How can the Bible help us process using Generative AI in ministry?
Things to process…
POWER / GUIDANCE / INFLUENCE
Who we follow for power, influence and guidance matters.... even with Al.
What do you want Al to be (vs. do) for you?
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” — James 1:5
Where in the Bible is a story about the Enemy replicating artificial life to exert power or get guidance instead of turning to God?
PHAROAH'S MAGICIANS (EXODUS 7-8)
Moses goes before Pharoah demanding the release of God's enslaved people. Pharaoah asked for a sign. To show that God sent him, Moses told Aaron to throw his staff down and it became a serpent. Unimpressed, Pharoah called his own magicians to do the same which they were able to do (though Aaron's staff ate theirs). The magicians mimicked other signs seeking to invalidate the authority God gave Moses & Aaron. It wasn't until the magicians couldn't replicate what only God could make that they even acknowledged it was the finger of God. God displayed His sovereignty though Pharoah wouldn't listen.
OTHER PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE
There are other stories of men seeking a secret power, influence, and guidance to get divine knowledge, control, power without God. King Saul sought out a sorcerer.
Pharoahs sought magicians to interpret dreams. Even Simon, the former magician in Acts 8, sought to buy the Holy Spirit as power he wanted to gain so he could have leverage and influence out of a bitter, attention-seeking heart.
Is Al evil? Not always. Sometimes it's simply a sign or a tool.
Al is also not magic but it is powerful in its ability to give us capabilities in an accelerated way. But using any tech as license to control people, gain power, be our life source, rival God, and become an excuse not to seek or surrender to God's leadership is wicked. The Enemy uses anything to advance his purposes in accelerated ways. Be discerning.
QUESTIONS
Am I seeking to use Al in a way that honors God's power or seeks my own?
Am I seeking an alternative power or tool to elevate myself in ways that enslave, deceive, or control others?
CREATING & WORSHIP IN THE WAITING
Where in the Bible is a story about using art in worship for good and for wickedness? Does who, what, and how you use things matter, especially in the waiting?
GOLDEN CALF V. GOLDEN ARK (EXODUS 31-32, 37)
The people were impatient waiting for Moses to receive instruction from God, so they convinced Aaron to provide a different "god" to worship. Because he feared the people more than God, Aaron made a golden calf (and excuses).
Think of that for a moment. While God (who had brought the people out of slavery) was giving Moses instructions for worship in ways that would bless the people and display His faithfulness, the people were giving their hearts with full abandon to something that was no god at all, enslaving themselves all over again. In the middle of talking with Moses, God saw it all.
QUESTIONS
Am I being patient and seeking the Lord in worship or am I opting for a shortcut?
Where is your heart right now…honestly?
MINISTERING ARTISTS
God called artists. With the tabernacle in Exodus, the project list was long. But the first thing noted about the artist Bezalel was he was called by name and filled with the Spirit of God. God gave him ability, intelligence, knowledge, craftsmanship, versatility in different materials, inspired to teach, and put with a team of artists whom God stirred and gave skill. The materials they used came from the generosity of worshippers.
Artists in the Bible were called to be a part of making spiritual realities visible in a symbolic, worshipful, invitational sense...following God's lead. Others created practical tools useful to serve human needs and reflect value. They stewarded offerings of others with excellence, creativity, and focus.
And yet, other artists in the Bible made graven images that led people to focus on idols for life, power, security.
What they created to appeal to people's senses became a trap that plunged many back into patterns of sin.
What artists do matter. How and why they do what they do matters even more. There's more at work in art than Al.
QUESTIONS
Am I stewarding gifts and tools like Al out of my calling to serve and lead others to Jesus or away from Him?
Am I willing to do the hard work internally as I utilize any new innovation?
COMPARE WHAT IS GOLDEN
THE GOLDEN CALF
Created out of man's impatience
Took from the people vs invested
Distorted true worship & offering
Became object of Worship itself
Aaron led people to sin/rebellion as a people pleaser
Created out of fear vs. faith
Symbol of Forgetting God
THE GOLDEN ARK
Requested by God to reflect Him (not worship art itself)
Tool in worshipping God so people would learn of Him
Symbol of God's Faithfulness
Part of His redemption story for us.
