Blog

by Bill Lawrence- President of Leader Formation International

How do we make disciples in the age of AI?

It appears that AI is taking over much of the 21st century, and we need to know how to make disciples in our present time since that is why Jesus left us here on earth. To make  make disciples in the age of AI, we have to understand the reality that AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. It is just technology and nothing more. It has no soul, no spirit, nothing eternal, no relationship with the One who died for us. He strives to have a relationship with all who are open to Him. AI is a tool--a technical tool, different from a hammer or a screw driver but a tool just the same. It is to not a way of life but an instrument used to help us in our way of life. It is a useful tool, a great instrument, a creative method, but not a life in itself, even though many are thinking of it that way. This is a mistaken way of life. Many will treat it as a way of life only to discover that AI is actually a way of death. This is why we must make disciples in the age of AI and reach others to do the same.

Humanity doesn't change, so the way to make disciples doesn't change.

Satan's deception is the same as it was in Genesis 3 through his false promises.

Sin is the same as it was in Genesis 3 because the way of sin is always the same.

Salvation is the same as it was in history because of the cross and resurrection.

Our frailty is the same as it was in Genesis 3 on and continues until now.

Desperate dependence is the same in our hearts as it was in Peter's heart.

Our need for the Spirit is the same it was in the disciples' limitations.

Our fruit bearing is the same as it was in the lives of the all believers before us.

Our need for a team is the same as it was in Paul's ministry.

We continue to have God's blessed gifts.

We continue to have God's limited gifts.                                                                                      

We continue to have God's effective gifts.

 Our need for prayer is the same as Jesus needed.

Our need for the Word of God is the same it was when Jesus taught.

AI is a limited solution within an unlimited reality. The most we can do is use it to arrive at limited solutions that enable us to take useful steps and move forward through the enablement of the Holy Spirit to give glory to the Holy God in a Satan owned world.

My fear is that a large number of 21st century people don't see it this way because they don't believe that men and women have souls. They don't believe in souls or eternal life or any accountability or how we live. Or they may never consider the reality of eternity and what that means for them so they fail to consider what death means for them and don't realize that it is an entry into darkness rather than the door way to eternal life and the glory of heaven. Or they simply don't want to think about eternity.

AI is a profound instrument that can provide a lot of truth, but in itself cannot speak to someone's soul, as AI itself does not have a soul. Only humans who use it have souls. It can be used as an instrument to communicate soul to soul, but only a soul can reach another soul, and that's the only way to reach the lost. When we are discipling people, we have to make sure they understand that AI works without a soul. Once they know that AI is words without a soul, they will turn to a human rather than AI for relationships and forgiveness and the joy of making disciples. AI is useful to put thoughts together, but not to put souls together. Only my soul can reach other souls through the Holy Spirit, and that demands a relationship. And the only kind of relationship that forms disciples is the Jesus kind of relationship that the Holy Spirit creates and makes fruitful, the same kind of relationship that He has created across centuries since Calvary.

This is a vital point that many can miss because they only think about words to words rather than the way Jesus works as man to man or woman to woman. Jesus worked hand to hand and foot to foot as He became a man and worked man to man, mind to mind, heart to heart as He walked through life with His men and women. Unless we work foot to foot we can never work soul to soul, and that's our core as a disciple who works to form disciples, which is the essence of disciple formation. So we must work our souls to other souls. That's what our lives are all about.

We must also realize that YAHWEH is the ultimate Father, our Father, who is maturing us and teaching us and patiently training us to become the adult He wants us to be so He can turn His business over to us as the Spirit works through us. And what is His business? Making us in His image, which is His purpose in creating us, and working with Him to create others in His image. 

AI must be seen as an instrument rather than a solution, as many see it. Rather it is one of many instruments that we can use to pass through the process of transforming our-selves into becoming the image of God as He created us to be.

AI cannot think for itself, resolve for itself, or answer questions for itself. Those who control it can know themselves, face themselves and realize that they do have a soul and a heart and also realize that Jesus died for their souls and their hearts and their eternal lives. In light of all that we have said we must make disciples in 2026 as we

Make AI a productive fruit-bearing tool for the glory of God.