Transhumanist Sermon Preparation: A Review of AI Sermon Outline Generator & BibleGPT
You have made the decision to click on this title for one of two reasons, and I can’t know which one that is. If you are a skilled and experienced religious educator please feel free to scroll down to the end and read from the section marked “Final Review.”
If you are looking for insight into sermon preparation itself, reading this entire piece will reveal the methodology used to review the software. It may also be helpful as a training material for those that prepare others for the ministry. Professional-level education in the field of general public speaking has been applied and notes particular to delivery of sermons have been included in the sample sermon that was created as a part of this review.
I found additionally that this software may be useful to the writer of religious materials. I am assuming that you, the reader, probably fall into one or more of these categories.
These two pieces of free software were recently advanced by the Christian Transhumanist Association. I thought I would go ahead and take them out for a spin. Even though it has been many years since I was at a ministerial school, the experiences I had there were formative. It is impossible to not notice the Ichthys tattoo that I carry on the back of my right hand — a Transhumanist rite of passage that I devised for myself and got (lawfully and with the understanding and full participation of the practitioner) at the age of 14. This was to represent reaching the Age of Majority — a parallel to the Bat Mitzvah but a blood rite in fact.
I considered it to be Transhumanist in nature because (I reasoned) all acts of self-transformation by way of technology whether ancient or modern are Transhumanist. The art of tattooing itself has become fairly high-tech. But it wasn’t my first body mod: I spent three years performing the correct physical exercises to achieve “full turn-out,” a thing I understood could only ever be fully attained if done in early childhood as the bones are growing. In this modification, the heads of the femurs rest differently in the pelvis allowing the knee to face diagonally with no torque. This allows for the correct performance of the basic foot positions in ballet, jazz, and related dance styles.
It may also prevent torn ligaments in football and the martial arts.
In both cases, specific sciences and technologies are used to alter the physical form, allowing that party undergoing transformation to become more than it was prior. Transhumanism is seeking to allow the human being to become more than it is by application of technology. A spiritual Transhumanism includes the social technologies alongside the more commonly-considered aspects: genetic research, cybernetic technology, futuristic architecture, space exploration and environmental sciences.
There is every reason for Transhumanism to include the social technologies of religion that have been built and honed over thousands of years; and I have made an effort herein to demonstrate how a Transhumanist theology may be developed that moves Christianity and the Abrahamic religions in general forward for a living and vibrant modern church that we are going to find some way to create for ourselves into the future.
Along my journey to get to where I am now I once found myself in the back seat of a police vehicle on an activist errand: no, not under arrest — but being questioned quite closely as to why I had “this thing” on the back of my hand.
My response has never changed.
“Just how far over that line am I right at this moment?”
We will get to the question of what a Transhumanist should do with the Bible eventually. For now, let’s just assume some leeway and that, like it or not, the Bible is the basis of Western culture and tradition as it has been carried forward in the United States. It is therefore impossible to discuss any topic of U.S. law and ethics without some recourse to the text.
If Americans do not receive religious education on the subject of the Bible from somewhere we will lose institutional memory pertaining to the meaning and construction of the law and how particular points in foundational documents must be interpreted.
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution reference the Bible at a basic level. Besides being legal and political documents they are also primary source documents and must be treated as such. In the field of history, “a thing cannot mean what it never meant” to those parties which formulated the text. Both scripture and the founding documents of the nation must be treated with regard to this axiom for the sake of academic integrity.
In this sense, study of the Bible is additionally a patriotic duty.
Before jumping in, I think it is fair to quote directly the caveats given by the creators of these tools:
Sermon Generator:
“Since an AI generates these thesis statements and outlines, please use them with caution. Notably, AIs like to make things up, so I wouldn’t trust anything it says at face value.”
BibleGPT:
The AI is not 100% accurate. You should exercise your own judgement and take actions according to your own judgement and beliefs. Do not use this site to choose your actions.
Before any ministers declare hare kiri, this is a tool that one must use to prepare a full sermon and not a full generator. I am testing the AI Sermon Generator alongside BibleGPT, a chat-type AI designed to assist someone with the types of questions one might bring to a minister or other spiritual guide. I will save any anxiety by starting with my conclusion: between these various tools it is now possible for anyone that is computer literate to answer the call of duty to the ministry should it come — and this must be regarded as a good thing.
To the practicing minister: if you are trying to recruit someone to take on a Bible study or a Sunday School position and that party seems reluctant, tell them about this Generator. It minimizes prep time and may gain you a commitment by relieving anxiety about relative ability and experience. Everyone has to start somewhere.
As a human being and a United States citizen, the similar disclaimer as regards any moral or spiritual commentary that I would have to give reads as follows:
“For any adult in the United States, you are obligated to use your own best information and mind to make a sound judgement in the moment; and you are expected to take action that you believe is in your own best interest. You are expected further not to participate in any activity which is against your own will and interest. The Founding Fathers set about to create a free society of peers, and this is how we maintain that condition for ourselves and each other.”
Now, what on earth does Transhumanism have to do with sermon preparation? This movement is old enough now that some of us have identified as Transhumanists from the time we were first able to say anything about who we were and what exactly we believe in.
For one thing, I have always asserted as a personal matter of faith that the math of Ray Kurzweil is accurate on this point: that because humanity did survive and continue to develop it will always be true that when we get way off course someone is going to turn up to do something pro-active to correct the situation; and that this party is going to be backed up by the very physics of the Universe if that just happens to be what it takes to get the job done. This is one aspect of the conversation around the “Singularity” event predicted by the statistical mathematics explored by Kurzweil.
