WELSTech is back and talking AI (Artificial Intelligence) from the perspective of a pastor-in-training. Senior seminarian Jon Pederson shares insights from his thesis work on the topic. A teen online Bible study opportunity is coming up soon, and WELS is celebrating a special anniversary with a new online interactive timeline which details WELS history since the beginning.

AI and the public ministry – Martin and Sallie talk with Jon Pederson, a senior at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, about his thesis topic, AI Associate: Examining Artificial Intelligence and its Potential Impact on the Pastoral Ministry.

It will be a bit longer wait for our next episode, but totally worth it as we’ll be sharing all the WELSTech AI Summit goodness!

On this episode of WELSTech, the edtech guest hosts are back with more SAMR and how it supports budget and procurement decisions. Should 1:1 computing continue in all classrooms?  Plus, there’s lots more covered in the ministry resources, picks, and community feedback sections of the show.

Remember that haircutting game? – WELSTech welcomes back Prof. Rachel Renno, Director of Academic Computing for Martin Luther College, and Jason Schmidt, Director of Technology for Oshkosh (WI) Area School District. This season our edtech discussions are in terms of the SAMR framework for education technology integration, and the important topics of budgeting and procurement have a tie to SAMR as well. Five-years post Covid and the necessity to adopt the 1:1 computing which ensued, decisions today are supported by the progression (or lack of progression) up the SAMR scale.

What’s that? WELSTech goes “anti-tech” this episode? Say it isn’t so!! But it is somewhat true, and for a very good reason. Corralling church tech use can lead to more tech adoption and more satisfied members when tech is done well verses overdone. Seeing straight is another challenge tackled, with a little help from AI. Plus, there’s more. Turn it up!

Too much tech?? – Martin and Sallie discuss a recent article from Church Leader, Is Your Technology Use Hurting Your Church? Right-sizing technology use in the church and taking the slow road to tech adoption can help ensure success as well as curtail the potential of leaving some people out of the communication. It’s also very important to bake training & support into any tech initiative.

Jason and Rachel are back and the edtech topic is budgeting and procurement, SAMR-style!

WELSTech starts 2025 with a look back at 2024, our 17th year of podcasting! Listeners will likely agree that the theme of the year was AI, and Artificial Intelligence weaves its way into many of Martin and Sallie’s “best of” picks for the year.

Join us in a few weeks as we dive into our 18th year of tech-in-ministry conversations.

The WELSTech Christmas tradition continues as we bring you an interview with a synod administrator. This year the microphone is pointed at WELS Benefit Plans Office and Director Josh Peterman. We also send our best wishes to you and yours for a wonderful Christmas celebration!

All things benefits – Get an inside look at the work of WELS Benefit Plans (BPO) as Director Josh Peterman visits with Martin. From health insurance and prescription coverage to pension and defined contribution benefits, BPO is the central hub for WELS benefit administration for those covered across the country and worldwide.

Our annual “best of” look back at all things WELSTech in 2024.

WELSTech this week features a discussion of the online form creation process. There’s also mention of WELS Youth Night resources, a free online edtech conference, and a nifty set of bits that could make the perfect Christmas gift. Plus, the listener mailbag is full of interesting items. Time to tune in!

It all starts with a plan – Martin and Sallie discuss best practices when designing forms for online data collection, including understanding the goals before you start designing, keeping questions consistent, and security and privacy of the data collected.

Joshua Peterman from WELS Benefit Plans joins the Christmas conversation.

We’re back at the intersection of technology and ministry with another episode of WELSTech. The topic of the day is elementary tech integration, and it features a lively conversation with WELSTech semi-regular co-hosts, Jason & Rachel.  We also pack in news of an Advent devotional resource, transcription where you least expect it, and the new and improved Call Report. Don’t miss it!

Elementary tech integration – Joining Martin and Sallie for an education-focused discussion are Director of Academic Computing for Martin Luther College Professor Rachel Feld and Director of Technology for Oshkosh (WI) Area School District Jason Schmidt. This season we’re letting the tech integration framework SAMR be our guide as we look at various edtech topics, and that leads to some interesting points when we consider the early elementary students who thrive on routine. Spoiler alert: They do best when the tech is boring! And don’t even bring up their need to learn typing. :-)

WELSTech welcomes MLC’s Dr. James Carlovsky for a look at Artificial Intelligence from his research and presentations to various audiences. The rest of the show includes thoughts on giving thanks, the AI prompts industry, AI YouTube resources, texting your congregation, and evaluating your worship live stream.

Pros and Cons of AI – Dr James Carlovsky from Martin Luther College chats with Martin and Sallie about what may be the biggest disruptor in education. Does it make you more or less creative? Does it do the thinking for you or getting you thinking? The more you learn, the more there is to learn about AI.

We talk elementary tech integration, SAMR-style, with Rachel and Jason.

On WELSTech this week we talk about the tech at our fingertips as we reveal our office setups. Additionally, we share gift ideas for welcoming church visitors and new members, an overview of the latest version of Logos which introduces AI into the Bible software, and where to find that wonderful smell of leather.

Desk setup – Martin and Sallie share their workspaces and highlight their favorite tools for getting work done.

Martin’s work desk

Sallie’s work-from-hone desk

Martin’s work-from-home desk

Dr. James Carlovsky from Martin Luther College joins the AI conversation.

We’re 15 years past episode 100 of WELSTech and back once again with your 735th dose of WELSTech goodness! Joining us is the first “Director of Digital Ministry” ever to appear on WELSTech. Listen and learn about the work behind that unique job title. Our picks have a gaming theme, and we share a great resource on church text messaging … for FREE!!!

Online outreach – Joining Martin and Sallie is Michael Babler, Director of Digital Ministry at Victory of the Lamb in Franklin, WI. Michaels unique job title is intriguing and makes for an interesting conversation about the ministry efforts he is involved with. He emphasizes making intentional choices when it comes to content delivery platforms. He also discusses some of the behind-the-scenes software in use at Victory of the Lamb to create and share content to the digital world.

Join us for WELSTech 736 where we’ll discuss our desktop setups.