Who Wrote This Devotional: Dale or AI?

“The next great advance in the world must be spiritual. Here, O church of Christ, is our opportunity!” – Ira M. Frantz, Fruita, CO

If the polls are to be believed, the generation that is most AI-adverse isn’t Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, or even Millennials. It is Generation Zers, otherwise known as Zoomers, people who were born between 1997 and 2012.

The oldest Zoomers are approaching age 30 and the youngest are in their early teens. Most Zoomers are in their late teens or early twenties, the ages when people traditionally choose a career or at least a college major. And guess what? They fear Artificial Intelligence because it is turning their job prospects upside down.

With technology advancing at such breakneck speed, how is a young person to know what major will prove obsolete five or 10 years from now? Will their college degree be absolutely worthless before they have even begun to pay off their student loan debt?

That’s why several commencement speakers were recently booed by the graduates in the audience when they mentioned AI. Fear of an unknown future has the graduates scared… and with good reason.

From a spiritual standpoint, we need not be afraid of technological advances because they are morally neutral. In other words, they can be used for good or evil, depending on who is using them. So, let’s take full advantage of modern technology to spread the gospel to the uttermost parts of the world.

Admittedly, AI may prove to be another story altogether and quite frankly, I have serious reservations about its applications (and potential misapplications). But for now, here is some food for thought from Pastor Chris Elliott of Fort Littleton, PA.

“Every technological advancement has potential to take us down the broad road that leads to destruction. Every technological advancement has potential ‘For the glory of God and my neighbor’s good.’ Every church has the potential to offer real and personal connections to bring together the generations in a way that no artificially created bot ever can.”

“Every discovery and invention by humankind has potential for good and evil. Fire can cook food and it can burn down the neighboring village. Gutenberg’s printing press can produce Bibles and lewd novels. An automobile can take us to church services, grocery stores and family gatherings or it can take us to a bar or a brothel.”

“And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 (BSB)

“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” I Corinthians 1:27 (KJV)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President