presbyterian – Pocket Share Jesus

NotebookLM Goes to Sunday School

January 12, 2025 Wesley Fryer books, discipleship, podcasts, technology

This morning I led our adult ACE Sunday School class at Caldwell Presbyterian Church, as our study of the Book of Acts moved into the 12th Chapter. My lesson plan was to read and discuss:

We are using two Biblical commentary books to inform our discussions about Acts and the practical lessons and applications which we can draw to our lives today. These are books recommended by Fran Hayes, who is a retired Presbyterian Pastor and one of the lay leaders of our class:

“Gonzalez and Jennings Books on Acts” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

I have been using and “playing with” the AI tool NotebookLM by Google for a year, since January 2024, when I used it for the series of adult micro-credential courses I taught on “Teaching the Conspiracies” for the Media Education Lab. In October 2024 I facilitated a webinar for the MediaEd Club on “AI NotebookLM & Steven Johnson.” (An archived recording is available) I’m very familiar with the way NotebookLM works, and have previously been AMAZED by the quality and depth of results it can provide. These are reasons I wanted to use it to create an audio podcast summary for our Sunday School lesson today.

Unlike a basic prompt entered into an AI model like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, CoPilot or Grok, before entering a prompt into NotebookLM a user MUST upload documents into a “project library.” These documents are given preference for the prompts and tasks requested by the user. Before our Sunday School class today, on Saturday, I uploaded PDF versions of each of the Acts 12 Bible versions I wanted us to read and discuss, along with PDFs of the scanned pages in Jennings and Gonzalez’ books which address Acts 12. I used the TurboScan app on my iPhone for this.

I thought I might have to convert the image-based PDFs to text, and initially tried using both ChatGPT and Claude to do that OCR process, but neither would. So I just uploaded the PDFs into NotebookLM to see what would happen. NotebookLM was able to “read” (ingest and understand) the image PDFs fine!

This is the prompt I used with NotebookLM. Note that I specifically instructed the AI to compare and contrast both Bible chapter versions, offer insights from Jennings and Gonzalez, and share practical applications for followers of Jesus today. This is important to remember, because the high quality of the results I obtained from NotebookLM is at least partly attributable to the specificity of this prompt as well as the source materials I uploaded to the project library.

“NotebookLM Prompt for Acts 12 Deep Dive” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

This is the 20 minute, 33 second audio podcast “deep dive conversation” which NotebookLM created based on my source documents and prompt. I emailed this to members of our Sunday School class on Saturday, along with my lesson plan ideas, in case anyone wanted to listen and read the Scriptures in advance of class. Several people did!

Duration: 20 min 33 sec

I was VERY impressed with the quality of the Biblical analysis provided by NotebookLM in this audio podcast, as well as the ways it appropriately integrated interpretations and perspectives offered by both Jennings and Gonzalez. Wow. This “AI experiment” demonstrated something I’ve heard Jason Neiffer say repeatedly and I share as well: It’s best to test and play with these AI tools using topics and themes about which we know a great deal. That way, in the parlance of Neil Postman, we can be effective “crap detectors” and identify AI hallucinations / inaccurate information, as well as judge the quality of the ideas shared by the AI model.

When we got home and after lunch, I decided to take this AI reflection about Acts 12 to another level, and create an AI-enhanced video version. I used Pictory.ai (on a free 2 week trial) to create a VIDEO version of the audio podcast. First, however, I created a free transcript of the audio recording using Descript.com. I then copied that transcript into ChatGPT and asked it to remove the speaker names, and identify (using included 30 second timestamps) approximately 15 second script sections which could be used with different images in the “Photo Story” video created by Pictory.ai. (Here’s my conversation transcript with ChatGPT.) Pictory.ai will automatically insert new, related video clips into a movie at line breaks, so I ended up creating about a 20 minute video with 50 different 15 second scenes.

