You know that icebreaker question where they ask you, “If you could live at any time in history, when would you choose?”
I used to answer that question differently than I do now. I used to dream up a time that I thought was the “good old days.” Simpler times. Presumably happier times.
But my theology of time has changed. While I may still romanticize other eras of history, I feel convicted that God put me right here, right now, in this exact moment, on purpose and for a purpose.
He didn’t want me to live in Ancient Babylonia or Regency England or Frontier America or the Gilded Age.
For some reason He wants me (and you) to live now. He wants us to be His kingdom on earth that wrestles not with flesh and blood but with addictive and polarizing social media. He wants his church to be a light amidst global political instability.
He even wants you and me to understand and advance biblical ethics in the complicated and uncertain age of AI.
Since the launch of ChatGPT in November of 2022, people are thinking and talking and fretting more than ever about AI. We worry about potential threats like job displacement, cybercrime, autonomous warfare and even cyborgs. Is “The Singularity” inevitable?
If you are looking for a place to begin exploring the implications of AI for the church, I found this 4-part Art of Leadership podcast (Episodes 623-626) to be both informative and encouraging.
Because if we’re not careful God’s people could become so fearful and suspicious that we disengage or retreat instead of courageously being the marvelous light of Christ in a dark age.
“As we approach these challenging questions, let us remember that God doesn’t call us to be nostalgic for yesteryear, a time when life seemed to be simpler. Rather, he has equipped us to move forward with his unchanging Word. Nothing we face today surprises the Lord or catches him off guard. He is the maker and sustainer of all things, including humanity as his unique image-bearers (and the technologies that we create). We can move forward with confidence in addressing any ethical challenge before us as we hold fast to these fundamental truths.” (Jason Thacker. Why Christians Should Care About AI).
God wants you and me alive and advancing His kingdom right now. We don’t need to be afraid of the world. Christ has overcome the world. No matter how uncertain or terrifying the world may become, we can have confidence in God. God put you right here, right now, in this exact moment on purpose and for a purpose. Fear not!
“And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).
