Church GPT

A.I.
When I was child the speculation was all about E.T., meaning extra terrestrials. I guess that is still a thing, however, now the rise of something much more concerning (and real) is at hand. I’m sure everyone is aware of A.I. or artificial intelligence. It is not my intention in this blog to call out that the sky is falling or that A.I. is going to ruin the world. Besides, we sinners are doing a good enough job of that on our own.
But I do think we need to consider the ethics and morality surrounding this issue. A.I. is a tool, and as such it can be used rightly or wrongly. I am encouraging all of us as believers to think through the issue so that we are ready for the moral bridges that we will have to cross. How will we utilize this tool for God’s glory and our good?
Research or Plagiarism
I’m not a scientist, but I would like to run a little experiment to help us think through the issues of using A.I. in the future. Last week, I wrote a blog about the Spring Bride. I was specifically thinking about the church as the bride of Christ and how we should treat the church in light of her being the bride of our King. That essay was 100% my work but I also entered a prompt into chat GPT to see what kind of article it would write about the same subject.
This is the prompt I entered: Write a 623 word blog article about The importance of Christians having a high view of the church because the Church is Christ’s bride. 
I must admit it is a really good article. In fact, it is probably better than anything I could have written, not just grammatically but also substantially. It is so good that it brings up the question of how we are going to know that what we read in the future comes from a person and not A.I.? What is going to keep students, authors, and even pastors from shortcutting their work and study with the use of this kind of technology for profit and advancement? I don’t have the answers to all of these things but I do think that we must prepare to have answers to these questions moving forward. Of course it is plagiarism to copy from the work of A.I. without acknowledgement just like it would be to copy a person’s work. So please read the following article which is Chat GPT’s response to the prompt above and I would love your feedback and perspective on this issue. (One last note: because I gave it a specific number of words it stops mid sentence at the end.) 
Chat GPT Content
The Church is not just a building or an institution; it is a living, breathing organism made up of believers in Jesus Christ. The Bible refers to the Church as the body of Christ, with Christ as the head (Colossians 1:18). This analogy highlights the vital importance of the Church to Christ and to every believer.
As Christians, we need to have a high view of the Church because it is Christ's bride. In Ephesians 5:25-27, the apostle Paul writes, "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish." Christ loves the Church and gave himself up for her, not just as an institution but as his beloved bride.
Therefore, we must value the Church and its members as highly as Christ does. The Church is not just a gathering of believers, but it is where we find fellowship, accountability, and spiritual growth. We are called to be a part of the Church and to contribute our unique gifts and talents to build it up (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).
A high view of the Church also means understanding its significance in God's redemptive plan. The Church is not an afterthought or a backup plan, but it is central to God's purpose for the world. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says, "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The Church is not just a human endeavor but is built by Christ himself.
Furthermore, the Church is the means by which the Gospel is spread and lives are transformed. In Acts 2, we see the birth of the Church on the day of Pentecost, and immediately the Gospel begins to spread as people are added to the Church daily. The Church is where we are equipped to share the Gospel with the world, and it is where we find the support and encouragement we need to live out our faith.
A high view of the Church also means recognizing the importance of unity among believers. The Church is made up of people from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences, but we are all united in our faith in Jesus Christ. In John 17:21, Jesus prays, "that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." Unity is not just a nice idea but is essential for the Church to function as it should. When we are divided, we lose our effectiveness in reaching the lost and fulfilling God's mission.
Unfortunately, the Church has often been criticized and maligned by those both inside and outside of the faith. We have seen scandals, divisions, and abuses of power that have caused many to question the relevance and integrity of the Church. However, this should not cause us to lose sight of the Church's importance or to give up on it. Instead, we must work to address these issues and strive to make the Church the holy and unified body that Christ intended.
In conclusion, as Christians, we need to have a high view of the Church because it is Christ's bride. We must value the Church as highly as Christ does, understanding its significance in God's redemptive plan, recognizing the importance of unity among believers, and working to address any issues that may hinder its effectiveness. The Church is not just an institution or a building, but it is

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