Theology on Mission

S11:E8 Will 2026 Be Defined by Uncertainty?

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Dec 24, 2025
Gino Kirkerudo, a pastor and leader at Northern Seminary, discusses pressing uncertainties shaping 2026. He explores the disruptive effects of AI on work and human formation. The conversation highlights the rise of political instability and the need for local engagement in faith communities. Education's decline and the importance of theological formation take center stage. They also propose creative housing solutions through community resources, urging a focus on local church identity over societal norms. The episode emphasizes the church as a beacon of hope amid uncertainty.
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INSIGHT

AI’s Psycho-Social Disruption

  • AI will likely disrupt formation and psyches more than the internet did, changing how people think and work.
  • The church must incubate discernment groups to navigate AI, neither blindly rejecting nor fully accommodating it.
ANECDOTE

AI Flooded Essay Contests

  • A prison university stopped an essay contest because all submissions were AI-generated.
  • Professors now route competitions to incarcerated students to avoid AI entries.
ADVICE

Guarded Posture Toward AI

  • Approach AI with skepticism and a guarded posture rather than full embrace.
  • Let local church groups study and discern AI uses before broad adoption.
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