If you know me at all, you'll know I'm a Star Trek nut. And one of the coolest things they did on those shows was talk to the computer like it was a person. The voice recognition knew exactly what you said and would do whatever you told it to do. 

When Siri first came out on the iPhone, I had high hopes. "My very own Star Trek computer, waiting for my commands!" is what I thought. Turns out it's not like that. Siri is useful, just not Trek-level computing. Yet. 

But think about how much voice recognition has improved on computers and smartphones in just the last 10 years. Now I can speak to my computer and dictate, just like I'm doing with this article right now. And most of the time, it's correct. 

Jesus says in John 10:27:

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." 

Lots of things to look at in this verse. First and foremost, we must be a part of the flock. We can't hear our master's voice if we're not in the group to hear it. Secondly, when we're in that flock, Jesus knows us. He knows who we are. He knows what our heart is. And third, if we hear his voice and obey, we will follow him. 

Voice Recognition isn't quite up to Star Trek standards yet, but it's getting there. One thing we can always depend on is Jesus' voice - if we hear it, we know we're in the right place. 

Jerrie Barber is one of my favorite ministers, and I've only heard him speak a couple of times, mostly about being a preacher himself. Jerrie has what he calls a "Criticism Contract" that reads as follows: 

"All criticism about Jerrie Barber should be directed to Jerrie Barber and Jerrie Barber alone. Jerrie will listen to your criticism and embrace it. Likewise, any criticism about the staff or Elders must be directed to them as well." 

First of all, great policy. Second, Jerrie says that he embraces criticism. 

Do you embrace criticism? Or do you dread and loathe it?

Indirectly and unintentionally, I have always tried to encourage my youth committee and Elders to constructively criticize me in all things. I need to know when something is wrong and then, hopefully, I can fix it. I can't do anything about anything if the problem with me is not directed at me. Sneaking around and talking about someone to someone who can't fix the problem is just juvenile and anti-Christian. 

As ministers and youth ministers, we should have an attitude of embracing criticism, not abhorring it. We should tackle problems with solutions instead of getting depressed or something about what so-and-so complained about whatever you did, said, or didn't do. Our jobs are ones that invite every type of criticism, viable or not, and we need to learn to embrace it and take it, not dread it. 

Last week I had the honor and privilege to teach a class at the Revival Youth Minister's Retreat at Graymere Church of Christ in Columbia, Tenneessee. I got to talk to some youth ministers and give them the exact same talk that was on the Ministry Bits podcast this week. I got some great insight from those guys just talking with them about the subject of internet safety and digital parenting and how we can help parents be on top of it better. 

One thing that stuck out to me (that I actually wrote down because it was so good) was what Jon Morris said during the class: 

"If you're telling me that 60% of the internet is porn, then we as Christians and Christian parents need to start being radical and intentional with this whole internet safety thing."

Radical and intentional.

Two things I think that we as Christian parents have not been. 

We need to be radical in our thinking and intentional with our actions regarding our kids' safety on the internet. We need to be those parents who are relentless on keeping our kids safe and not apologize for doing it. We need to make sure that we don't let other parents influence our decisions to do these radical things. Protecting our children from these dangers and letting the internet be a tool for communication, rather than a method of destruction. 

I've gotten a great response to the podcast yesterday. This is a huge need for our parents and I'm glad to be able to help, even if just a tiny bit. Take a listen to episode 008 and let me know what you think. 

And then be radical and intentional with your own kids. 

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I got to have a great conversation with Robert Hatfield over at The Light Network about Getting a New Computer this week on his show Preachers In Training. It's very similar to the episode of Ministry Bits on Moving to a Mac this week as well, only Robert said and mentioned everything I didn't and in a much more eloquent way. So that's good. 

Give episode 40 a listen over at TheLightNetwork.tv or listen in iTunes. 

Below is the audio, notes, and slides for a sermon I preached this past Sunday evening at Church Street. It was originally first taught as a class at Restore, a family conference put on by Chase Park Church of Christ in Huntsville, AL back in August 2013. I'm happy to share it with you today.