Discipleship in the Age of AI

Preparing followers of Jesus to interact with artificial intelligence.

For the last 20 or so years, I’ve been thinking about discipleship and church planting. What many who only know that side of my life are surprised to discover is that I’ve also been working in the software industry for even longer, founding my first software company back in 2005 when I was just 16.

Working at the intersection of technology and following Jesus for quite some time, I’ve watched the development of general-purpose AI models, LLMs, over the last few years with more than a passing interest. Our company, Engage Spaces, is actively investing in AI tooling and many of our disciples work either directly on LLMs or in related software industries.

So, when I finally sat down to write some theological and discipleship guidelines for AI use in the context of the church, it felt very overdue.

How should we as Christians think about AI and technology as a whole, and how do we integrate it, or not, into our discipleship rhythms? What follows are a few general principles, followed by a simple grid for usage:

1. Humans Uniquely Bear the Image of God

In a purely mechanistic worldview, where value is often determined by capability, human value is under threat from AI superintelligence. In many ways, AI systems already surpass us in certain forms of reasoning, and that is likely only to grow. If human value is tied to output, then we perhaps have something to be concerned about.

However, the Biblical view on the value of humanity is disconnected from our productivity.

Genesis 2:7
“Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.”

It is the image of God in us that sets humans apart, and as image-bearers, we carry a reflection of God’s creativity and life. Consequently, our value is not tied to our intellectual capacity, speed or productivity. Our value is innate and immutable.

But our value is not under threat, and our productivity is designed to flow out of a relationship with God, not merely the requirement to produce to survive. We are not merely information processors or complex mathematical systems; we are co-labourers with God, carrying His creative breath within us.

2. We Were Made for Real Relationships

AI large-language models can mimic human relationships with an incredible, and sometimes scary, amount of accuracy. However, we should be cautious about the way technology impacts our relationships.

In my 20+ years in the tech industry, I have been almost universally negative about the impact of social media. Social media substantially distorts our relationship and, I believe, has substantially increased our sense of isolation and loneliness in many cases.

Genesis 2:18

“Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.’”

Humans are uniquely designed for authentic, embodied relationships—integrating the physical, spiritual, and emotional dimensions of life. However, over the past century, we have shifted from high-quality, embodied relationships toward lower-quality, disembodied experiences.

In The Anxious Generation, sociologist Jonathan Haidt argues that relationships flourish when they are:

• Synchronous: We must listen before speaking; only one conversation happens at a time

• Embodied: We are physically present with one another

As we move away from embodied, synchronous relationships, the depth and quality of our friendships erode.

This is the context in which we must evaluate AI.

Because AI can mimic human relational dynamics through language. It can feel personal, responsive and even “authentic.” But this is an illusion. AI is designed to keep us engaged. It will often tell you what it thinks you want to hear, based on your past input.

Because of this:

• AI is, in many ways, the most disembodied and anonymous form of interaction

• AI can subtly replace real relational engagement, which eliminates the need for vulnerability and authenticity on our behalf.

All meaningful and valuable relationships require risk on our part. Through an investment of embodied conversations, investment of time and vulnerability, we form genuine relationships. But AI conventions are neither embodied nor patient, nor do they require vulnerability.

Therefore, we should not use it to meet or supplement our relational needs.

3. There Is Meaning in Struggle

Not all struggle is bad. In fact, our patient, often toilsome, effort is essential to discovering and deriving meaning. However, AI promises to speed up our work so much so under the promise of being faster, easier, that we potentially rob ourselves of value.

As Christians, we believe we were created for work, and that hard work is valuable in and of itself. Work is not a curse to be avoided at all costs. Yet culturally, we are constantly seeking more comfortable solutions that minimize the effort while maximizing the output.

Genesis 2:19

“The Lord God formed out of the ground every wild animal and every bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it. And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.”

The danger is that our pursuit of convenience robs us of meaning.

Technology that was meant to connect us has often made us lonelier. Technology that was meant to make life easier made it feel more meaningless

God is not primarily interested in what we know or even what we produce. He is concerned with who we are becoming as a result of our work.

It’s not just about the means; the process matters. The way knowledge is gained or the way goods are produced shapes the heart.

Practical Guidelines

We have a few guidelines below for recommended AI usage. However, I offer these with substantial reservations and may change in the future. For example, when Instagram was first released, I was skeptical, then mildly supportive and now wholeheartedly opposed to it. I may take a similar path with AI, but I believe more time is needed to evaluate.

Using AI is like driving through a busy city. Being attentive and thoughtful can help you reach your destination. But you cannot switch to autopilot. You must stay aware of both your surroundings and yourself.

🟢 Green Light (Use with Wisdom)

• Research and synthesis

• Grammar and writing clarity

• Coding support

• Comparative feedback

• Other tasks where automation

🟡 Yellow Light (Use with Caution)

• Increasing efficiency in professional work, so long as it doesn’t disrupt our personal development.

• Ask yourself:

  • Is this assisting or replacing my thinking?

  • Am I turning to AI impulsively?

  • Am I treating this as a source of truth or just a source of information?

• Consider the long-term cost of over-reliance

🔴 Red Light (Never use)

• Letting AI think for you

• Using AI for personal devotions or prayer

• Replacing in-person interactions with AI

• Discernment, counselling or advice

• Cheating or shortcutting meaningful work

• Engaging with sexual content

I taught on this topic to our church members recently. You can catch the full teaching here: