ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: outsourcing the Gospel

“Seeing is believing” used to be the easy, definitive answer to anything that sounded suspicious or that remotely reeked of a conspiracy. Faith was simple to believe, the world was easy to understand, and convictions were easy to defend.  The newspaper said it, I believed it, and that settled it.

But everything changed. A new player entered the global reporting arena: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Even within the realm of faith, it seems AI has breached what once felt like a fortress. Technology now has the power to transport believers into narratives once reserved for the supernatural only. Miracles can be fabricated, visualized, and amplified to levels never seen before. Yet the original commission entrusted to the Church —to BE witnesses —now risks being outsourced to AI.  After all, who can say it better than a limitless, loveless and spiritless machine with the power to captivate every story into a video?

A CASE IN STUDY

This past week, I received a video of Pastor Hadad, a church leader in Gaza, recounting the testimony of 33 members of his congregation who were reportedly abducted and beheaded by a militant Hamas group led by Abu Bakr Al Mazri. What followed were accounts of extraordinary signs of God’s power, His preservation and His intervention. The Bibles the martyrs clutched shone like gold, and their bodies remained intact despite the extreme humidity of the tunnels where they were killed—so much so that even the forensic pathologist declared it to be a miracle. It seemed unbelievable at first, but it glorified God; how, then, could it not be true?

To watch the video: 33 Christians found in Gaza… but what happened next froze the soldiers, click here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42Up2dHu2A8

The video is brilliantly produced—synchronized with precision, and graphically meticulous. For the untrained eye there could be no doubt that this is a true and authentic account from a brother in Christ who suffers under the hands of radical Islam.

With more than 13,000 views in just 14 days the more than 100 comments reflected the deep impact it had on those who viewed it:

• “Wonderful wonderful living Word! Thank you Jesus! You are our Life, Truth and Way indeed and You are our Victory! Bless you for this beautiful testimony of truth!”
• “This made me cry. 33 Christians now in heaven with our Lord Jesus Christ. The world needs to hear this.”
• “After watching it , Me and my partner could feel the presence of God , what powerful story and testimony.”
• “Absolutely awesome. Our God is alive, a miracle working God. God bless the 33 faithful and brave converts who are resting with Him. To God be the glory and honour and praise for ever and ever.”

And yet, as I watched the video, something felt off. For a Gaza-born Arab, the flawless Oxford English that Pastor Hadad spoke seemed completely out of context, using a vocabulary that few native English speakers would employ. Even his invitation to subscribe to the YouTube channel (02:21 in video) came while he was describing the abduction from the church.  Something was out of place.  His encounter of the supposed massacre came with heartfelt detail, but without any emotion, grief or anguish. It was a clinical encounter of a terrible event.

As I watched the video more red flags rose.  So, I did what every seeker of truth should do.  I went deeper than simply the surface.  This is what I found:

NO, there is no credible evidence that this event ever took place.  Nowhere, except from this one source.  There are no other reports in any other media sources even though this would have reached headlines in Western Media and reputable Christian ministries.

NO, there is no record of anyone named Abu Bakr al‑Mazri (or al‑Masri) connected to Gaza or Hamas (02:05 in video).

NO, there is also no record of the world-renown forensic pathologist Dr. Nabil Samaan in Gaza (16:15 in video)

And, most importantly, NO, there is also no record of a Pastor Hadad in Gaza. There is a Pastor Joseph Hadad who leads the River of God Lebanese Congregation in Nahariya, Israel. It is an Arabic-speaking fellowship established in 2002, serving many Lebanese refugees who settled in Israel.  But there has been no beheadings or abductions from there. Pastor Hadad from Gaza does not exist

Furthermore, NO, Al Redentor Church does not exist in Gaza.  The Christian presence in Gaza is very small, and so are the churches. There are two main churches that remain active in Gaza City: Church of Saint Porphyrius (Greek Orthodox, dating back to the 5th century, the oldest church in Gaza) and the Holy Family Catholic Church (Roman Catholic parish, serving the Latin community.)  The name “Al Redentor” (Spanish/Italian for The Redeemer) does not appear in credible records of Gaza’s churches.

Altogether, there are only the two main churches in Gaza, serving a Christian population that has now shrunk to fewer than 500 people. Against this backdrop, the video’s claim that “Pastor Joseph Hadad” hosted 400 believers in a bunker (00:32 in the video) is highly implausible. If the entire Christian community numbers around 500, it is extremely unlikely that nearly all of them would gather in one assembly, in one location, under one leader.

This testimony is a clear AI fabrication. But it is a fabrication that speaks to the heart, and a story that many Christians would like to be true.  It validates our faith and gives purpose to suffering.  So, it must be true.  But it ultimately ignores the fragile reality of Gaza’s Christian presence—small, scattered, and deeply vulnerable. The claim is designed not to inform, but to manipulate emotions, presenting a dramatic picture that collapses under even basic scrutiny.  It is click-bait in its truest form and very very deceptive.