A probability mathematician sometimes referred to as a “modern-day prophet” found a way to describe “faith” (Pistis) in terms of quantum mechanics. I am very grateful that someone did so, for when my heart would have failed me at points I had my mind to fall back upon.
Why?
In those moments, I would sometimes say out loud or within my own consciousness, “For — I am certain.”
More recently, we have seen the result of thousands — if not more — Futurists all working quietly and diligently toward that better and brighter tomorrow that we all know one day the world will share in. You do not need to be “in the ministry” in order to be following some calling that God has upon your life. The House of the Lord needs people of all kinds, from missionaries to mothers to mathematicians.
Can I get an “Amen?”
More recently, Elon Musk has been a figure in the spotlight. From his earliest public appearance his quiet conviction on the subject has been plain to anyone with eyes to see. Whether or not the thing we are standing in can or should be described as some kind of a simulation (a point we shall leave for another time) Musk is an inspirational figure to most Transhumanists. In an interview with the Full Send Podcast, someone popped the biggest question directly:
When asked if he believed in God, Musk answered with the following: “Something created the universe, or the universe is here.”
Musk also asked how did the universe come to be: “You could say whatever caused the universe to be is God, depending on your view.”
With the Singularity at hand (the only proffered, positive alternative to a “Book of Revelations style” end-times scenario) mankind stands now on the verge of solving thousands of problems that have plagued us for centuries. While it is true that we are still working to bring the worst-hit areas up to speed, we have done it both by pulling ourselves up by our own boot-straps and by the unfailing grace of that thing which has been keeping the species going through good times and bad for longer than we have any record or even a distant memory.
While this author recognizes that Zoltan Istvan has earned a place as a leader in the movement, his statement that Transhumanism is Atheism is a puzzling departure from his usual sound reasoning — and he would have to know that. In a writing entitled, “I’m an Atheist, Therefore I’m a Transhumanist” Istvan reveals the truth inadvertently: the virtues and human longings espoused by the Transhumanist movement are identical to those found in every major World Religion — and therefore Transhumanism should be considered a religion in and of itself.
If you don’t care about or believe in God, and you want the best of the human spirit to raise the world to new heights using science, technology, and reason, then you are a transhumanist. (Bold this author.)
I am persuaded that St. John’s Greek Logos means Logos; and that without the work of deeply Christian and Muslim scientists throughout the Middle Ages we could not possibly have gotten to where we are now in technology. I publicly invite Mr. Istvan to utterly destroy this content in his own writings if he should find it entertaining. The answer to speech we do not like is always more speech.
Since we both agree fully that every possible road to overcome death must be explored by the rational creature, the matter is friendly.
On to the software test and review…
It takes a little bit of skill to formulate a question that BibleGPT can answer. It is designed to assist primarily with life questions. For use in sermon preparation, you may have to describe a hypothetical situation that goes along with your sermon idea in order to get a response. Don’t worry, this isn’t lying: you are simply structuring the question in such a fashion that the tool can generate a response. This can replace hours spent in research otherwise.
For example, the tool cannot answer the basic question, “What was Paul’s view on sin?” However if we open the query by describing the situation as personal in order to contextualize, the tool works beautifully:
Example: “I continue to worry about it when I have made mistakes and done things that I knew at the time would make me feel guilty. What was Paul’s view on sin?”
Paul’s view on sin is that it is a transgression against God’s law (Romans 3:23). In the book of Romans, it says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The Bible also tells us that we should confess our sins and repent (1 John 1:9). In the book of Proverbs, it says, “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion” (Proverbs 28:13). We are also instructed to forgive ourselves and to accept God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9). In the book of Isaiah, it says, “Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7).
BibleGPT can respond using either KJV or the World English Bible. I left it set to World English for purposes of this test run. The page gives a full listing of all verses used to answer the question. Make sure to check context to ensure that you agree on the overall meaning of the verses before you use the information in sermon preparation.
From BibleGPT, we now have a collection of verses that can be used in response to a real-world situation likely to apply to some percentage of attendees, listeners, or readers. Do not rely on prior interpretations as these have been impacted by church tradition.
The first step the educator takes is to select up to five passages from the Bible. You could use those generated by BibleGPT for simplicity — a Bible study; a short sermon; a blog entry; etc. In this case I presumed a full Sunday sermon, and selected a collection of “crowd favorites” that should generate a generally positive message overall due to content. The verses offered by BibleGPT may then be used as supporting material to fill out the outline.
The tool offers the option of tailoring to specific theme of the potential thesis statements, boasting a whopping 162 particular subjects. I was hard pressed to think of subjects that might be covered in any religious context that were not somewhere included on the list. If you are running out of creative juice as a religious educator (Christian or otherwise) reference to this list in and of itself could be helpful.
The starting collection of verses and passages I inputed to the Sermon generator were as follows: John 1:1; Matthew 17:20–21; John 14:1–3; Romans 8:37–39; Galatians 4:8–11. The commonality to the collection is freedom in Christ which is basic to any Western theology. You may additionally select an “Overall theme” for the sermon from the drop-down list, but I left this field blank to start with.