I only chose to edit 1 of the auto-selected video clips in the first version of the video I created (which is available on YouTube but unlisted), but on the second version I updated and manually selected video clips for about 40 of the 50 scenes. I also removed background music and the text shared as a closed captioning block. I recorded an intro clip and outro clip for the video using Streamyard, and combined the 4 video clips using QuickTime Player.

Check out the final video, it’s 35 minutes long. I’d love to hear your feedback, either on this blog post, on the YouTube video, or via social media. There are SO many issues this AI experiment raises which would be great to discuss further.

On a final technical note, I’ll observe that this is one of the highest quality videos I’ve recorded to date at my home office desk. Two contributing factors to that quality are the fact that I’m using my iPhone 14 as my webcam thanks to MacOS 15.2 Sequoia’s “continuity camera” features, and my Stouchi Continuity Camera Mount.

This is the same setup I used this weekend to participate in the 2025 MediaEd Forum hosted by the Media Education Lab. I snapped a photo of my screen setup with my iPad during the conference, and annotated the various pieces of equipment. Both my ring light and LED bulb light bar also help make my webcam image look more professional.

“My Screen Setup for Virtual Learning” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

Welcome to the Age of AI.

For more of my AI / artificial intelligence related posts, videos and projects, visit “Learning AI with Wes Fryer.”

Leave a comment AI, Bible, church, NotebookLM, presbyterian, sundayschool, teaching

Ask for Signs and Directions!

January 7, 2024 Wesley Fryer God, Holy Spirit, priorities, questions, worship

These are some of my notes and “takeaways” from a sermon shared today on January 7, 2024, by Rev. Dorothy J. Killian at Caldwell Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. The sermon was titled, “Whose Star Are You Following?” and was live-streamed on YouTube and Facebook. It starts at the 44:00 minute mark if you’d like to view it yourself, and runs 16 minutes.

This Sunday is the celebration of the holiday of Epiphany, which in Christian traditions celebrates “the visit of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus, and the wedding at Cana.” Rev Killian reminded us that as a society and in our culture, “We also follow stars!” Whether pop stars like Taylor Swift of Beyoncé, or sports starts like NFL or NBA athletes, we often pay an undue amount of attention to these “stars.” However, it’s important to consider, “Where are those stars leading?” Who and what are these stars attempting to “point us to” in our lives? Where do these stars lead? By encouraging us to consider “Whose star we are following?” Rev Killian powerfully juxtaposed the sermon text from Matthew 2:1-12 with ominous headlines from contemporary news and popular culture.

““Whose star ⭐️ are you following?!” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

Rev Killian encouraged us to “NOT be afraid to ask for signs & directions.” We should be continually watchful for God, for He is present and at work all around us! We can see God in the beauty and wonder of His creation, but also in the ways we love and care for each other in this troubled world. God calls us to invite his Holy Spirit to provide us with directions for our lives, and he provides guidance when we seek Him in prayer, through Bible study, and through fellowship with other Christian followers of Jesus Christ.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for signs & directions” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

Rev Killian received applause during her sermon when she pulled out an “old school” paper map, and reminded the congregation, “When we encounter the living God, we reset our GPS.” Whether we are using analog or digital tools to find our way in the world. encounters with God can have a powerful and positive re-directing and “re-orienting” influence on us. As an undergraduate geography major and someone who grew up learning about maps and orienteering in Boy Scouts as well as in Air Force survival training at the Air Force Academy, this analogy really resonated with me!

““When we encounter the living God, we reset our GPS” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

I also loved Rev Killian’s encouragement to “Look for God and listen for His voice.” For over 10 years now, I’ve been blessed to participate in “Spiritual Direction” with Curt Gruel, through HeartPaths OKC. Even after we moved to North Carolina in 2022, my monthly meetings with Curt have continued via Zoom! “Spiritual Direction” is all about “looking for God,” and meeting with a mentor who can help us identify, see, and interpret “God sightings” in our lives. This is an important message every day, but seems particularly appropriate as we start 2024 and a new calendar year with different ideas for resolutions and new habits to adopt.

