconnected foundations for Christian truth, with Jesus at the very heart. This discussion will focus on the first pillar: what I believe it truly means to be Bible-based. For us as Christians, I contend that truth rests on three foundations: the person of Jesus, who declared, "I am the truth"; the Bible, which we call the "word of truth"; and the Holy Spirit, known as the "spirit of truth". A Brief Historical Overview To grasp what "Bible-based" signifies, I find it helpful to look at a brief historical overview of how the Church's approach to scripture has evolved. Around 50 AD, I see a divergence in the early church. The Alexandrian school in Egypt emphasised mystical interpretations with multiple layers of meaning- literal, moral, and allegorical. Meanwhile, the Roman school was more pragmatic, eventually becoming increasingly sacramental and developing doctrines through synthesis, such as the idea of Mary as a co-redeemer. It also emphasised hierarchical structures. The Reformation in 1570 shifted the focus again, reacting against Roman sacramentalism and becoming intellectualised, analytical, and conservative. Then, in 1901, Pentecostalism emerged, which I see as reintroducing allegorical interpretations and an emphasis on layers of meaning, reminiscent of the Alexandrian school. The 1900s also witnessed the rise of liberalism, bringing with it scepticism, a demand for scientific validation for truth, and a downplaying of the supernatural. I've observed that these varied historical approaches and ideas continue to circulate in our churches and Christian literature today. So, to clarify what I mean by "Bible-based," I first want to outline what, in my understanding, the Bible is not: What the Bible is Not It is not a magic book from which we can pluck verses out of context to use as charms or mantras. It is not a theological dictionary or a systematic theology; it isn't structured into neat doctrinal categories. It is not a religious artefact or an object of worship. Crucially, in my view, the Bible is not the ultimate source of truth. Jesus Christ himself is that source, having stated, "I am the truth." The Bible is the written revelation of this truth, and I believe this distinction is important to prevent the scriptures from being perceived as superseding Jesus. It is not an infallible, word-for-word dictation from God, nor is it what I call a "pseudo-dictation" where God minutely supervised every word. I argue that this latter view is functionally similar to dictation and creates issues with translations and interpretations. I often point to the "King James Only" movement as an example of the complexities arising from such a view. To my knowledge, only the seven letters in Revelation appear to be direct dictation. Conversely, I define what the Bible is as follows: What the Bible is It is the revelation of God and his ways, revealing his character, nature, and how he operates. It is also an honest revelation of the ways of humankind, which, as we know, are often ungodly. The Bible accurately records events like David's sin with Bathsheba, genocides, and manipulations. These serve as accounts of human actions rather than models for godly behaviour. I also believe some speeches within it are not divinely inspired, and literary forms like the Book of Job (which I see as a moral play) put words into God's mouth that may not be literal divine utterances. It is the only divinely inspired written revelation of Jesus Christ- his nature, words, and works. While secular texts might mention Jesus, they do not convey his true teachings or nature. The bible is trustworthy. Despite questions one might have about precise historical details or numbers, its message is true, and I firmly believe we can build our lives, our doctrine, and our churches upon it. Therefore, in my conviction, the bible serves as the final judge of Christian doctrine and values, the yardstick by which we discern truth from error. I want to conclude by emphasising my strong belief that these three pillars- Bible-based, Jesus-centred, and Spirit-dependent are divinely synergistic. They cannot be separated, but at the very core of this framework stands Jesus Christ. Part 2 Biblical Inerrancy The concept of "biblical inerrancy," often used to counter liberalism, suggests the bible is without error. However, this concept isn't taught in the bible itself, is confused by many qualifications, and applies only to original manuscripts (which don't exist). The concept does not apply to translations, numbers and dates that might not be precise. Further disclaimers are that the bible wasn't meant to meet modern scientific precision and was written in phenomenal language appropriate for its time. Once qualified, I agree with the concept, but it raises more problems than it solves. I believe "trustworthy" is a better term. As Karl Barth said, "The bible is just as God wants it to be." It is a complete and honest record. Our interpretation of this trustworthy bible becomes dependable only when we understand and teach it through the lens of Jesus Christ, under the Holy Spirit's guidance. Sound interpretation is vital. Invalid methods of Interpretation Verse picking: Proof-texting ideas out of context. Topical preaching can be a grand form of this. Misusing allegory: Jesus used parables (allegories), but finding unintended deep meaning in every detail (like the oil in the parable of the ten virgins symbolising the Holy Spirit in a way that misses the main point of preparedness) leads to error. Lifting texts from immediate context: Words derive meaning from their context. For instance, when Jesus said, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church," at Banias (called the "gates of hell"), He meant that demonic forces cannot defeat his church, not that the church should physically charge the gates. Slavish literalism: Interpreting symbolic language literally, like Hal Lindsey equating locusts in Revelation with Apache helicopters. Reading our context back into the text: We must understand the original audience's context first, extract the principles, and then apply the truth to our situation. Conjecture from silence: Assuming something is permissible or true because the bible doesn't explicitly forbid or state it. Building general principles from specific practices: For example, elevating foot-washing to a sacrament because Jesus washed his disciples' feet misses the broader principle of servanthood. Sound interpretation The Context Principle: Considering the immediate scriptural context (verse, paragraph, book) and the historical/cultural context (what original hearers understood). The Exhaustive Reference Principle: Knowing what all of scripture says on a topic, aided by scholarly works. The Christocentric Principle: Interpreting scripture primarily from what Jesus taught, modelled, and revealed about the Godhead. The Bible is God's revelation, trustworthy, and the yardstick for Christian values. True understanding comes through a Christocentric lens, guided by the Holy Spirit, integrating all three pillars of truth. Unfortunately the audio is no longer available through your podcatchers, but please feel free to download or listen to it below.

