Relationship more essential than AI for discipleship

Most church pastors in the U.S. agree that true discipleship happens in relationships and cannot be reduced to an artificial intelligence program, according to new data from the Lifeway Research State of Discipleship study.

This consensus points to a belief that human connection is a non-negotiable element of Christian growth, a finding that emerges as the church grapples with the increasing presence of artificial intelligence in ministry.

The study reveals that 95% of pastors believe discipleship is not completed through a program but is accomplished within relationships.

The Lifeway Research report, written by Brett Buckland, manager of ongoing Bible studies for Lifeway Student Publishing, argues that this consensus compels a deeper examination of whether an efficient, technologically advanced tool like AI can play a substantive role in a process so overwhelmingly dependent on human-to-human interaction.

“AI can save time, but it cannot make disciples of Jesus,” wrote Buckland. “That’s our calling. Jesus didn’t say, ‘Go and automate disciples.’ He said, ‘Go and make disciples,’ a command rooted in relationship and trust.

“So, use AI wisely. Let it serve the mission, not become the mission; let it support the church, not replace it. In the end, discipleship is not about data; it’s about people. And people matter most.”

AI is useful for administrative tasks, according to the report but lacks the core human and spiritual capabilities necessary for true discipleship.

Five aspects are highlighted for Christian formation, deemed impossible for AI.

These include the inability to “show up” with physical presence in real-life experiences such as hospital visits or shared meals, the capacity to “listen to the Spirit” and provide prayerful, discerning insight, and the ability to offer genuine, relational accountability built on trust and vulnerability.

Furthermore, AI cannot “love sacrificially,” a type of costly, forgiving, and inconvenient love that is central to the Gospel and the model of Jesus’s ministry. Finally, machines are unable to “participate in worship” by engaging in embodied ordinances and shared physical acts of faith, such as taking communion or baptism. 

The report cautions that allowing AI to take over the relational work of discipleship results in the loss of what makes the process meaningful, trading depth for convenience and resulting in a church that is less incarnational and more digital.

It stresses that true discipleship is messy, slow, and beautiful because it is embodied, concluding that the church is called to be faithful, which requires presence, patience, and people, not speed. 

The recommendation is to use AI to clear administrative clutter so ministry leaders can focus on the work that truly matters: investing in people.

“Think of AI as a fast intern: helpful but needs supervision,” wrote Buckland. “The goal is not to eliminate human work; it’s to elevate it. Use AI to clear the clutter so you can focus on what matters most: people.”

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