As a handy option you can generate additional thesis on the results page. The tool generates four at a time. There is no obligation to use the statements given by the Generator precisely as worded. I have included as speech material in the final sermon a Transhumanist re-work of most of the starting verse to reflect the views of New Earth Philosophical School. You should modify your results as needed to reflect the specific doctrines included in the Statement of Faith of your own organization, typically found in church bylaws; and most especially to exclude doctrines that are not held by your organization.
The tool allows for tailoring to particular denomination at the “generate outline” step. I decided to work with the Pentecostal setting for outline, because Transhumanists are more likely to identify with the “modern worship” setting than “liturgical” style services due to the former’s early adoption of new music and theatrical technologies. In addition the Pentecostal movement likewise to the spiritual Transhumanist movement presumes that the active force of God continues to produce real-world results in the here and now.
Many churches assert that the phenomena noted in the Old and New Testament have at some point ceased, and give a variety of reasons for this assertion. A spiritual Transhumanist cannot admit of this assertion because if some thing was ever true of the physics of the Universe then it would take extraordinary proof that the physics of the Universe had at some point changed because this is an extraordinary claim.
Current assumptions about the definition of God are drawn from a collection of philosophical assertions as regard the term which exist solely to prevent philosophers from debating the properties of the phenomenon meant by the term in formal writing. That is not the God that Transhumanists are talking about, since this collection of assertions is just exactly that. What a Transhumanist means by the term “God” is “that phenomenon which produces uncanny observable results that do not make sense in Newtonian physics but are the cause of the necessity for a quantum physics which is still in-process of definition.”
The phenomenon-known-as God (Theos) is a fundamental aspect of the reality in which we live and is therefore an aspect of the physics of the space. In the sense that length, width, and height each yield some property in Euclidean geometry, Theos likewise creates reliable phenomena which are reproducible even if not readily measurable in a laboratory setting. The latter is due to the fact that the emergent phenomenon has a socio-political component only found when human beings compete for position in groups.
Even such an opponent of the “Abrahamic religions” as Istvan would have to agree that if some phenomenon is generated consistently by similar means, it is a scientific phenomenon:
“…[The Scientific method] states that if you test a hypothesis enough times, and the outcome seems to always be similar, then you can utilize that as a semi-truth and apply it functionally in one’s life (but beware: It could change anytime and it might). That’s the language of reason — the language of science.”
Science has made attempts in this area, but these were marred by the use of untested substances as catalyzing agents. Efforts made by Uncle Sam to elicit “spooky” phenomena in a laboratory setting were determined unethical and ultimately these programs were terminated. Even if a response was generated, there was no way to use the information to any rational effect. The Transhumanist movement sees no distinction between the “fruits of the spirit” and “ESP” phenomena — this is a linguistic distinction without a difference.
The collection of starting scriptures are used to fill out the sermon outline that the AI Sermon Outline Generator creates. It will first offer four possible Thesis statements from which to choose; and four more with the click of a button. Whichever statement is chosen, make sure to note and hang on to the others — they may be helpful in creating the “meat” when you fill out the outline.
More materials can be produced by selecting the other Thesis statements generated. In theory, this process could be repeated to create the content of an entire retreat or other long-form medium such as a non-fiction book on a specific subject.
Caution! Seminary students should check in with professors before using these tools for the purposes of writing papers, etc. Your school may consider this to be an act of academic dishonesty. Moreover, you cheat yourself of the basic skill set if you “skip out” on doing it long-hand. However, most professors now accept that it is acceptable to use a digital Strong’s Concordance (included in the online Greek interlinear).
Taking another page from Redding and Gunnel (CTA), I now consider myself to be at liberty to use whichever translations of verses are the most striking and convey the poetics of the text the most clearly. A handy comparative tool is provided by BibleHub which also features concordances and other tools of the religious educator that in the past took specialized education and practice to understand and use properly. Your denomination may obligate you to use some particular translation as authoritative — if this is the case, please do read whatever text this is and use other translations in support of your material.
This is especially considerate of your older members.
I have also set a minimum control by checking against a Greek interlinear Bible— something I consider to be an appropriate standard for paid members of the clergy. The interpretation labeled “Transhumanist” is my own translation from the Greek. The assertion of this author is that the basic distinction between denominations is the interpretation of the significance of the Crucifixion and Resurrection and that the meaning assigned to these events will impact the entirety of any translation.
That is why these were the major points of contention that were formative during the Early Church period.
A note of caution: most extant Bibles have started from the traditional presumption that a word-for-word translation is superior. This is the only field in which a linguist would say so, and it is a matter of tradition that this is the case. “That translation is best which accurately communicates the meaning of the original author to a speaker of the target language” is the academically-sound assertion. If the target language is very different from the original language an interpretation will be required in order to render correct result.
Modern English is vast by comparison to most languages; and furthermore is an idiomatic language. Koine Greek is a formulaic language more like Latin in basic structure. Its poetics do not translate directly into English. The New Testament relies upon terminology that is specific philosophical jargon, and this must be considered in order to produce an accurate rendering of the meaning of the text. For Transhumanists this goal must supersede the maintenance of church tradition which has come into existence against a political back-drop over two millennia. Many customary church doctrines are out-of-date as a results.
Why? The Transhumanist is interested in obtaining the transformational results of some members of the Early Church; and these must have been the result of the praxis of ancient Greek philosophy captured in snapshot in some documents of the New Testament.
