When you have a pressure cooker, why boil rice in a frying pan?

A Christian educator’s reflection on AI, fear and faithful innovation - by ND Lama

Executive Summary

In this reflective article, Christian educator ND Lama shares his personal journey of embracing artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for creativity, ministry and education. Drawing from his reunion with a fellow servant-leader, stories from his Buddhist upbringing and global perspectives on AI ethics, he explores the tension between fear and innovation. Rather than rejecting AI as a threat to faith or security, Lama urges readers to engage with it with wisdom, responsibility and spiritual discernment - reminding us that technology, like a pressure cooker, is powerful not because it is dangerous, but because it is misunderstood.

A song, a friend and a new way of creating

I cooked up a song for my dear brother Jolyon, whom I first met in 2019 in Turkey. Years later he stepped away from many responsibilities to care for his beloved wife during her final season of illness - serving her faithfully until her passing. We met again in 2025 at the Increase Association conference in Malaysia, where he warmly welcomed me with tea. As I sat across from him, I gently asked about his wife. The song was born from that sacred moment of remembrance, grief, love, and reunion - made possible through the help of ChatGPT and Suno.

I composed the song on July 26th 2025 at 6am in room 2511 of the Hotel Perdana in Malaysia, while my roommates Tanka Subedi and Wailes Rangsa snored peacefully nearby. Five years ago I had only a desire and an intuition to create - but no tools. Today I can compose songs in collaboration with AI tools. So I ask my fellow labourer: when you have a pressure cooker, why boil your rice in a frying pan? You can listen to the song here.

Fears and concerns: what Christians are saying

For some believers, using AI for ministry feels like replacing the Holy Spirit. One user on an Episcopal forum noted: 'If I use ChatGPT to write my sermon, am I skipping communion with God?' Catholic journalist Julie Ferraro, reporting from a Vatican AI ethics conference, echoed that concern, warning that while machines can imitate language, they lack the soul behind divine inspiration. She also highlighted humorous yet troubling errors - like AI turning 'Laudato Si’ into 'loud otto see' - as signs that the technology lacks nuance and spirit.

Pastor John Dube (2025) believes sermon preparation is not just academic - it’s spiritual formation. Outsourcing it to AI, he argues, robs pastors of the transformative encounter with Scripture. He calls preaching 'an act of worship'. Similarly, Christian writer Chris Martin (2023) warns believers not to make a 'magician’s bargain' - trading prayerful, Spirit-led thinking for optimisation and convenience.

Between fear and faith: a wise way forward

Not all voices are dismissive. Seth Barnes (2023) affirms that only humans bear the image of God and that AI lacks a divine spark - but he also insists that we must not retreat. He warns that if we avoid the conversation, others will shape AI without our values. He advocates for wise, prayerful engagement, guided by Scripture and spiritual community.

The United Methodist Church’s Discipleship Ministries (2023) also encourage thoughtful use. They advise using AI for ideas, language suggestions and administrative tasks - but never for replacing theological reflection or human relationship. They remind us: technology is a tool, not a substitute for Spirit-filled ministry.

When the risk is real: privacy and data warnings

Beyond spiritual concerns, data privacy is a valid issue. In 2024 security experts discovered that the DeepSeek AI app sent unencrypted data to servers in China and collected invasive device metadata, raising concerns about user safety (Malwarebytes Labs, 2024). This led to the app being banned in several countries. As AI becomes more powerful, Christians - especially those in closed or restricted contexts - must be vigilant about which platforms they are using.

When the pressure cooker shines

Despite these concerns, AI has proven to be a powerful servant in many fields:

• Education: 89% of US college students use ChatGPT to brainstorm or improve their writing, and educators report using it to give feedback and save time (Intelligent.com, 2023).

• Health care: Tools like OpenEvidence help doctors review thousands of research papers in seconds, improving diagnosis without replacing human judgment (OpenEvidence, 2023).

• Medical research: AI has detected diseases like Parkinson’s through earwax samples with 94% accuracy (Science Daily, 2024).

• Accessibility: Arizona State University developed smart glasses that describe a room in real time for blind users (ASU News, 2024).

• Disaster response: Satellites equipped with onboard AI detect wildfires faster than human analysts, helping save lives (PBS NewsHour, 2023).

  
  

These are not stories of machine domination, but of faithful human stewardship of powerful new tools.

Guiding AI with wisdom and discernment

So how should we, as believers and labourers, respond?

First, we must acknowledge the validity of the concerns. AI should never replace the Holy Spirit’s guidance, nor should it supplant the human relationships at the heart of ministry. However, like a pressure cooker, AI can be a powerful tool when used with care.

Here are five principles for responsible use:

• Keep faith central: Use AI to assist, not replace, your spiritual work.

• Exercise discernment: AI makes mistakes. Review and verify its output.

• Protect privacy: Avoid suspicious platforms and check data policies.

• Preserve relationships: Don’t let efficiency replace empathy.

• Engage constructively: Don’t fear AI - shape it through thoughtful use.

  
  

Just as a pressure cooker can be misused as a bomb - but is designed to prepare nourishing meals - AI can also be misused, but it was created to help. Don’t let fear keep you from learning. Instead, become a faithful guide to this powerful helper.

An analogy from animist roots

I grew up in an animist-Buddhist family where spirits were believed to dwell in every object and corner. That worldview, while deeply spiritual, often led to fear-based living. We had designated days when we could not travel, bathe or even cut our nails - out of fear of offending unseen forces.

Today I meet individuals who speak about AI with a similar fear - as if it were a mystical, uncontrollable entity. However, AI is not a spirit to be appeased or feared - it is a tool, shaped by the intent and ethics of its user. Living in fear is not the same as living in wisdom. What we need is discernment, prayer and engagement - not retreat.

The teenager analogy: a maturing tool

In the past, computers were like obedient children - doing only what we programmed. With AI, it feels like that child has grown into a teenager: still helpful, but now more powerful, intuitive and sometimes unpredictable. AI is like a young assistant full of potential. It is time we too grow in our understanding to work wisely with this evolving tool.

About the author

ND Lama has been integrating faith and technology for over two decades. He began his IT journey as a Computer Administrator at ITEEN Nepal (2001–2010), then served at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) in the US (2012–2017), supporting professors during the early shift to online learning. Since 2019 he has led as the founding principal of Dynamic Public School in Nepal, spearheading digital transformation and educational reform.

He has trained faculty across Nepali colleges to adopt Learning Management Systems and online pedagogy. ND Lama holds a Doctor of Educational Ministry (DEdMin) from SBTS, is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science at the University of the People, and dreams of earning a PhD in Artificial Intelligence to help shape the future of education in Nepal.

References

American Chemical Society. (2025, June 18). AI sniffs earwax and detects Parkinson's with 94% accuracy. ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250618094443.htm 

AI's impact on education in 2025. (2025, June 27). Cengage Group. https://www.cengagegroup.com/news/perspectives/2025/ais-impact-on-education-in-2025/

Barnes, S. (2025, April 18). AI and faith - cautions and concerns. SethBarnes.com https://sethbarnes.com/post/ai-and-faith-cautions-and-concerns-radical-living/

Davis, B. (2025, May 30). Let's not miss our moment: 10 concerns about AI and the church. UMC Discipleship https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/articles/lets-not-miss-our-moment-10-concerns-about-ai-and-the-church

deVos, K. (2025, February 20). Student exploring how AI can assist people with vision loss. ASU News https://news.asu.edu/20250220-science-and-technology-student-sees-how-ai-can-assist-people-vision-loss

Dube, J. (2025, January 23). Don't be an artificial preacher: an argument against using AI in sermon preparation. The Master's Seminary Blog https://blog.tms.edu/dont-be-an-artificial-preacher

Ferraro, J. A. (2025, May 30). Why I refuse to use AI: The human cost of artificial intelligence. Favs.news https://favs.news/why-i-refuse-to-use-ai/ 

Krebs, B. (2025, February 6). Experts flag security, privacy risks in DeepSeek AI App – Krebs on Security. KrebsOnSecurity.com https://krebsonsecurity.com/2025/02/experts-flag-security-privacy-risks-in-deepseek-ai-app/

Martin, C. (2025, June 17). AI promises a kind of ministry we shouldn't want. FYI with Chris Martin https://www.chrismartin.fyi/p/ai-promises-a-kind-of-ministry-we 

Powell, A. (2025, March 20). How AI is transforming medicine - Harvard Gazette. Harvard Gazette https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/03/how-ai-is-transforming-medicine-healthcare/

Note: ChatGPT proofread

Author's note on writing process:

To write this article, I began by reflecting personally and outlining key ideas, drawing from stories, conversations and my ministry experience. I then used ChatGPT to help organise my outline, gather global perspectives (both supportive and critical of AI) and refine language. I also used Google Gemini to generate and verify references, selecting only reliable sources. While I have experience with both Chicago and APA citation styles, these tools made the process faster without replacing my judgement or authorship. The names and stories of friends like Jolyon, Tanka and Wailes were included only after permission. My use of AI was always guided by prayer, discernment and the goal of clear, faithful communication.

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