Missional AI Podcast

Episod

• Building AI for the Persecuted Church | Lana Silk (Transform Iran) on KAIROS 26.06.2026 29min

  Tens of millions of Iranians consume gospel media — but only thousands ever make the phone call. Fear of punishment, fear of shame, no safe person to ask. How do you bridge the gap between curiosity and connection at scale?Stu Cranney sits down with Lana Silk of Transform Iran to talk about KAIROS, a free AI-powered evangelism and discipleship platform built for Farsi and other right-to-left languages. Lana shares her own story: born in Tehran on "Black Friday" in 1978, raised by pastor parents who felt called toward the persecuted church, and shaped by a family friend's martyrdom on the day of her own baptism.Together they explore why Transform Iran has spent 35+ years preparing for what they call "Open Iran," how AI solves the problems of access, scale, and safety, and the safeguards behind KAIROS — emotional intelligence, risk red-flagging, 24/7 human oversight, and the moment the tool started praying for people. Lana also looks ahead to trauma support in the wake of recent events, and makes a candid ask about keeping the platform free as demand surges.A conversation about laying track for a train that hasn't arrived yet.Explore KAIROS: kairoschat.aiLearn about Transform Iran: transformiran.orgThis episode is brought to you by Transform Iran & KAIROS, and by Gloo — helping the faith and flourishing ecosystem build technology with innovation and trust in mind. Learn more at studio.ai.gloo.com.Missional AI London is coming July 15 at Plaisterers' Hall, Westminster — one day of real conversations on how we use this technology with wisdom, not fear or hype. Tickets £99. Register at missional.ai.Chapters(00:00) Praying but not preparing(01:57) Sponsor: Transform Iran & KAIROS(02:49) Why this episode is different(05:09) Meet Lana Silk(05:33) Born on "Black Friday," 1978(07:01) Leaving Iran and a ministry for the underground church(07:55) Baptism day and the cost of faith(09:34) How the current conflict shapes Transform Iran(11:04) Rethinking the impossible with AI(12:12) The real problem: access, scale, safety(13:41) Surveillance, privacy, and tools for good(14:23) Why a machine removes fear and shame(15:36) Emotional intelligence and human oversight(16:28) What is KAIROS?(17:19) From 7,000 articles to a discipleship tool(18:14) Training on Scripture(18:41) Sponsor: Gloo(19:47) How the crisis changes who engages(20:44) "I've had Jesus on my mind for a year"(21:24) Can God work through technology?(22:10) The day KAIROS started praying(23:46) Dreaming bigger: scale and trauma support(25:09) Getting involved and keeping KAIROS free(26:28) A picture of the Iran to come(29:11) Outro: Missional AI London
• From NASA to the Kingdom: Inside Gloo AI's Mission to Build Faith-Aligned AI | Missional AI Podcast 18.06.2026 41min

  What does it look like to shape AI for the glory of God?In this episode of the Missional AI Podcast, guest host Josiah sits down live from Silicon Valley with Steele Billings (President of Gloo AI) and Nick Skiltin (former NASA technology and innovation leader, 25 years) of Gloo — the Boulder, Colorado technology company serving the faith and flourishing ecosystem.They unpack the unconventional journeys that brought a team of major-league technologists together at a faith-driven organization, including the arrival of former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger and former Intel CTO Greg Lavender, and why Gloo chose an open rather than closed AI strategy.The conversation digs into:• The origins of the Gloo Hackathon and why 2026 is "the year of the builder"• Flourishing AI (FAI) — Gloo's benchmark for grading frontier models like Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, and others on how well they support human flourishing, built on research from Harvard's Human Flourishing Program, Baylor, and Gallup's Global Flourishing Study• The seven dimensions of flourishing — and why models score lowest on meaning and faith• Safety, accuracy, hallucinated Scripture, and theological alignment• Gloo AI Studio — production-grade, values-aligned AI infrastructure for ministry buildersWhether you're a developer, ministry leader, or simply curious about the intersection of faith and emerging technology, this is a conversation worth your time.🔗 Explore the FAI benchmark: gloo.com/fai🔗 Build with Gloo AI Studio: aistudio.gloo.com🔗 Join the Gloo Hackathon — Boulder, CO, October 6–8, 2026🎟️ Missional AI London is coming July 15 — gather with a global community at the intersection of faith and AI. Tickets are going fast: missional.ai#MissionalAI #FaithAndTechnology #AI #Gloo #HumanFlourishing #ChristianTech
• "Pray Before You Prompt" — James Kelly on Building AI Redemptively 05.06.2026 36min

  What does it look like to build technology redemptively in the middle of war, an industry-wide identity crisis, and the fastest technological shift of our lifetime?Recorded on-site at the Missional AI SV'26 Global Summit in Silicon Valley, James Poulter sits down with James Kelly — founder of FaithTech and a global leader of the faith-and-technology movement. Now active in 50 cities worldwide, with a waiting list of over 100 more, FaithTech gathers volunteer-led communities of believers to build technology grounded in the gospel.James shares how the movement began with a simple coffee-shop gathering of 30 people, the crisis-response hackathon his Middle East community is running under the banner "redemptive technology in a time of war," and the role AI can play in guiding — not replacing — human care in trauma healing.At the heart of the conversation is a framework James has spent years developing: the movement from reckless to responsible to redemptive technology. He unpacks the "killer app trap," why a build-first instinct isn't biblical, the crucial difference between human flourishing and holiness, and how church leaders can pastor the technologists in their communities. He closes on a practice as simple as it is profound: pray before you prompt.A timely, hope-filled conversation for builders, pastors, and anyone wrestling with where AI is taking us.Missional AI is coming to London this July — a one-day gathering of a global community at the intersection of faith, AI, and calling. Find out more at missional.aiLearn more about FaithTech and find or start a community in your city at faithtech.comSubscribe to the Missional AI Podcast wherever you listen
• Spirit Led Intelligence: What AI Can Never Replace | Natchi Lazarus | Missional AI Podcast 24.05.2026 32min

  Recorded live from Silicon Valley at the Missional AI 2026 Global Summit, Josiah sits down with Natchi Lazarus to discuss his brand-new book Spirit Led Intelligence — released just days before this conversation.Natchi has been at the intersection of faith and technology for nearly two decades. Based in Chennai, India, he and his wife began helping their local church with digital ministry in the mid-2000s, pioneering church live streaming back in 2007 — more than a decade before most ministries caught on. His first book, The Connected Church, became a textbook in Bible colleges and seminaries around the world. Now, with AI reshaping everything, Natchi argues the Church needs a new framework and a new vocabulary to thrive in this moment.In this conversation, Natchi and Josiah explore why AI is fundamentally different from social media — social media was attention, AI is electricity — and unpack the three challenges that have plagued churches for 2,000 years and why agentic AI may finally solve them. Natchi shares the story of a twenty-year-old at an AI conference whose question sparked the book, what intelligence actually means, the striking parallel between Genesis 1 and generative AI, and why he insists on the term spirit-led intelligence rather than spiritual intelligence. The episode closes with a vision for partnering with AI on what it does well, while protecting what God uniquely gave each of us to do.Pick up Spirit Led Intelligence by Natchi Lazarus on Amazon — available now.Missional AI is coming to London this July. Join leaders from across Europe and around the world for two days at the intersection of faith and AI. Register at missional.ai.(00:00) Why AI is different from social media(02:16) Welcome and introducing Natchi Lazarus(02:42) From Chennai marketing to church technology(03:42) Pioneering church live streaming in 2007(05:09) Social media skepticism then, AI skepticism now(07:05) Why AI is electricity, not just attention(08:27) The three challenges agentic AI can solve for churches(10:45) The origin story of Spirit Led Intelligence(13:32) Defining intelligence and the role of environment(15:23) Jesus, Adam, and the perfect prompt(17:26) Rediscover, deploy, transmit: the book's framework(19:48) What separates humans from superintelligent AI(22:55) Gifts of the Spirit and partnering with AI(27:48) Why "spirit-led" and not "spiritual" intelligence(29:45) Closing reflection: living with God on a headphone
• Bobby Gruenewald: A Billion Bibles & the AI Moment 15.05.2026 36min

  A billion Bible app installs. Sixteen AI agents. One uncomfortable insight about fluency vs. intelligence. Bobby Gruenewald joins JP on the Missional AI Podcast.What does it look like to lead a ministry through its biggest technological shift in a generation — right after crossing a billion installs?Bobby Gruenewald, Founder of YouVersion, sits down with JP to talk about what the billion-install milestone really represents, why AI is quietly driving a global resurgence in Bible engagement (including print sales among Gen Z), and how he's rebuilding his team for an AI-native future without shrinking it.Bobby unpacks the launch of the YouVersion Platform — now giving developers near-instant licensed access to 1,300+ Bible versions through APIs and SDKs — shares why YouVersion is opening 20+ regional hubs from Lagos to London to São Paulo, and offers a candid look inside his personal AI lab, where 16 agents and roughly a billion tokens a week are reshaping how he leads.He also names one of the most important and least-discussed dynamics of this moment: we've always equated fluency with intelligence, and this is the first technology to be super-fluent without being super-intelligent. The implications — for ministry, leadership, and our own discernment — are significant.In this episode:Why YouVersion paused to celebrate the billion milestoneThe AI moment and the global resurgence of Bible engagementInside the YouVersion Platform and how developers can build with ScriptureWhat it takes to reach the second and third billionRebuilding teams for an AI-native eraYouVersion's new global hub strategyBobby's personal AI experiments — and what they're teaching himBoundaries, deep work, and the illusion of productivityWhy fluency is not intelligenceJoin us in London this July. Missional AI London brings together leaders from across Europe and beyond at the intersection of faith and AI. Register and join the community at https://missional.aiFollow the Missional AI Podcast on Spotify so you don't miss the next conversation.
• The Question Isn't How to Use AI — It's How Not To" - Joshua Seale & Yvonne Carlson 06.05.2026 27min