I also always check against the NIV because the translation was created by a collective process involving translators from a variety of denominations including Jewish scholars. This process was designed to eliminate bias to the greatest possible extent. It is also a good idea to always check the King James Version because it has a unique artistic quality that is recognizable to anyone hearing it as “sacred”; and the listener will respond to a public reading of it appropriately. Clarity and artistry should both be considerations in sermon preparation. The practice of sermon delivery is theatrical and has not just one but several acceptable forms.
The tool also allows for the selection of particular denomination when generating the outline; or you can leave it set to generic. The options are: Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran, Mennonite, Methodist, Orthodox, Pentecostal, and Presbyterian. It is set to “None” by default.
For the sake of transparency, New Earth Philosophical School assumes that Jesus of Nazareth was a Hebrew man that attempted to found a Greek philosophical school; that he was recognized as such by Pilate; and then an ad hoc rite of Ascension was produced in the middle of the action. After Jesus left the situation it was Peter and then Paul that led the Early Church to found itself as communal groups which often were comprised of or included former slaves. As a fine point, while Jesus was recognized by Pilate there is no evidence that he was granted Roman citizenship as a result; but nor was a Greek scholar generally bestowed this honor.
While many denominations have an “anti-intellectual” bias the Transhumanist movement is indeed the opposite. It may be this fact to which Istvan and other atheist Transhumanists are responding. The Church in total is going to have to address this aspect of itself by following its own guidelines: it must admit of its fault and past transgressions and turn away from the unfruitful course in order to gain better result in the future. That which is not working should be changed.
“A recent poll by Pew Research Center shows that the U.S. Christian population has been declining steadily in the past decade. Today, 63% of Americans describe themselves as Christians, down from 75% just a decade ago. The share of Americans who identify with non-Christian faiths (6%) holds steady, but the share of secular Americans is up by 10 percentage point from a decade ago.”
The sections in the Outline marked “Transhumanist” should reflect the particular doctrines of the church at which the sermon is being given; or alternatively of the organization to which the giver of the sermon belongs depending on setting. A visiting minister should always check in at the time he or she is invited to give a sermon to determine what the expectations are of the setting. Some topics are “safer” than others — do not deliberately generate controversy as a visiting minister.
The collection of thesis statements generated were as follows:
- We can be assured that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
- We have access to the power of God through the Holy Spirit, enabling us to do what is impossible for us on our own.
- Through faith in Jesus Christ and a relationship with God, we can have courage to face any challenge and be more than conquerors.
- We must recognize our own spiritual poverty and turn to Christ for freedom, as children of God.
- The love of God is unconquerable and unbreakable, and will never fail us.
- Jesus Christ is the Word of God, and the only way to a meaningful life.
- Faith in Jesus Christ is the only thing that can move mountains and bring about true transformation in our lives.
The Thesis statement I selected for these purposes was:
“We have access to the power of God through the Holy Spirit, enabling us to do what is impossible for us on our own.”
A more specific Transhumanist rendering would add: “During the process of Ascension, Theos suffuses the life of that party undergoing it and the content of mind is produced into the experience that is derived thereby.” This is the same experience obtained by “major” Old Testament prophets, as described in the phrase “having the Spirit of Elijah.”
[Note that other major World Religions also describe this experience, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Ashkenazi Judaism. It may or may not be appropriate to discuss this point depending on denomination and context. For example, it should always be mentioned in a Unitarian Universalist setting; but would be entirely out of place in a Full Gospel church.]
This Thesis statement generated the following outline, which the Generator produced from the the five scriptures it was given and in the order they were inputed. I did not know it would use the order given and that order was random. Nevertheless I went forward with the software test without any modification. You may want to organize your material along some particular line prior to entering the scripture selection.
The “Speech Material” reflects an actualized sermon script as it would be rendered in real time; and presumes a Modern Worship setting (as opposed to Liturgical.) If your organization does not yet have all of the capacities referenced, that’s ok! A Transhumanist view is that the right amount of technology is the amount that adds to and does not detract from the presenter’s ability to engage the audience in that which is being presented.
A projector with digital capacity is highly recommended — but so is a trained sound booth operator to make the presentation seamless. The sermon may then be supported with visuals and by putting Bible references up on the screen.
As early as possible, a headset microphone should replace a handheld unit (except in settings wherein it is inappropriate for the speaker to leave the pulpit) so that the speaker can move across the stage at points; and best case leave the stage if the situation warrants it. A sermon outline properly contains the numbered outline, the scripture references, and the minimum number of notes to properly produce the work as public speech. You may certainly write out and read the whole thing, but it is better spectacle to not be “married to the script.”
Writing it out fully may help you to organize your thoughts; and it is certainly appropriate to practice the whole thing out loud in advance before performance at any major events. However, the audience will be able to tell if the thing is delivered fully by rote rather than being delivered at liberty. It depends on what response from the audience is desired.
Speech Material:
I want to welcome everyone who is here today. Thank you for coming out to worship together and be in the presence of God. We are going to be addressing a difficult topic, and that is the subject of freedom versus guilt. Now, we have all been there before: life handed us a choice and for whatever reason we did something we knew we were going to feel guilty about later on. That is just a part of the life that we as humans are likely to experience. [Situation given to BibleGPT. Always introduce the topic.]
That is what we mean today in the year 2023 when we use the term “sin.” Why we are making that distinction is that it varies by time, place, and culture as to exactly what type of behavior society expects from us; and we don’t want to fall into the trap of legalism that the Pharisees did. That was not the goal of a man named Jesus of Nazareth 2000 years ago. And it is not our goal here today.