Rev Killian’s final exhortations were to ask “Who are the ‘Herods’ in your life? Who is sowing fear in your journey of faith and life?” As I consider the ways I want to develop the “Heal Our Culture” project in the weeks and months ahead, these questions are both challenging and prescient. There are many voices on YouTube, in mainstream news, and in social media which encourage us to adopt a spirit of fear rather than an attitude of joy, hope, and abiding faith.

I want to follow the star of Jesus, and I’m thankful for these words of encouragement from Rev Killian today!

“Sermon Points by Rev. Dorothy J. Killian” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

Leave a comment caldwellpres, epiphany, jesus, presbyterian, priorities

Examples of Christian Digital Storytelling

December 3, 2022 Wesley Fryer digitalstorytelling, evangelism, technology

If you happen to be a long-time (or even “one time”) member of First Presbyterian Church of Edmond, Oklahoma, then the videos I’m going to link here may bring you particular JOY! Even if you’re not, they are pretty awesome and special. (More so if you know our kids, Sarah and Rachel, and/or other kids who grew up in the early 2010s at FPCE!)

This afternoon I collected and shared examples of “Christian Digital Storytelling” on a new page on the Storychasers website, which is now a personal passion project of mine as a media literacy educator and follower of Jesus .

The page now includes 16 embedded videos created and/or recorded at FPC Edmond through the years. Here are several of them!

Our Light Has Come (A [Sunday morning] performance from the musical “One Incredible Moment” at First Presbyterian Church of Edmond Oklahoma on December 7, 2014.)

Miracle in the Manager (Children’s choir at First Presbyterian Church in Edmond, Oklahoma on December 24, 2012.)

Jesus Joy Of The Highest Heaven (A song by the youth choir at First Presbyterian Church in Edmond, Oklahoma, on December 24, 2012.) [featuring soloist Sarah Fryer)

Happy Birthday Jesus (This was the rehearsal for “Happy Birthday Jesus,” sung by Rachel Fryer on December 24, 2011, at First Presbyterian Church in Edmond, Oklahoma. Rachel shared this at the 5 pm family Christmas Eve service.)

PreSchool Christmas Program 2007 (This Christmas program stars preschoolers at First Presbyterian Church in Edmond, Oklahoma. This video was filmed and created in December 2007.)

Rolling Green Outreach Ministry (A short video describing the Rolling Green outreach ministry of First Presbyterian Church in Edmond, Oklahoma. Special thanks to Shelly Fryer, Rachel, and Sam Carothers for sharing their perspectives on this opportunity to fellowship, love and serve others in our community.)

I added this examples page from the Storychasers website to my “Christian Website Projects” page of my Christian blog.

“Merry Christmas 2011 from the Fryers” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

Leave a comment dw4jc, fpce, media, presbyterian, storytelling, video

Podcast12: Unleash Your Digital Creativity for Jesus (May 2018)

May 6, 2018 Wesley Fryer evangelism, Jesus, podcasts, sketchnotes, technology

This is an audio recording of Wesley Fryer’s workshop at the May 5, 2018, MoRanch Men’s Conference near Hunt, Texas. The title of the session was, “Pocket Share Jesus: Be a Digital Witness for Christ.”

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The session description was:

This workshop will empower you as a Christian to share the transforming reality and love of God with others around the world through multimedia and social media. By creating and sharing Bible verse “infopics,” creating sketchnotes and narrated sketchnotes and recording “quick edit” video interviews on mission trips, we can digitally amplify and share God’s Word and work with others.

Slides for this session, which include live hyperlinks, are embedded below and also available on wfryer.me/mo2018. This presentation is also linked on the main project site for “Pocket Share: Be a Digital Witness for Jesus Christ” www.dw4jc.com. Videos shared and referenced in this presentation are also embedded below. Refer to the podcast shownotes for links to many referenced resources from this session.

Show Notes: