EP CWF (3 Mar) - Navigating Artificial Intelligence with Godly Wisdom

Our recent EP Co-Workers’ Fellowship brought together pastors and ministry co-workers from across the English Presbytery for an afternoon of food, fellowship, singing, prayer, and reflection on serving Christ in an age of AI.

We were encouraged by our highest turnout so far, with about 69 co-workers joining us. It was especially heartening to see more lay elders and more new people with us. We began with a sumptuous lunch at 12pm, followed at 1.15pm by prayer in small groups of five to six.

At 1.30pm, Rev Razovelhu Vasa led us in singing “I Stand Amazed in the Presence” and “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less.” Pr Tan Sern Khoon then introduced our speaker, Dr Ng Pak Tee, a faithful Christian educator with long experience in leadership, policy, and educational change.

Dr Ng spoke on “Navigating Artificial Intelligence with Godly Wisdom”, the second of our series on Leadership in the Age of AI, organised by our EP Equipping Committee.

A key starting point in his talk was that AI is an evolving issue. Many of the questions pastors, elders, and church leaders now face are not easy to answer quickly. Because of that, Christians must not look only for instant answers, but for biblical principles.

A few things stood out from his talk:

1. Our focus must finally be on God, not AI.

AI is but a phase in human history. God and His Word endure. Drawing on Ecclesiastes, Dr Ng reminded us that there is nothing new under the sun. Every generation has its leap of progress, and Christians must rely on the wisdom of God to move forward in a way that is pleasing to Him.

2. ⁠AI holds great potential for both good and evil.

It can be used helpfully, for example in education, where it may assist teachers in designing homework and giving more immediate feedback. But it can also make falsehood and manipulation easier. Fake news no longer takes much time or effort. In that sense, AI sharpens the moral question rather than removing it. The deeper issue remains the same: will we obey God, or not?

3. AI is a tool, not a master.

Used rightly, it can assist and speed up a process. Used wrongly, it can begin to shape how we think and live. This was especially relevant in the church, where questions were raised about sermon preparation, AI’s tendency to hallucinate, and how pastors should guide members in their use of it. The key question is whether God remains at the centre.

4. AI forces us to ask deeper theological questions.

What makes human beings truly human? AI may mimic certain functions, but it is not the same as wisdom, intuition, conscience, and judgment shaped by experience. If AI is artificial intelligence, then what is real intelligence? Dr Ng’s point was that real intelligence must remain the master of AI, and that this requires wisdom.

Personally, I found the talk both stimulating and pastorally useful. It reminded us that while technology changes, sin remains the same. If human beings are left to direct powerful tools without reference to God, sin will keep perverting everything.

We thank God for our EP Co-Workers’ Fellowship, where we can be strengthened through mutual encouragement and reflect together on important and relevant topics. Do join us for our next gathering on 5 May.