We do not as Transhumanists want to be disempowered by that religion that we are following. We are looking at a “freedom” model for Western culture as we move forward into the future.
1.) Fallen humanity is unable to do the impossible without God’s help. (Matthew 17:20–21)
Transhumanist:
The basic nature of man includes the capacity to experience Theos personally if that party fully embraces Pistis. The phenomenon-known-as God cannot take action in the world of man without people willing to go forth and carry out some mission in the world — and this has been true since the days of the Old Testament.
[This wording avoids reference to the doctrine of Original Sin and is a positive statement about the nature of mankind. The word “Fallen” would also be stricken from the Outline statement if presented to the audience. We can now know with a relative degree of certainty that God has been in a process of uplifting mankind from a purely “animal” state and that this process is ongoing. A Christian doctrine based on the Bible need not be literalist as regard the Book of Genesis.]
Speech Material:
If I leave you with nothing else today, I want to make sure that you hear this message above all else:
We have been given the freedom to transcend our human limitations and receive the fullness of God’s grace.” (Unused Thesis Statement)
But I want to be clear, here: this does not mean that you will always find success in everything that you do. It is not entirely up to you. We are interacting with other people, and they also have choices to make. We will experience both success and failure as we move forward. But what did Christ have to say about it?
Matthew 17:20–21
20 And He said to them, “Because of your meager faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” 21 But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.* (New American Standard)
- *The New American Standard Bible notes that verse 21 was added later to manuscripts. A Transhumanist sermon should always remark upon any known textual issues for the sake of academic integrity.
Speech Material:
Now, whether or not inspired by God, the Bible that you have in your hands is a thing that was copied by hand up until the invention of the printing press. This verse is one of those rare occasions where somebody made an error. The oldest and best manuscripts weren’t always available for a translator to work from. This verse here in Matthew 17 actually belongs over in Mark 9, and at some point it ended up in the wrong place.
Then that mistake got copied.
This proves that man is fallible — and that’s about it. But even this book [hold up Bible] is still a book. If we insist that the document is perfect when it has clearly been susceptible of error over time we are placing the Book over that One that the Book is about. It is an act of idolatry to worship the Bible itself — according to the Bible.
On the other hand, we are fairly confident that the thing we have has been very carefully copied to retain accuracy to originals as there are very few sections that appear to be later additions.
But let’s leave that for a Sunday school series in the future… [cue line]
[Audience Plant:] “Why does it matter?” [shouted]
[Don’t be afraid to use audience plants to inform the audience that spontaneous response is welcome if this is true of your setting. This is not wrong — a Sunday service is a type of religious theatre. Any tools of theatre are available to the minister because this is the experience that attendees have come to the space to have.]
Honesty! Amen?…
Now let’s get right back to it. Jesus is there, they’ve been doing some healing, tossing out some demons, daring others to try God on for size — and here come the disciples. They’ve had a rough one and they want to know why it is that Jesus can perform things that they can’t seem to get to happen that day.
Transhumanist:
20 And he stood and spoke the message in a commanding tone: “Because your faith is mixed with incredulity. It is so: for I speak to you this word — if you hold the smallest degree of conviction possible you will command this mountain to move itself from one place to another and it shall be removed. And nothing will be impossible for you to accomplish!
It is scenes like this one that have left some people to declare:
2.) Jesus is the Word of God, and he came to bring us salvation. (John 1:1)
Speech Material:
In John 1:1 we find an important philosophical axiom, common to find at the beginning of a Greek philosophical text.
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (NIV)
Usually, the remainder of some treatise will return to and support the author’s main point. The term “Logos” which is traditionally rendered as “Word” here means also “reason” — and Greek philosophy assumes that the human is differentiated from other animals because it is able to speak. The interpretation that Christ is referred to by the term “Logos” is traditional; and it is not unheard of for an author to mean two different things.
That’d be considered good rhetoric at the time. Anything that gains the interest of the listener when one is delivering the message is excellent work in the context of Greek philosophy. Is it just possible that what Jesus truly was — was a Greek-style philosopher? After all, this thing is written in Koine Greek.
Let’s try this again…
Transhumanist:
1 That thing in the highest ordered position is language, while reasoning is likely to lead to an occurrence in which the force of God interacts; where God is the highest ordered intelligence.
We are not teaching you vain superstition; this is the real truth about the experience of the inner self — whether you want to translate that as mind or soul or spirit. I could go on here about the difference in these things to the Greek consciousness, but I want to get you all out of here some time before Doomsday.
[Do use humor. It has been tried and verified that God is possessed of a sense of humor and is capable of creating it itself from Kairos to Kairos.]
Speech Material:
We all experience regret when we take actions that cause us or others problems later on. If we take an action and there are no negative consequences, we don’t even notice. It’s only when there are negative consequences for our choices that we are even likely to make a note of it. This is just an aspect of how mind works — and this is one of those truths that stands through the ages. We can know that this was the same experience that Jesus would have had, because it is the experience of all mankind.
Let’s try it right now. You are at the grocery store. Your wife has asked you to pick something up, and thankfully you have written it all down this time. You have learned from your past mistakes. You have a mind. But she just told you to get cheese. She didn’t say what kind. So you call your wife and you find out — again, you have made the right choice. You would have purchased based on cost, but it turns out she specifically needs a brick of medium cheddar which is not the thing that is on sale.
You will not face the wrath of God when you get home with the wrong thing. Buying the wrong thing at the grocery store is not expressly listed in the Old Testament but it is still something that you might regret later on because you have made an agreement with your wife about household purchasing decisions. We are always trying to avoid conflict and create the most effective and harmonious human organisms that we can. Amen?
So now, what is sin?
Sin in the year 2023 is anything that leads us to experience regret later on. In the Old Testament, this was handled by the offering of sacrifices at the temple. It was assumed that the blood of the animal being offered would appease God, and that party would stop experiencing negative consequences as a result of having taken some action which displeased a God of Judgement. The relief from anxiety experienced by that party would settle the mind and allow him to carry on without experience of regret.
And, if anybody tried to bring up the mistake later on that person could say honestly that they had obtained God’s forgiveness for the error. That is no longer an option since the fall of the Temple at Jerusalem at the hand of Rome.
But even in the Old Testament, we find evidence that it was never truly the blood of an animal that was called for to bring about the spiritual rectification of that party having this experience.
BibleGPT Material:
In the book of Isaiah, it says, “Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:7).
3. Jesus promises to bring us into God’s presence and provides us with the Holy Spirit to empower us to do the impossible. (John 14:1–3, Romans 8:37–39, Galatians 4:8–11)
John 14:1–3
1 Do not let your hearts be distressed. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you. 3 And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too. (NET)
Transhumanist:
1 Do not entertain anxiety. You have faith in God; have faith also in the goals that I have set. 2 Many estates are included in the organization of my Patron. 2 If this were not so, would I have brought you the message that it was my wish to journey to such a place that I might prepare to receive you into it? 3 And if I make this journey to a place such that I might make it ready to receive you, then I will draw you unto myself, that you will also exist within the world that I am observing.
Speech Material:
Special attention should be given to the Gospel of John, because he was a very young man at the outset of the ministry of Christ. He represents the first generation of young people to be brought up with the philosophy of the Early Church; and is clearly a Hellenized Jew. I want to make it clear that the word frequently rendered here as “belief” is “Pistis” which really should always be translated as “faith.” This is not just an opinion: it is a truly and genuinely held conviction of the heart that will not be let go of by that one that has it no matter what anyone says or does to that person.
And what is that?
The Bible tells us that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)
“My existence now depends upon that which I have confided in faith to God — carried out by moving forward consistently in action — while yet the proof I do not see. That is why this was the testimony of the teachers of the Sanhedrin.” [Translation this author.]
I say to you again… Pistis is that which this entire Universe is made from; and it shall produce ultimately the content of the mind of that party that is observing the reality around it consciously and with a firm conviction that Theos is at work in the world, constantly generating it from out of itself!
How do we get to this point in our spiritual lives? It’s not some magic pill.
You are going to have to do this thing as you move forward through whatever life you have made for yourself up until this point. And yet God will “remind” us of the things that we have spoken in the past. That is why it is so important to guard your tongue — and even your mind from idle thoughts.
At the same time, it is also true that others will use our past words and actions against us. You don’t have to be a Christian or even a spiritual person for this to be true.
Paul warns plainly about all of this in Romans 8.
Romans 8:36–39
36 Just as it is written and forever remains written,
“FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE ARE REGARDED AS SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]. 38 For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced — beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Amplified)
I’m now going to ask everyone that is able to please rise, and bow your heads…
[Break for spontaneous denomination-appropriate prayer. This section for example only. Don’t wait for everyone to stand, just launch into it.]
“God, we thank you for bringing us all together here to have the opportunity to experience that fraternity that Christ built for us now over 2,000 years ago. We are grateful that we live in a country where this is allowed to occur openly and without the interference of the government. We remember those that are in other places that do not experience such freedom, and we ask you to be with them in their time of hardship. We pray for that day and that hour and that very moment in which they will be freed from persecution so that your work in them and in the world can be accomplished. We are confident that ultimately your message of freedom and grace will accomplish that Great Work that was started by Jesus Christ of Nazareth who was so gentle of spirit that he wanted that none should perish. And together as one the people all said, Amen…”
Collection
[By now the Ushers should be in place.]
Today we’re making a special effort because of what is going on in… We are pledging 10% of the general collection to… Supporting other ministries and related 501(c)(3) charitable organizations demonstrates a commitment to creating the broader community. It allows those that have been blessed to be a blessing to others in the world that are less fortunate. Now, anything that you mark as a “Tithe” on the envelope in front of you still goes to providing directly for operations at your home church.
[The effort will be more effective if tied in to current events and may increase over-all revenue. Musician(s) return and play something related or upbeat while the collection is taken.]
Now, as you are all getting settled I’m going to ask you to turn to the book of Galatians. We are in Galatians 4 and verse 8. I’m going to give you a moment here, because we are all going to read this thing together, and if you don’t have your Bible with you today you can look up here, we’re throwing it up on the screen for you…
Galatians 4:8–11
8 However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain. (NASB 1995)
Transhumanist:
8 However at that time, and (I concede) that not appreciating the fullness of God, you were obligated to obey those by nature not having had the experience of being God. 9 Now, however you have had the experience of being God — or rather God has had the experience of being you. How is it that you revert to these base and poor habits to which once more you wish to become subject? 10 You watch the days and the months and the seasons and the years tick by. 11 I am afraid that I have labored in vain on your behalf.
