New Week, New Year, New Decade

Pastor Pastor's Thought

The Roman god Janus had one head, with two faces. One looking back to the past and the other facing forward to the future. It is from this god that we get the month of January, where we reflect on the past and see what we can glean from it for the future. As we step, not just into the new year, but a new decade, we not only look back at the last year but the previous decade and all the things that we have experienced along the way. 

In the past decade, we have seen:

1. The rise of the smartphone
2. The death of traditional media
3. Superhero everything
4. Millennials
5. Obama and Trump
6. Internet challenges
7. The beginning of automation
8. All of the Disney remakes
9. Social and political change
10. A significant move in climate change

In the decade ahead, we are poised to see new things that we have never seen before or the enhancement of technology, change in society including the growth of veganism, change in the church and families and communities on a whole. When we enter this new decade with concerns over global warming, pollution, it is without question that there has been a decline in church attendance and a rise in spirituality.

It is without doubt one of the biggest threats that we also face is the advancement and development of AI, Artificial Intelligence, and the impact and threat they pose to jobs, human existence and the way we engage. 
The enhancement of such technology will undoubtedly usher in unprecedented change to all spheres of life including the church. It will even impact the very fabric of church life in this new decade. It is important that we realise that the coming changes are artificial in its intelligence and we must not allow this development to blur our spiritual intelligence or our vision of God. 

Proverbs 9:10 reads The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Speaking of Artificial Intelligence, Oren Etzioni says, AI is neither good nor evil. It’s a tool. It’s a technology for us to use. Science is going to be revolutionised by AI assistants. 

For the next decade, let’s pray that Godly wisdom will be applied in all our learning and in all our actions. 
Happy New Year!