  "The question isn't how should I use AI — it's how I shouldn't." That insight from Yvonne Carlson sets the tone for our Silicon Valley summit debrief.Recorded at the Missional AI SV'26 Global Summit in Santa Clara, James Poulter sits down with Joshua Seale (Missional AI / Biblica) and Yvonne Carlson to unpack why Silicon Valley felt like the right place to gather this year — and what's shifting at the intersection of faith, technology, and global mission.From Christians embedded in big tech and the major AI labs, to churches finally joining the conversation, to a global community spanning Nairobi, Paris, Mumbai, the Middle East, and beyond — this episode traces how Missional AI has grown from a Bible translation movement into a broader ecosystem reckoning with AI's impact on personhood, work, identity, and ministry.In this episode:Why SV'26 came to the heart of Silicon ValleyChristians in big tech and a "Nehemiah on the walls" momentThe diversification of the Missional AI communityA "Nicene Creed for AI"? The AI Ethics & Standards PlaybookFrom vibe coders to vibe workers (and the coming vibe burnout?)Holding opportunity and risk in tensionWhat stays uniquely human in an AI-saturated worldChapters:(00:00) "It's how I shouldn't use AI"(01:07) Why Silicon Valley for SV'26?(02:50) Why we didn't return to Dallas(04:30) Has tech been hostile to the church?(06:05) How AI is shifting the conversation(07:34) The world comes to Silicon Valley(10:45) From Bible translation to a broader movement(11:58) The church joins the conversation(13:45) Coming up: Missional AI London(14:38) AI as a society-wide issue(17:16) AI in Europe and a "Nicene Creed for AI"(18:13) The AI Ethics & Standards Playbook(20:33) Vibe coders, vibe workers, vibe burnouters(21:10) Identity, giftedness, and what AI changes about us(22:51) Holding opportunity and risk in tension(24:39) What remains uniquely human(26:24) How to get involvedResources:→ Download the AI Ethics & Standards Playbook: https://missional.ai/7-principles-of-ai-ethics→ Join us at Missional AI London (July 2026): https://missional.ai→ Join the community on Slack via https://missional.ai⁠Subscribe for more conversations on faith and AI.
• Dr. John Lennox | What does the AI revolution mean for what it means to be human? 27.04.2026 56min

  Dr. John Lennox on AI, the image of God, and the return of Christ. Recorded in Oxford as foundational content for the Missional AI 2026 Global Summit.What does the AI revolution mean for what it means to be human?This conversation was foundational content for the Missional AI 2026 Global Summit. We deeply wanted Dr. John Lennox's voice shaping the room in Santa Clara, but travel wasn't possible — so we went to him. In February 2026, we sat down with him in Oxford to record this full-length interview, and his thinking became one of the theological anchors of the entire Summit.Dr. John Lennox — Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford, philosopher of science, and author of 2084 and the AI Revolution — joins his nephew Simon Lennox for a wide-ranging conversation on the questions AI is forcing the church to take seriously.Drawing on Genesis, Daniel, 2 Thessalonians, and Revelation, Dr. Lennox traces how today's push toward godlike machines and enhanced humans echoes a much older temptation: "you shall be as gods." He unpacks the control problem, the coming disruption to white-collar work, the weaponization of AI, and why the worldviews of the field's pioneers — overwhelmingly atheist and naturalist — are shaping the systems the whole world will inherit.But this is not a conversation of despair. Dr. Lennox makes a robust case for the dignity of the human person made in the image of God, the uniqueness of consciousness and relationship, and the unrivaled hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He closes with a direct charge to Christian technologists: don't retreat from the field. Partner intellectual wealth with entrepreneurial wealth — as Lydia did with Paul and Humphrey Monmouth did with Tyndale — and use these tools to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth.In this conversation:– Why Dr. Lennox started writing about AI, and what Genesis has to do with it– Biblical prophecy, the "man of lawlessness," and the push toward world government– The deification of humanity, from the Caesars to Yuval Noah Harari's Homo Deus– Narrow AI, agentic AI, and the coming shake-up of law, medicine, and coding– Why ethics depends on worldview, and why Christians must be at the table– Consciousness, qualia, and what machines can never do– Transhumanism's promise of immortality vs. the resurrection of Christ– A charge to Christian technologists: wealth, work, and wisdom for the KingdomBooks referenced:– 2084 and the AI Revolution (Zondervan)– Have No Fear– A Good Return: Biblical Principles of Wealth, Work and WisdomRecorded in Oxford, February 2026. Released as foundational content for Missional AI 2026 — the premier gathering of Christian leaders, technologists, and ministries at the intersection of faith and artificial intelligence.Learn more and join the community at missionalai.comTable of Contents:00:00:00 Introduction00:00:27 Why a mathematician writes about AI00:03:00 The books: 2084 and the AI Revolution00:04:44 Revelation, prophecy, and the Lord of history00:09:09 The man of lawlessness and the deification of humanity00:13:00 Homo Deus: when machines look like gods00:17:12 Reading the Bible into the AI moment00:20:45 A new industrial revolution00:24:31 From narrow AI to agentic decision-making00:28:23 The control problem and the ethics of worldview00:30:59 What machines will never do00:36:11 Worldviews, Harari, and the dignity of being human00:43:06 Transhumanism, immortality, and the resurrection of Christ00:47:39 One-to-one witness in a global crisis00:50:33 A charge to Christian technologists00:53:52 Wealth, work, and wisdom: Lydia, Tyndale, and you00:56:26 Closing
• Is Responsible AI the Brake or the Engine of Innovation? 19.03.2026 19min

