Hope Beyond the Machine
In 1998, at almost 80 years old, Billy Graham stood on the TED stage in Silicon Valley—surrounded by the brightest minds in science and technology—and humbly made a statement that may be more relevant today than it was almost 30 years ago:
With all our technological advancements, we still cannot solve the basic human problems of evil, suffering, and death.
Dr. Graham marveled at the breakthroughs of the digital age. At the time, it was the microchip that had captured the imagination of the world. But he pointed out that despite all our progress, some questions remain untouched by silicon and code.
Today, we stand on a new precipice. Artificial Intelligence is no longer an idea on the horizon—it is here, learning, adapting, expanding. Some of the leading minds in technology predict that within the next five years, AI may surpass the collective intelligence of the human race. It can compose music, solve complex equations, write poetry, and even mimic emotion. But it still cannot answer the simplest cries of the human soul:
Why do I hurt?
Why did they leave?
Why did I do what I did?
Why did they die?
What happens when I do?
In his talk, Dr. Graham pointed to King David, who ushered the Iron Age into Israel and had access to every form of human advancement in his time—military might, wealth, innovation—and still said, “My help comes from the Lord.”
The breadth of David’s technological advances still couldn’t keep him from sin, discouragement, or death. As incredible as they are, AI algorithms cannot overcome this either. No machine can carry your grief. No neural network can unlock eternal life.
So as the world rushes toward what may be the most significant technological leap in human history, I am convinced that we must redouble our efforts to invite people into something technology can never offer: a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Now is not the time for the Church to retreat into nostalgia or fear. It is the time to stand with confidence in the unchanging Gospel of Jesus Christ. The world is asking deeper questions than ever before. Let’s be ready with more than answers—let’s offer them Jesus.