Speech Material:
We know that whatever has been written in the past, it was written by men having some experience of themselves and their own minds. Philosophers trained to be able to observe themselves and their own experiences. In the field of Anthropology, this state of mind is called the “Participant Observer.” That means while investing as much as possible emotionally in the experience we are simultaneously taking note of the experience mentally. This is as opposed to taking written notes, so as to avoid disrupting the experience of others.
At other times, we want to put this tool away, and be fully invested.
Can I get an “Amen?”
But from taking these observations, we have come to notice patterns in our own experiences as human beings. This is what Paul is writing about back in Romans 8. The Greek uses some very particular terms, and I want to say this to you again in a way that accounts for these particular philosophical terms.
Transhumanist:
36 For as it is written, “On account of the Other, for a complete appointed period we face the fear of Death (Thanatos); and we have been supposed gullible sacrifices.” 37 Resting upon the whole of these things, we overcome as a consequence of being in some relationship to the Other. I assent so that not even the fear of Death; not the future life nor the messengers of God that I shall see; not people in positions of power nor things that I have placed on hand; not the suffering that I have placed in my own path; not that force which causes change; 39 nor exaltation, nor depression; nor any party that is created alongside me will have the capacity to part me from the religious fraternal association over which Christ Jesus is the governing intelligence.
Paul clearly did have the experience of Ascension, for this is precisely the thing he is describing! In Philippians 2, we find this thought — and I want to give you a moment here to turn in your Bibles with me, because this thing is that important… Now, at this point, this is being penned by a man that did not have to do any of this — but by choice, is now sitting, rotting, in a prison cell:
Philippians 2:12–16
12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose. 14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world 16 as you hold forth the word of life, in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.
[The above verse has been added as supporting material. It contains a phrase found in the material from Galatians. Human experience and creativity is still helpful in developing the outline into a full sermon.]
BibleGPT Material:
In the book of Isaiah, it says, “Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:7).
When we are in a place in our lives where we are out of alignment with what we ourselves believe to be upright, we will feel anxiety. I don’t want you to walk out that door today thinking that this is something that God is doing to you. Somebody at some point took the time to try to help you understand what that difference was. For most of us, that person was our mother; but it might have been another relative or caregiver.
If you are acting in some way that you would not want to tell that person about, it is a very good sign that you should be having second thoughts about the choices you have made that brought you to that place.
Now, much like Paul, Isaiah lived the life of a prophet. When we live in times that are turbulent that is not even all that uncommon. A prophet is anyone that goes forth to deliver some message to the people. However we may be invested with the power of God that does not mean that the powerful are going to listen to what we have to say. Or it may well be that that conditions in the world over-all are creating difficulties all up and down the line that impact you — as you are just doing your best to keep your house in order and to raise your family.
It is important that we continue in prayer for our leaders in Washington who are faced with decisions every single day that impact large numbers of people. The right thing to do is not always obvious. Whether or not they are making it obvious they are actually doing this out of some spirit of service, or they never would have gotten involved in the processes of government in a Democratic country in the first place. So let’s all take a moment of silence for our leaders in Washington, who are working for the People, and who need wisdom from God to do so appropriately…
[Minute of silence.]
Speech Material:
There may be some occasions, especially if you are somebody living at the edges of society, or maybe in a time of war, that you don’t have many options. In the real world, it may be true that there is not one good choice in front of you. And you just have to make the best of it, however you can.
That’s where grace steps in. I know because I have been there myself. Some people would tell you that if you are living right that is not a thing that can happen. I am here to tell you that we find ourselves in what are called “moral dilemmas” all the time if we are out there doing the work. The world is a messy place and true black and white situations are rare. That’s not a sign that you are an evil sinner. It means that you are taking the time to think about your own behavior and to hold yourself accountable for your own choices.
That is absolutely nothing to be ashamed about. But it will still cause you grief to live in an imperfect world if you are somebody that is really trying to make that better one we all keep telling ourselves and each other about.
If you haven’t yet taken the time, I want to encourage you to get signed up for…
[This is a good place to insert a plug for church social programs that help attendees to engage socially with one another, which is not something that happens of a Sunday on usual occasions. This might be anything from a dodgeball team to accountability groups. Every healthy church should have this type of activity, because it is one way that churches grow. Someone that might not attend services normally may be more likely to turn up to a Bible study and potluck event. The Sunday service should NOT be required of anyone; nor should the sermon be the be-all-end-all of church activity. Such programs also provide an opportunity for leadership development of regular attendees.]
…You absolutely do have a place in the world, and it is right here at [Insert Name Here]. [Signal for musician(s) to step in.]
[Altar call; further group singing.]
[The following segment may be omitted and replaced with an appropriate benediction if your denomination does not practice collective prayer experiences.]
Whether or not you are a current member with us, you are being offered an opportunity right now and in this moment to have a transformational experience that can shift you into the proper alignment for you. The musicians are going to start playing here, and as they do I want you to feel into the moment we are sharing here together. We have come together in a spirit of Agape, which is available, the Bible tells us, wherever two or more are gathered. I certainly see at least that many. This altar is open. And you are free to make your way forward as an outward sign of an inward movement…
Speech Material:
Now, I want to leave you all with this thought today…
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (Unused Thesis Statement)
Your church family is here for you. Three Sundays from now is a Membership Sunday. If you would like to be formally entered into the rolls, signifying your support of the work that we are doing here at [Insert Church Name] we will be recognizing those that have done so in the last quarter. Please give us a call or talk to Margaret… wave a hand there, Margaret… and we will get you plugged in.