In case you missed the post, or prefer listening to them, here is a TruthTalks podcast for the last of the Pearls from Peter series. Just click on the play button below and get listening. Don't forget that we have a great multimedia series coming up, "Three Pillars of Truth" so subscribe now or let us know if you would like to join the WhatsApp group to stay updated!   TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.   See you there!

In this TruthTalks episode, Dr Christopher Peppler looks at the various ways Peter uses stones to illustrate important biblical principles. Did you know that YOU are a small stone that forms part of a huge temple? The book of Peter also references a tree. Why a tree? What is the symbolism here? Listen to the podcast to find out. If you missed Part 1 of the Pearls from Peter series, no problem, just click HERE and listen to it now, otherwise please go ahead and press the play button below to listen to this weeks episode. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

Are you on-board the Pearls from Peter train yet? If not, catch up now by listening to the audio version of Part 1 below. You can also find the original article HERE, so hop on. Until next time, Admin TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

This is the final episode of the Jewels from John TruthTalks series. If you missed the series and would like to read or listen to it then please go to the www.truthistheword.com homepage, or directly to the Audiovisual page HERE where, for each post, you will see: A newspaper icon taking you to the original written post, and A speach bubble which, if you click on it, will play the audio version. I hope you have enjoyed this series and watch out for the next one coming soon. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

In this second last TruthTalks listen in the "Jewels from John" series, Christopher Peppler discusses the true nature of sin, what it is and what it most definitely is not. Listen to this podcast to find out what the true nature of sin really is. If you have missed the series, or want to start from the beginning you can read all the posts starting HERE or listen to the podcasts HERE where you will find this series as well as all the other audio files, notes etc. you are free to read/listen to/share. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

If you have missed out on following this gem of a series called "Jewels from John" it isn't too late for you to start listening from part one HERE. If you have been listening along, click on the button below to play the latest TruthTalks podcast or read the post HERE TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

Who do you think you are? This week we continue listening to the Jewels from John that Dr Christopher Peppler is bringing to us in a short series. If you missed the first 2 audio tracks, you can listen to them by clicking HERE for part 1 and HERE for part 2. To listen to the latest instalment - part 3 - simply click on the play button below or subscribe through any of your podcatchers.  TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

Following THIS post covering the second part of the "Jewels from John" series, please find the podcast/audio file below. If you missed the first part, then please click HERE to listen to that now. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

Whether we acknowledge it or not, every person born on Earth for the last two thousand years has benefited from Jesus Christ’s influence. His gracious words and deeds did not only affect his disciples or the people of his day. Indeed, individuals and civilisations over the ages have benefited from his influence. Based on THIS post which is the start of a short series entitled "Jewels from John", Dr Christopher Peppler talks on four passages from the book of John. Give it a listen, and if you like what you hear reach out, mail us, subscribe, and just generally get in touch. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

