A.I. in Spiritual Leadership: Replacing the Father’s Voice with Machines -We Are The Watchmen Weekly, January 11, 2025
Pastors & Churches Are Welcoming AI Into The Pulpit... What Happens Next? Read On To See - Read, Share, & Subscribe - WeAreTheWatchmen.org
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The increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in religious settings raises profound spiritual and ethical questions.
As more religious leaders experiment with AI to deliver sermons, create spiritual content, and even offer virtual pastoral care, we must seriously ask:
Can A.I. ever truly replace the voice of the Father?
That’s a hard no, but it doesn’t stop people from trying…
Recently, Rabbi Josh Fixler of Congregation Emanu El in Houston introduced “Rabbi Bot,” a chatbot trained on his past sermons, to his congregation.
This bot mimicked the Rabbi’s speech and generated new sermons, sparking a dangerous conversation about the role of technology in the sacred. Similarly, Pastor Jay Cooper from Austin, Texas, created an entire church service using OpenAI’s ChatGPT, including sermons, children’s programs, and even songs.
Let’s be clear: These experiments fundamentally challenge the sanctity of the divine message and the spiritual authority the Father has entrusted to His Church.
A.I. Can Never Speak for the Father: The Danger of Replacing The Word with Artificial Constructs
While AI may be impressive in its ability to process vast amounts of data and mimic human behavior, it is fundamentally incapable of communicating the Father’s will.
Real Talk: The Father’s voice is not simply a product of words strung together—it is divinely inspired, imbued with authority and wisdom that no machine can replicate.
Rabbi Fixler’s experiment, which allowed an AI to generate new sermons and speak in his own voice, is a chilling example of how technology is being used to replace divine truth. AI cannot hear from the Father, nor can it lead people into His presence.
The very idea that a machine could replace the voice of a spiritual leader is a dangerous misstep that undermines the power and sovereignty of the Father’s Word.
As we’re show in Isaiah 55:8-9:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
This passage is clear: The Father’s thoughts and ways are not of human origin—they are divine, holy, and far beyond anything a machine could comprehend.
AI can mimic words, but it cannot fathom the depths of the Father’s wisdom or the holiness of His counsel.
The Father’s Word is not simply information—it is life, it is power, and it is the foundation of all creation. Replacing this with a machine is an insult to the Father’s sovereignty.
The Danger of Turning to AI for Spiritual Guidance
The temptation to use AI as a substitute is not just misguided… it is spiritually dangerous.
When the Church relies on technology to replace spiritual leaders or deliver the gospel message, it risks turning away from the Father’s truth and replacing it with hollow imitation.
We’re told this in Isaiah 8:20, warning us that those who turn to false sources for guidance are walking in darkness:
"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
The Church must not embrace technology at the cost of the Father’s divine Word.
AI and the Cultural Consequences: The Erosion of Spiritual Authority
The cultural implications of using AI in religious spaces are incredibly scary.
The Church was established by the Father to be a living, breathing witness to His power and authority. When AI replaces human leaders, the very essence of spiritual leadership is undermined.
This shift towards a more technology-driven, impersonal form of faith weakens the body of Christ and diminishes the role of the Holy Spirit in transforming hearts. We see this not just in sermons, but in the growing trend of churches turning to technology to replace real human connection, creating a sterile, disconnected experience.
Luke 11:24-26 reminds us of the consequences of leaving a spiritual void:
"When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first."
Think about this: If the Church empties itself of the truth of the Father’s Word and fills that void with artificial intelligence, it invites darkness to take root.
What happens next? The enemy gains territory.
We’ll wrap up, next.
A Call for the Ekklesia to Return to the Father’s Voice
The rise of AI in the Church should be met with deep caution and a call for repentance.
The Father’s voice is the end all be all, and it cannot be replaced by technology.
The Church must reclaim its rightful role as the mouthpiece of the Father’s truth, preaching the gospel with the authority given to it through the Holy Spirit.
Revelation 3:19 offers a clarion call to the Church to repent and return to its original purpose:
"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent."
Instead of embracing AI as a substitute for the voice of God, the Church must renew its commitment to boldly proclaiming His Word, teaching with authority, and guiding His people in the truth.
Ephesians 4:11-12 reminds us of the true purpose of the Church’s leadership:
"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."
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