THIS IS NOT UNIQUE

So, the video was fabricated. It preyed on the hearts of believers concerned for the body of Christ, serving as clickbait to pull viewers into a narrative designed to manipulate.

But this video is not unique.  There are hundreds of thousands similar videos flirting around on social media.  With the press of the button, you can find Donald Trump walking around with a baseball bat, beating up Vladimir Putin, a bridge collapsing in Indonesia with a call to prayer, dogs and cats doing the Macarena,  Christian revivals taking place all over the world, and countless more.  And this is only the beginning.  The future will present audio visuals where it will be impossible to detect fact from fiction.  The challenge we now face is sobering: in a world where seeing is no longer believing, how do we discern truth from deception? How does the untrained eye spot falsehoods and lies?  Especially if the narrative is so appealing and believable.

And let’s be honest: watching a video clip with the hope of spotting any falsehoods is naïve. In today’s digital age, it has become nearly impossible to distinguish what is authentic from what is fabricated by sight alone. The sophistication of AI and media manipulation means that even the most convincing visuals can be deceptive, especially if it confirms an already established belief.

As believers, we cannot afford to be passive consumers of content. We must intentionally put systems in place—checks and balances that guard both our minds and our hearts. These safeguards fall into two essential categories: practical checks and spiritual balances.

PRACTICAL CHECKS

• Check for click-bait headlines: Sensational phrasing designed to provoke curiosity without verifiable detail. Beware of the “never seen before’s”, the “miracles” the “revivals” and any phrase that will raise enough curiosity to draw you in
• Check for credible sources: If there are no references to reputable outlets, eyewitnesses, or organizations it is most probably fake news. Stories of authentic mass killings, and even mass miracles, will feature in other reputable Christian sources like Open Doors or Voice of the Martyrs
• Check for patterns of misinformation: Similar AI-generated titles circulate online, often using stock visuals. Check for facial expressions, emotions, body-language.  If it is clinical it is AI.  If it is interrupted by a phrase that will appear in script, it is AI
• Absence in mainstream media: A story of such magnitude would appear in Reuters, BBC, Al Jazeera, AP. It doesn’t.

How to discern:

• Research.  Research!  Ask AI.  Go to Google.
• Seek independent confirmation from trusted outlets.
• Watch for AI markers: faceless expressions, excessive vocabulary and expressions, synthetic voiceovers, looping stock footage, generic imagery.
• Be wary of religious or conflict-driven sensationalism—it is often exploited for clicks.

SPIRITUAL BALANCES

Spiritual balances need to become a discipline that will simply guide believers into saying “I will not watch any videos that are based on principles that nullifies my faith – principles like sensationalism, fear, suspicion and division”

BIBLICAL FOUNDATION

Christian discernment is rooted in Scripture. The New Testament repeatedly calls believers to test spirits, hold fast to truth, and pursue love and unity rather than fear and division (1 John 4:1; Philippians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 13). These commands make discernment not optional but central to faithful Christian living: it protects the gospel’s integrity and the church’s witness in the world.

WHY SPIRITUAL BALANCE MATTERS

Spiritual balance preserves the gospel’s credibility. When believers accept sensational or fear-driven content uncritically, the message of Christ—centred on repentance, grace, and reconciliation—can be distorted. Content that amplifies suspicion, sensationalism, or division tends to harden hearts and fracture communities rather than draw people to Christ.

Technology intensifies the risk. AI and modern media can create vivid, persuasive images and narratives that feel real even when they are manufactured. That power makes discernment more urgent, because a convincing image is not the same as spiritual truth.

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES FOR CHRISTIANS

1. Anchor in Scripture
   • Read and pray first. Before reacting to or sharing a video, ask whether it aligns with biblical teaching about God, love, and truth. Scripture is the measuring stick for all spiritual claims.
2. Practice Communal Discernment
   • Bring questions to trusted leaders. Discernment is safer and wiser when done in community—pastors, elders, and mature believers can help test narratives and motives.
3. Slow Down Sharing
   • Pause before you post. Make it a rule: don’t share content that provokes fear, suspicion, or division until you’ve verified sources and motives.
4. Evaluate Motives and Methods
   • Ask what the content aims to produce. Is it calling people to repentance and reconciliation, or to outrage and division? Content that stirs fear or sensationalism rarely fosters Christian love.
5. Cultivate Media Literacy

• • Learn how images and AI are made. Understanding how technology can fabricate or manipulate content helps Christians avoid being deceived by appearances.

PASTORAL WARNINGS

Not every moving image is from God. Emotional intensity is not proof of divine origin. The church’s calling is to be witnesses—living, speaking, and loving—rather than outsourcing testimony to machines or sensational media. When technology becomes the primary conveyor of spiritual truth, the relational and sacramental life of the church is at risk.

Make discernment a regular spiritual discipline. Teach it in small groups, model it in preaching, and practice it in daily life. When believers commit to refusing content that promotes fear, suspicion, or division, they protect the church’s witness and open space for genuine reconciliation and love to flourish. This is not a retreat from culture but a faithful engagement with it—guided by Scripture, community, and prayer.