After the golden calf episode, there was a period of repentance, sancification, responsibility, followed by great generosity. Before the tabernacle was made, the heart of worship was being built in God's presence understanding His priorities. Before we pursue any tool, our heart should begin in God's presence. He may transform our own appearance and perspective in the process.
At its core, God knew that worship and atonement are deeply linked. The people wanted to make a golden calf and yet God was preparing them to make a golden ark that would hold the symbols of His faithfulness and point toward the One who would save them.
God told Moses that He chose Bezalel to be among the artists who would craft tools used in worship at the tabernacale. What's amazing to me is He told him that WHILE Bezalel was in the valley below. Did Bezalel help Aaron fashion the golden calf? We don't know. But he was among the people who had turned away in the waiting and would need to repent. That's such a picture of grace to me.
So whether it's using Al, the Adobe Suite, sculpting, or metalworking, God cares what the art represents. If we make it a "god" to hold full sway over our hearts, we've missed the point and become slaves all over again. God gave us roles and gifts to worship Him alone. And it can't replace the waiting in Him. God isn't against materials and tools. He looks at the heart behind our creative pursuits.
QUESTIONS
Am I waiting on God first before using a tool like Al?
Am I using Al from a place of fear or faith?
INNOVATION PREP
As ministers, we can't pursue innovation like Al if we don't value God's Word, roles, process, and presence MORE than attention, power, or our own impulse.
Otherwise our playful excitement (which isn't bad) could become problematic. Essentials matter as we use new technology.
UZZIAH (2 CHRONICLES 26:15-18) - OUR HEART
At first, he used new invention in a way that was good and honored the Lord. His innovation garnered much praise and attention. But then he became prideful in his strength and felt entitled to do other roles God chose others to do in the context of worship. Uzziah became prideful after his innovation, so his impulsive heart took shortcuts. Al shouldn't inflate us.
JOSHUA (EXODUS 33) - GOD'S PRESENCE
It seemed all eyes were on Moses as the man of the hour as he met with God in the tent. As he headed back to camp, Joshua stayed behind... lingering longer. God was building the warrior's heart who would abide with Him...BEFORE Joshua knew he would lead people to Promised Land. God used Joshua in innovative ways in future battles and positions, but his heart was being formed first so he would know the path to take.
OBED-EDOM (1 CHRONICLES 13,15) - GOD'S WORD
Uzzah steadied the ark with his hand and died. So David was angry with God and distanced himself from the ark for a time. While everyone else drew back in fear, Obed-Edom drew near in faith despite risk, welcoming the ark into his house (even though the last family grew so familiar with it, they lost sight of holiness which cost them). After this act of faith, God blessed Obed-Edom and his sons with roles as gatekeepers and worship musicians. Before being called to lead in new ways and spaces, he followed God in holiness out of a resilient heart of worship .
We can't become cavelier in how we carry what reflects
God. David should not have put the ark on a cart in the first place. Uzzah should have let it fall rather than disobey God.
God's Word needed to carry more weight in their hearts than any precious box that reflected it. Part of maturity is developing worship resilience as God humbles us, atones, and redeems where we miss it. Holiness matters. Even with good intentions in utilizing Al in ministry, we need to seek the Lord first not just find ways to make things easier and faster.
God uses innovation but His Word and Spirit are primary.
QUESTIONS
Am I treating God's Word & His presence with more weight as I make decisions about innovation? After experiencing success, do I feel entitled to do what God called someone else to do?
GOD'S INVOLVEMENT
Remain engaged with God whatever the ministry tool since He is the One who called us and helps us see.
He holds the strategy.
“The word of the Lord came to me: ‘What do you see, Jeremiah?’ ‘I see the branch of an almond tree,’ | replied The Lord said to me, ‘You have seen correctly for I am watching to see my word is fulfilled.’” — Jeremiah 1:11
God helps Jeremiah see an image and know its meaning so he may boldly minister as a prophet. God could do this with us or He may utilize some Al tools to reveal a useful image to convey a point. But whether it's prophecy or simply a useful visual metaphor, stay engaged with the Lord through the process that you can see what He wants you to see in order to boldly minister.
God has the ability to puts pictures in our minds, help us interpret. He chooses folks to declare, including design-ers, as He gives skill, ability, and assignment. He did that with prophets. He does this with artists.
QUESTION
Am I leaning in to allow God to steer me through the creative process whatever the tool or am I being lazy?