One of the great things about having an in-house action research lab like TryTank, a project shared between GTS and VTS since its inception, is that they are usually exploring new areas of ministry. Whether that means they are experimenting with ways to use new technology (such as ChatGPT) or simply a new approach to ministry (creating in-culture English language services for later generation Latinos who prefer English), by the time we see the results of their work, it is generally much later in their process.

Yet, if you’ve ever had a conversation with the Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija, the Executive Director of TryTank and Chief Innovation Officer for VTS, then you know that there is much thinking that goes into every experiment. In all of that thinking, there are faithful conversations about the theology of ministry innovation. Where might the Holy Spirit be leading us? Where is God in all of this?

To share those conversations with the wider church, TryTank has launched a new, short, monthly podcast. In the first episode, Lorenzo has a conversation with priest and theologian, Rev. Jon Jordan about generative AI (that’s the technology behind Chat GPT) and what it means to the church. Be sure to check it out wherever you get your podcasts or from the TryTank website.

The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.
Dean and President Virginia Theological Seminary and President of The General Theological Seminary