May God bless you, and may God keep you in mind and in mercy. Amen and amen. And all the people said…
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
For the sake of completeness and to verify my results, I next told the AI Sermon Outline Generator to produce a collection of Thesis statements based upon the overall theme “Freedom” alongside the original. The results were as follows:
- We can be liberated from our bondage to sin by rejoicing in the freedom we have in Christ.
- We can be delivered from our brokenness through the unending love and grace of God.
- We can be freed from our fallen state by accepting and living in the truth of God’s Word.
- We can be liberated from our fears and doubts by embracing the power of faith in Jesus Christ.
I selected the final Thesis, set it to “Pentecostal” and ran it again. I learned that the new outline will replace a former outline, so make sure to note your results before running it another time.
Thesis: We can be liberated from our fears and doubts by embracing the power of faith in Jesus Christ.
We are all captives to fear and doubt.
A. We fear the unknown and doubt our ability to overcome.
2. Jesus offers freedom from fear and doubt.
A. He provides faith and hope through grace and mercy.
3. The power of the Holy Spirit sets us free.
A. The Spirit gives us gifts of faith, hope, and love.
Conclusion and Application:
1. We can be liberated from our fears and doubts by embracing the power of faith in Jesus Christ.
A. We can trust in his unfailing love and mercy.
2. The Holy Spirit is the source of our faith and hope.
A. Through his power, we can experience freedom and peace.
3. We are called to live a life of faith, hope, and love.
A. May we be empowered by the Holy Spirit to live with courage and strength.
Choosing a particular topic adds an additional point to to the outline generated. It would at this point be very easy to create a full Sunday sermon on auto-pilot simply by adding related Bible verses and passages to the points generated.
Now, watch this… Let’s take point 2 for an example.
2. Jesus offers freedom from fear and doubt.
A. He provides faith and hope through grace and mercy.
Step 1: Convert the segment into the type of situation/question structure that BibleGPT can respond to.
I am suffering from crippling fear. I doubt my own abilities to accomplish tasks at work, and so I procrastinate until I sabotage my own efforts. What does Jesus have to offer me?
Success! BibleGPT has offered 4 passages that relate very directly to the situation.
John 14:27; Philippians 4:6–7; Proverbs 3:5–6; Isaiah 41:10
Step 2: Click “start over” (being certain that you have noted all the information that you may want from the former results page) and create a new set of Thesis statements from the list just generated using BibleGPT.
Step 3: Select the statement that most relates to the original sermon concept, and generate a new outline. (I left the denomination field empty.)
New Thesis: We can be liberated from our fears by recognizing that God is with us and will empower us in our struggles.
Step 4: Lift the “main points” section from the new outline and insert, correcting the numbering, to fill out the outline you are now creating.
2. Jesus offers freedom from fear and doubt.
A. He provides faith and hope through grace and mercy.
B. Trust in the Lord with all our heart.
a. Proverbs 3:5–6 shows us that we can put our trust in God, not in our own understanding.
C. Fear not, for God is with us.
a. Isaiah 41:10 reminds us that we don’t need to be afraid, because God is with us.
D. Rely on the peace of God.
a. John 14:27 and Philippians 4:6–7 show us that God’s peace is something we can rely on to guard our hearts and minds.
Step 5: Rinse, repeat. Perform the same steps for each point in the outline.
Step 6: Add supporting materials from your personal experience; literary examples; additional Biblical references that occur to you from what is suggested in points labeled A-D; historical references; your organization’s statement of faith; etc.
Between these two tools it is possible to very swiftly generate even something as complex as a non-fiction religious book.
The tool does not place things like benedictions, alter calls and collections which will certainly be an aspect of every Sunday service. These will have to be placed by the minister in order to generate the full “Order of Service” sheet which all members of the team are working from — but does not generally include the minister’s sermon outline.
As a side note, a music minister could also find these tools useful in creating a song list appropriate to a given topic.
Final Review
Tip: For best results, I recommend having the browser windows BibleGPT, the AI Sermon Outline Generator; Bible Hub; a second Bible Hub with the Greek interlinear; and a generic search window open simultaneously. You will also want open some kind of a text editor for your main work and a notepad document to copy materials into that you may or may not want to use.
BibleGPT is buggy. I tested it with other questions and statements. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but this may be due to demands on the website. It works best when given a situation and then a question. For purposes of generating a list of related Bible verses it is “good” to “very good.”
The AI Sermon Outline Generator by itself is an excellent tool as a jumping off point. As is, it is best for Sunday School lessons and other short speeches. You will have to fill it out with additional materials to create a full-length Sunday sermon. It shows promise also for a tool to be used in non-fiction writing in the religious genre.
By nesting outlines within outlines it would be possible to use the tool to create an entire sermon series. Some churches follow an Ecumenical Calendar closely, and this could be used to select topics.
It is possible to generate a more or less unlimited series of outlines, nesting topics within topics and including related Biblical references. If you do this without adding to it from your own personal experience it is certainly plagiarism. Otherwise, this tool just simplifies and speeds up the process of internet research and does so with outstanding organization. I’d say you could shave anywhere from a quarter to a half of your preparation time off the usual total.
Someone that was called to the ministry but did not have such an educational background would find this tool a God-send — it immediately improves the ability of the educator to deliver excellent and accessible religious education.
