The Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal Movimiento Internacional (Pentecostal Church of God International Movement, or IDPMI) recently held its second International Leadership Summit “Avance 2024” in Bogotá, Colombia. Focus of the event was on the issue how churches can best use Artificial Intelligence (AI) with integrity, and how they can be at the forefront of the AI technology and interpret it in accordance with the Gospel.
The summit took place at the Centro de Convenciones Ágorá, Bogotá, featuring Rev. Mizraim Esquilín, Pastor Eliezer Ronda, Judge Eric Kolthoff, E625 USA Pastor and Director Sergio Valerga, Christian singer Lorell Quiles, missionary Patrishea Anaís Roldán Alomar, Rev. Jesús Santos and Pastor Obed Martínez, joined by IDPMI’s bishop Rev. William Hernández.
“There have always been challenges and obstacles for the church to deal with,” said Hernández during an interview with AJEC Internacional. “The church has fought and has conquered them, but [the advance of AI] is quite a significant challenge for our way of thinking and responding.”
“I think that the Church needs to understand what is developing, what is already on the market, and how it can be used for the benefit [of churches], that is, evangelism, supporting the church in its growth and, at the same time, know how to avoid being controlled or manipulated, and not allow it to take from us what is most important - seeking God in spirit and in truth,” the bishop added.
Topics at the summit included “Church and Science”, “How the Church can Use and Interpret Artificial Intelligence”, “Generational Discipleship”, “New Challenges to Preaching”, “Discipling and Mentoring the New Generations”, and “Human Trafficking and Social Networks”.
There was also a segment for leaders of churches’ children ministries, called “Children Upbringing, Ministry and the Local Church.”
Avance 2024’s organizer, Pastor Jonathan García, said that right now is the time to discuss the issue of Artificial Intelligence. “AI will play an important part in people’s lives, and therefore, in the church,” he said during the AJEC Internacional interview. “This is why we do not want to let time go by [without discussing AI] and then find out that we are behind. We must be up to date with what is happening and interpret it correctly, engage with it ethically to honor God through the use of this tool.”
Despite some resistance on the part of churches to the idea of implementing the use of AI, the need to discuss the matter has become evident. “These are relevant matters for the times we are living. We must train our people,” said Pastor Israel Bermúdez, member of Avance 2024’ Steering Committee, to AJEC Internacional.
“The Bible says, ‘My people perish for lack of knowledge.’ There are challenges out there, people out there have good questions and we need to have good answers, but we must be prepared for that.”
Approximately 2,000 people attended the summit, marking a 50% increase in registrations. Over 45 countries were represented at the event, including all of Central and South America, the Caribbean, Kenya, Alaska and other states of the USA, Italy, Spain, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the Virgin Islands.
The International Leadership Summit was held for the first time in Panama, in 2022, and focused on the challenges that the new cultural tendencies pose to the Church and how to respond to them in a biblical way. The legal challenges faced by the church were also discussed, and leaders were encouraged to seek viable alternatives in order to “advance God’s Kingdom on earth.”
