The Sunday Service Audit: Jesus and the AI App

The morning sun filtered through the glass walls of the multisite megachurch in Utah, its lobby buzzing with chatter. The sanctuary hummed with electric guitars and fog machines as hundreds filtered in, coffees in hand. On the massive screen above the stage, the smiling face of the senior pastor beamed down—pre-recorded, polished, and ready to preach.

A man in the third row, Jesus, King of Kings, unnoticed by the crowd, sat with a weathered Bible on His lap and a smartphone in His hand. His eyes, sharp yet kind, scanned the room.

As the sermon began—“Be the Head, Hands, and Feet!”—the man opened an app called TruthGuard. The AI tool, designed by a group of Digital Bereans, instantly began transcribing the pastor’s words, cross-referencing each claim with Scripture. Red alerts pulsed on the screen:

“God wants you rich!” → Flagged: Contrasts with 1 Timothy 6:9-10 (NASB): “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation…”

“Your suffering is a mindset!” → Flagged: Contrasts with 1 Peter 4:12-13 (NASB): “Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you…”

0 mentions of “sin,” “repentance,” or “the cross.”

Jesus' brow furrowed. He tapped another feature: FruitTracker, which analyzed the church’s impact. Charts revealed soaring attendance and donations but plummeting missions participation, addiction recoveries, and zero disciples of Christ.

Suddenly, the screen froze. The lights flickered. The man stood, walked to the stage, and plugged His phone into the soundboard. The congregation gasped as His face replaced the pastor’s on the giant screen—a face they somehow recognized, though none could say why.

What Jesus Did

He replayed the sermon, His finger tracing the AI’s red flags on the screen. “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46, NASB). With a swipe, He pulled up the church’s financials:

“This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” Matthew 15:8

Then He opened the Bible app, His voice steady: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me… to proclaim release to the captives…” (Luke 4:18). The AI tool highlighted every omission—every time the pastor had skipped “to set free the oppressed” for “to bless the prosperous.”

What Jesus Said

He turned to the crowd, His gaze piercing. “You scrutinize politicians with AI to guard your wallets. Why not your pastors, who handle your souls?”

Holding up the phone, He showed the TruthGuard report. “This tool is a mirror. It shows your sermons are ‘itching ears’ (2 Timothy 4:3) and your fruit is rotten (Matthew 7:17). But the problem isn’t the app. It’s your hearts.”

To the staff, He said, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14). But you’ve dimmed the light to fill seats.”

To the people: “Do not fear AI. Fear Me. For I am the Truth it measures against. This,” He gestured to the app, “is a plumb line—not to condemn you, but to call you higher.”

What Jesus Did Next

He deleted the sermon archive and typed a new title on the screen: “The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand—Repent!” (Matthew 4:17, NASB). The AI tool lit up green as He preached the Beatitudes, the cross, and the cost of discipleship. FruitTracker recalibrated in real time:

Spiritual Fruit: Surges in conviction, tears, and altar calls.
Physical Fruit: Volunteers signing up for prisons, hospitals, and homeless ministries.

As He left, He handed the phone to a trembling elder. “Feed My sheep” (John 21:17). And use this to prove you mean it.”

What Jesus Would Say to the Modern Church

“I know your deeds: your apps, your lights, your crowds. Yet I counsel you to buy from Me… white garments to cover your shame” (Revelation 3:18). AI can expose lies, but only I can clothe you in truth. Use this tool—but do not worship it. Measure your fruit—but do not fake it. And if your ‘best life now’ doesn’t point to Me, your worst life forever is all that’s left.*”
Then, with a faint smile: “The Bereans would’ve loved Wi-Fi.”

“For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light” Luke 8:17

Biblical Truth & AI’s Role in Fulfilling the Great Commission

The Bible’s definition of truth and the mission of Jesus Christ—to spread the Gospel and make disciples—are inseparable. The New American Standard Bible (NASB) 1995 translation provides a rigorous foundation for understanding these concepts, while advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) offer unprecedented tools to amplify this mission.

AI as a Tool for the Great Commission

Jesus’ final command—“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19)—demands innovation. AI is not a replacement for human agency but a force multiplier for Kingdom work.

1. Amplifying Evangelism

Global Reach: AI-powered translation tools can localize the Bible into thousands of languages, overcoming barriers faced by traditional missions. For example, AI can analyze burnt scrolls or decode ancient languages, as seen in archaeological breakthroughs.

Social Media & Digital Outreach: Platforms like Facebook and YouTube use algorithms to target unreached demographics. AI can optimize content to share testimonies, sermons, and Scripture, as highlighted in strategies for spreading the Gospel.

2. Enhancing Discipleship

Sermon Analysis: AI can audit pastors’ teachings against the NASB 1995, flagging deviations (e.g., prosperity gospel vs. 1 Timothy 6:5)

Personalized Study Tools: Apps using natural language processing (NLP) can generate tailored Bible studies, cross-referencing themes like “grace” or “repentance” across Scripture.

3. Resource Stewardship

Financial Transparency: AI audits can detect misuse of church funds, ensuring tithes support missions and charity, as urged in Acts 4:32-35.

Data-Driven Missions: Machine learning identifies regions with minimal Gospel exposure (e.g., the 10/40 Window) and optimizes missionary deployment.

4. Case Studies: AI in Action

Revival: AI deciphered Linear B and Ugaritic texts; similar tools could analyze Joseph Smith’s writings, exposing theological inconsistencies in Mormonism.

Miraculous Ministry: AI sentiment analysis can track emotional responses to healing testimonies, validating the Spirit’s work (Mark 16:17-18).

Discipleship Networks: Platforms like YouVersion use AI to recommend devotionals, fostering global spiritual growth.

Ethical Considerations & Challenges

Bias & Interpretation: AI lacks spiritual discernment. It must be trained on theologically sound sources like the NASB 1995 to avoid doctrinal drift.

Human Dependency: Overreliance on AI risks reducing faith to algorithms. The Church must prioritize the Holy Spirit’s guidance (John 14:26).

Privacy Concerns: Data collection for missions must respect cultural sensitivities and individual rights legal rights.

5. Synergy of Truth and Technology

The Bible anchors believers in unchanging truth, while AI accelerates the Great Commission’s fulfillment. Together, they empower:

Precision: Literal translation ensures doctrinal purity.

Scale: AI reaches billions with tailored Gospel content.

Accountability: Transparency tools guard against corruption.

As Digital Bereans (Acts 17:11), Christians must wield AI responsibly, ensuring it glorifies Christ—not replaces Him. The mission remains unchanged: proclaim truth, baptize nations, and disciple believers. With AI, we are not rewriting the Great Commission but amplifying it.

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” Isaiah 40:8