"Come and See is the heart of evangelistic witnessing" Dr Christopher Peppler gives us insights taken from THIS post on when, why and HOW we go about witnessing to someone. You may be surprised to hear why we witness... and why we don't. Give it a listen by clicking on the "play" button below. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

Based on the insightful article you can find HERE, this TruthTalk is a great audio podcast on understanding the bible. You will hear answers to three important questions, but better yet, gain clarity into how to study the scriptures. You can listen by clicking on the play button below or subscribe from where you normally get your podcasts. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

Did you know? There are seven crucial events in early Christian history, each occurring in a day, that set the Christian faith apart from all religious systems. They not only distinguished Christianity, but also changed the very nature and destiny of humanity. Furthermore, these seven events repeat in every generation of the church and in the lives of all who are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. As such, they should be celebrated in the communal life of every church and in the lived reality of every Jesus-follower. In this post, Dr Christopher Peppler discusses them in the order in which they appeared on the timeline of history. Listen to the TruthTalk about this now by clicking on the play button below or click HERE to read the article this is derived from. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

In what has been described by almost all political pundits as the most important in South African history, the 2024 election needed to be discussed, so this is what Dr Christopher Peppler does by looking at what the bible, and Jesus say about elections, voting, and politics. We dive into the many reasons why your vote matters, as a Christian and as an ambassador of Christ! Read the original post here or simply click on the play button below to listen to the TruthTalks audio podcast now. See you at the voting stations South Africa and please PRAY! TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

In my albeit, non-theological brain, I knew there were books of the bible that had been considered for inclusion in the bible at some stage... but I had never heard the names of books such as Sirach or Baruch.   In this TruthTalks audio, Dr Christopher Peppler goes down a rabbit-hole after trying to find the meaning of an old phrase, which takes him to... ... The Hidden Books. So if you would like to hear more about these mysterious documents, click on the play button below or read about it HERE. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

The very first line in Psalm 37 is: "Do not fret because of those who are evil..." Well I'm already feeling inadequate because I fret, stress and get horribly angry over those who are evil! In this TruthTalks podcast, Dr Christopher Peppler breaks down Psalm 37 for us in a manageable way and shows us how to use it to enhance our lives and put the wisdom written here into practice. If you would prefer to read the post this is based on, please click HERE. By the way, if you read Psalm 37, you will be pleased when you get to verse 17 and further, as it shows us how many delights WE have to look forward to and live in as children of God. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us. Please press the play button below to listen now or subscribe to TruthTalks on whatever you use to listen to your podcasts. Until next time, Admin

I remember when I (the admin) first heard about Maslow's hierarchy of needs - I probably nodded and thought "yes yes that makes sense" and then never REALLY went back to look at what this means to me as a Christian and someone trying to live in but not of this world. In this TruthTalks edition, Dr Christopher Peppler brings to light a whole new perspective on Maslow's theories, and it's a good one! Click on the play button below to listen now, and as always, interact with us in any manner you see fit, we love hearing from you. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

Do you have a church you can call "home"? In this TruthTalks message derived from THIS post, Dr Christopher Peppler let's us into his life by telling us what happened and why he found himself temporarily "homeless". Listen now by clicking on the play button below and don't forget to subscribe from wherever you get your podcasts. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

How do you feel about 2024? In this fascinating TruthTalks episode, Dr Christopher Peppler talks us through 2024 and what to expect.   If you would prefer to read about it CLICK HERE or otherwise click on the play button below to listen to it now. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us. As always, please write, email or send us a note via courier pigeon ;P  we always appreciate hearing from you. Until next time, Admin

Is God really good ALL the time? What about... ?   In this TruthTalks audio Dr. Christopher Peppler addresses the "...?" of this sentence, so don't miss out and click on the play button below or download it from wherever you get your podcasts. If you would prefer to read the article this is based on you can do so here.  Thank you for the comments, messages, and good will sent to TruthIsTheWord throughout 2023 - we appreciate you! May you all be blessed this season and the seasons to come. Admin

Matthew 6:14 - 15 says "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." So forgiveness is imperative if we want to be forgiven for all our own misdeeds. But how? In this TruthTalks podcast, based on the post HERE, Dr Christopher Peppler tackles this topic, and the process we need to go through in order to positively resolve unforgiveness issues, so be sure to listen by clicking on the play button below. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

