2024 Best of…

2024 was a fairly significant year for me as I taught Studies of Religion in senior school for the first time, developing the course from scratch, having a means to professionally wrestle with theology with teenagers in almost a decade.

My most read blog post of the year was You only get a small dancing window, followed by Teaching Losers.

Aside from these, the other blogging highlights were…

Transferring Skills from the Old Gig

Your Feelings about being a Theologian don’t change the Truth

Am I a more Successful Teacher or a Youth Minister?

Am I a Bigger Failure as a Teacher or a Youth Minister?

Do I look like a Flat-Earther to my Workmates?

The Growth Progression

Should we want to Double-Speed our faith?

Who are the Secret Heroes of your Profession?

Do I Miss Youth Ministry?

Teaching isn’t meant to be a Secret

The Cost of having a Parent-less Ministry to Kids on a Sunday Morning

The Difference between being Interested, Involved and Invested in a Ministry

The Matrix of Volunteering Obligations 

Why we Deal with the Symptoms and not the Root Cause

The Best way to AI your Content

According to ChatGPT, my blog is about: 

“Ramblings on the Way" is a blog authored by Graham Baldock, where he shares reflections on faith, ministry, education, and personal growth. The blog often features articles, theological musings, and commentary on contemporary issues through a Christian lens. Topics include Bible teachings, youth ministry insights, church activities, and practical discussions on balancing spiritual and professional life.

The blog also includes projects such as "Tiny Bible Bits," which are concise video reflections on Bible passages aimed at making scripture more approachable. It serves as a platform for exploring everyday challenges and spiritual questions, appealing to a niche audience interested in deepening their faith and understanding.

And may be found useful:

The usefulness of the blog "Ramblings on the Way" by Graham Baldock depends on the interests and needs of its readers. It is particularly helpful for individuals seeking:

1. Faith-based Reflections: The blog provides theological insights and practical applications of biblical teachings, which can be valuable for those looking to deepen their understanding of Christianity.

2. Youth Ministry Guidance: Baldock shares his experiences and advice from his work in youth ministry, making it a resource for others in similar roles.

3. Educational Perspectives: His reflections on teaching and education provide relatable content for educators, especially those balancing faith with professional responsibilities.

4. Bite-sized Bible Teachings: Projects like "Tiny Bible Bits" make scripture accessible and engaging for readers looking for quick, thought-provoking spiritual content.

While it may not appeal to everyone, "Ramblings on the Way" is a thoughtful and focused resource for its niche audience.

You can read the posts above and work out if AI knows what it’s talking about…

The best ways to AI your content

AI is a highway to laziness.

This post is not about using AI instead of your brain or resourcefulness.

But, AI can play an important (but truthfully not vital) role in both the classroom and the pulpit.

Of course, AI won’t be able to differentiate any automatically generated content to your specific context.

It won’t know your class.

It won’t know your teens.

It won’t know your congregation.

It won’t know their issues.

It won’t know their personalities.

It won’t know their histories.

But, AI can help a few areas.

Outline.

Edit.

Tighten.

Titles.

Demographic angles.

AI can provide a potential structure to your sermon or lesson, which you then use as a launching pad and insert all your own personalised content.

AI can absolutely improve your content by editing the grammar and - if prompted to NOT CHANGE THE MEANING IN ANY WAY - can help tighten your content by anywhere up to a third.

Better yet, if you prompt AI to explain why it made the changes that it did, you can control the edits which you leave in and which you ignore.

Once you have your content, you can ask AI to generate a few titles for your lesson or sermon. While these may be the ones you use, at worst, they will provide you with an indication of how your content would be interpreted. Perhaps, this will give you a heads-up if your content is difficult to follow clearly.

Finally, you can prompt AI with different demographics and ask how the topic may apply to them, potentially opening up relevant avenues for you to explore on your own.

Importantly, nothing above tells you to just punch in a prompt and hit print.

You still need to do work.

You still need to craft the content.

The process of creating is as important as the final product.

But, AI can helpfully nudge you in a direction or show you how your content can be improved.

The indicator that you’re not a Young Adult anymore

As a married guy in my 40’s, with two kids, I’m a significant distance away from being a young adult.

I’m certainly outside the scope of the young adult ministry demographic.

But my wife, a decade younger than I, was still on the edges of this demo when she started attending our current church.

Thus, I'm still loosely attached to the young adult chatter at my church.

I hear about updates.

I read about events.

I get notified about some things of the things in and around the evening service.

None really apply to me.

And, as I hear, read and get notified, I’m constantly reminded why.

I’m too tired.

I’m too busy.

I’m too… swamped in adulting.

I’m not a uni student on holidays.

I’m not a late-night reveller after the evening service.

I’m not a casual-hangout type person.

In fact, most of the activities they have in place are… unappealing.

Because I’ve got to get up in the morning.

I’ve got bills to pay.

I’ve got a mountain of work to do.

But I didn’t really when I was a twenty-something. Or even before I had kids.

As a young adult, staying at church until after midnight was appealing.

Now, it’s one of the last things I’d want to do on a Sunday night.

A marker that you’re no longer a young adult is that the things which attract and appeal to young adults are… anything but.

Is there a way to avoid inevitably having hundreds of sick days?

Currently, I have enough sick days accrued to have a day off every week for the entire school year of 2025.

And I’m only nearing the end of my third year of full-time teaching.

I know of work colleagues who have squirrelled away more than 200 sick days - the equivalent of a full academic year.

In a matter of months I will be allotted another 15 sick days. And then another the following year. And then another. And then… amass around 300 more sick days (if I stay in the public education sector) until I retire.

Of course, all these sick days are set aside in case I’m ill. And the pandemic has reminded us all that, even if you’re sick to the extent that you’d previous “power through,” now, it’s wise to stay home.

Nonetheless, I’ve only had six sick days in the last three years.

But, on average, I’ve had around 20 days (or partial days) off each year.

Between cross country, athletics and swimming carnivals, the orientation day activities I’m involved in, peer support training, end of year festivities, excursions and camps, I’m away from my classes fairly often.

So, what happens, if I took an additional dozen days above when I’m already - incidentally- out of the classroom?

In reality, I’d be out nearly the equivalent of one day per week.

More so, if I want to start knocking off the acquired sick days I’ve already built up, I’d definitely be absent regularly.

Would this be responsible?

Would this be setting a good example?

You could argue, that it is.

My work/life balance would be much better.

I’d be far better prepared.

I’d be able to strategically take time away from the classroom, at especially busy times.

But, it would come at a significant cost to my classes - especially my senior classes.

If one of my students was missing a day per week, this would be cause for a welfare concern.

So, what should I do?

Hope for a nasty dose of chronic fatigue?

Be prepared to be struck down with a nasty illness?

Of course, I’d rather not need to use my sick days legitimately.

But, racking up hundreds of sick days doesn’t seem like a wise option either…