Lately it hasn't been hard to imagine that Jesus' return is imminent and that the end of the world as we know it is just around the corner. Listen to Dr Christopher Peppler talking on this topic as he goes through what the bible tells us about it, and what we should do. Click on the play button below to listen now or read the article this TruthTalks audio is based on HERE. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

I bet most of you can recite "The Lord's Prayer" in your sleep, but here are some pertinent thinking points that you may not have considered. If you prefer reading the original post, you can find it HERE, otherwise click the play button to listen on this device and subscribe using your favourite podcast app. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

Have you ever read a book that has completely changed your perspective on everything? That has opened your mind to a new way of thinking? In this TruthTalks podcast, Dr Christopher Peppler tells us about 9 books that have played pivotal roles in his life, both before becoming a Christian right up to being a Theologian. We would love you to let us know what books have impacted YOU so feel free to drop us a note. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us. Please press play to listen now or download this TruthTalks message. You can also subscribe to ensure you don't miss the next one. Until next time, Admin

Greetings! After a week off due to illness (please note the little frogs here and there as a nod to a still sore-throated Dr Christopher Peppler) we bring you the TruthTalks podcast on this important subject.   The audio for this talk is based on THIS article as well as a previously written book titled "Prayer, Power and Proclamation" which you can view, along with Dr Peppler's other books HERE, or buy directly from Amazon HERE. This audio in essence asks: Where are the miracles nowdays and how do we get them back? A valuable listen to both leaders as well as all Christians. Simply click the play button below. I do hope you benefit greatly from this listen. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us. Until next time, Admin

Have you Heard About the Metaverse? Trying to keep track of all the new technological developments can be difficult in these weird days, but there is one emerging trend that Christians should keep an eye on, and that is the Metaverse which Dr Christopher Peppler wrote about HERE. Described as a virtual-reality cyberspace in which users can interact with a computer-generated environment and with other users in an online 3D universe that continues to exist in cyberspace whether or not individuals are logged into it I recommend you stay up-to-date with it and listen to the TruthTalks podcast below. What will this new 'universe' have on our spiritual wellbeing? TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us or consider buying one of Dr Peppler’s books HERE. Until next time, Admin.

Are we living in the end times? If we are, what can we do about it? In this TruthTalks podcast, Dr Christopher Peppler talks about that very matter, citing what Jesus had to say about the end of days, referencing and explaining biblical sources. If you have your bible handy while listening, turn to Matthew 24 so you can follow along. If you suspect that we ARE indeed living in those times, or even if you don't, this TruthTalk is worth a listen! Simply scroll down and click on the play button below, download the audio, or subscribe to our podcast feed and get them delivered directly to your phone. By the way, a map is referred to during this TruthTalks audio, and you can view it in the previous article HERE. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us. Alternatively you can show your support by buying one of Dr Peppler’s books HERE

Critical Race Theory (or CRT) is a complex issue. In this post Dr Christopher Peppler takes the subject head-on, so join him in exploring it's meaning and nuances. Please click HERE if you would like to read the original post, otherwise click the play or download button at the bottom of this to listen to this TruthTalks offering online.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us. Better still, go deeper into the subjects at hand and buy one of the many books available which you can find out more about HERE

Last week Dr Christopher Peppler wrote THIS post called "How to Evaluate Truth Claims", this is the audio version of that post. So, I have to ashamedly put my hand up when asked if I have ever bought into conspiracy theories. Sometimes the world seems just crazy enough that my thought process (for example) is thus: "So my friend sent me a warning about people dressed as bunnies hijacking cars now" - "hey, why not?" (shrug). Of course, I am in the great position of asking Christopher Peppler (Dad) to do the grunt work of researching these furry felons, and in this TruthTalks podcast he tells us how to do just that. By the way, you too can ask him for clarity on anything if you can't find the answers yourself - it always works for me. Please scroll down to listen to the audio here, or subscribe using the top buttons and never miss an episode. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

Last week, Dr Christopher Peppler told us about another question he was asked pertaining to being slain in the Spirit, speaking in tongues and being tested. If you have ever felt like: You were being tested after growing closer to God, or Why you can't speak in tongues, What it means to be slain in the Spirit, etc. then this TruthTalks podcast is for you. If you would prefer to read the original article please click HERE now, but we do urge you to spread the word – be it the podcast, the website, or any articles. You will find many sharing buttons on this site as well as social media platforms and we rely on you to help us tell others about www.TruthIsTheWord.com Until next time, click the play button below to listen here, or pick up this TruthTalks podcast on whatever audio catcher you use.

In this TruthTalks audio podcast, Dr Christopher Peppler addresses three questions recently asked of him. In reality, he answered about twenty-two questions but here he looks at three of the "deeper" questions many Christians have concerning their and their loved ones' lives. Topics such as promiscuity, divorce, church friendships and baby baptisms were some of the concerns brought up when he spoke at a ladies' meeting recently. If you listen to this podcast or read this post and have your own burning questions, please don't hesitate in asking by leaving a comment here, on the Truth is The Word Facebook page or even on Dr Christopher Peppler's page - we would love to hear from you. As always I would like to say that this podcast and the whole TruthIsTheWord Repository is a ‘labour of love for the Lord’, so please help share it with the world by passing it on. Press play below to listen to this message online now.

We are sometimes asked, in our day-to-day lives, "what can I do for you?" But can you imagine if God actually asked YOU "What can I do for you?" How would you answer? Is it impertinent to even answer? Does this ever happen? In this TruthTalks audio, Dr Christopher Peppler asks just that and the answers may surprise you! If you prefer reading to listening, please click HERE for the original post. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us. Click on the play button below to listen to this message here.

Hello and welcome to the final episode of our Hebrews bible study. Session 9 is available on YouTube from 12h00 on Tuesday 12th April 2022: click this link to go directly there… https://youtu.be/vnGTiErWvAg or to set a reminder for yourself for when the session is live. This final session covers a concise 12-step plan on how to live a good Christian life, so if you are a 'practical side of living biblically' fan, this session is for YOU. We also end with a summation of the book of Hebrews. This is the final session in the Hebrews series, but don’t forget that you can view all of the videos at any time on my YouTube channel at https://tinyurl.com/58zr8zys. Alternatively, if you are a late arrival then welcome, and click HERE to go to the first post of the series whereafter you can simply quick NEXT at the top or bottom of the post to move on to the next one. I do hope you have gotten something from it and that your questions have been answered, if not please feel free to reach out here in the comments section, on Facebook or email me at [email protected]. If you prefer to listen to the bible study as an audio-only version, just click on the play button below.

How are you enjoying the Hebrews bible study? What have you learned? Has anything been put on your heart during this time that you can share with us?   Session 8 is available on YouTube from 12h00 Tuesday 5th April 2022: click this link to go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr_OkZm53OM. It is also the second last in this study, so be sure to join us for this, and the final one next week. This session covers Hebrews Chapters 11 and 12 and it contains an important analysis of the concept of ‘faith’. What faith is and what it is not is something that has confused individuals and entire church groups. Chapter 11 starts with: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see". How do YOU experience faith? If you prefer to listen to the bible study as an audio-only version, just click on the play button below. Please share this post with those who would benefit, and also subscribe, like and comment on this as well as our podcast channel.

Session 7 is available on YouTube from 12h00 Tuesday 29th March 2022: click this link to go directly there… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKp5kJy5kxc Hebrews 10:19-39 is built around five exhortations all starting with the words ‘Let us’: it is all about Jesus-centred Christian living, such as: 'And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds’ If you prefer to listen to the bible study as an audio-only version, just click on the play button below. Please share this post with those who would benefit, and also subscribe, like and comment on this as well as our podcast channel.

Session 6 is available on YouTube from 12h00 Tuesday 22nd March 2022: click this link to go directly there… https://youtu.be/NppqfxKe2E8 In this session there are no solemn warnings from Hebrews, but we rather focus on some wonderful and uplifting topics.  I cover a lot of ground but the highlight is the description of how the Tabernacle is a model and shadow of a heavenly reality. - you don’t want to miss the revelation of ‘the moving Altar of Incense’ and what it means to us today. If you prefer to listen to the bible study as an audio-only version, just click on the play button at the end of this post. You can follow along in your bible in Hebrews 8. Please share this post with those who would benefit, and also subscribe, like and comment on this as well as our podcast channel.