  What if responsible AI isn't a brake on innovation — but the engine that drives it?In this episode, Joshua Seale sits down with Maria Luciana Axente, founder of Responsible Intelligence and one of Europe's foremost voices on AI governance. With a decade of experience advising organizations like UNICEF and NATO, Maria brings rare clarity to a conversation the faith community desperately needs to have.Maria reframes the entire AI debate: the challenge ahead isn't primarily technical — it's a human adaptation problem. How do we thrive in a world where machines outperform us on cognitive tasks? And what does common-sense Christian faith have to offer a world racing to figure out AI?In this conversation you'll hear why responsible AI frameworks actually accelerate innovation, what Jensen Huang's two-sided view of AGI means for the rest of us, and why Maria believes the faith community's greatest contribution to this moment might simply be prayer and common sense.This episode was recorded at the Global Missional AI Summit 2025.The Global Missional AI Summit 2026 is happening April 7–9 in Santa Clara, California. Visit missional.ai to register before it sells out.This episode is brought to you in partnership with Gloo — the technology platform for the faith ecosystem. Visit gloo.com to learn more.
• Missional AI 2026 Global Summit: Everything You Need to Know 11.03.2026 34min

  The Missional AI 2026 Global Summit is almost here. In this episode, host James Poulter is joined by Joshua Seale (Senior Director of Digital Products, Biblica) and Yvonne Carlson (CTO, Global Media Outreach) to give you the full inside track on what's coming in Silicon Valley this April.They unpack why the community is making the move to the epicenter of global AI innovation, walk through the brand-new day-by-day conference structure, and share what it means to gather nearly a thousand Christian leaders around the theme of advancing redemptive technology for human flourishing and the mission of God.You'll hear about keynote speakers including Pat Gelsinger, Bobby Grunewald of YouVersion, Wendy Lord from The Chosen, and Dr. John Lennox — plus why this year's format has been redesigned to create more space for the real conversations and connections that make this community so special. Joshua and Yvonne also share honest, practical advice for getting the most out of three intense days, whether you're a returning attendee or joining for the very first time.If you haven't grabbed your ticket yet, head to https://missional.ai/https://missional.ai/— and if this episode lands in your feed and you're not yet subscribed, now's a great time to follow the show.
• Vibe Coding for Mission: Building AI Tools on a Flight with Don Barger of IMB 05.03.2026 59min

  What if you could go from idea to working prototype on a single flight — no developer, no team, no budget? For Dr. Don Barger, that's just a normal Tuesday.Don is the Director of Innovation and AI at the International Mission Board, one of the largest evangelical mission organizations in the world. With 27 years of mission experience across Peru, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and beyond, he joins Missional AI Podcast host James Poulter for a candid conversation about what's actually possible when you pair agentic AI with a problem-solving mindset.They get into the real tools Don uses daily — Claude Code, VS Code, Ollama, and local AI models — and why running AI locally is a game-changer for secure mission work. Don also shares how he built a full-stack website mid-flight, prototyped a missional video game over the Pacific, and is using multilingual chatbots to scale gospel conversations around the world.This is a must-watch episode, but great listening too. Find Don at faithbot.tools and donbarger.substack.com, and join the Missional AI community at missional.ai. The Global Missional AI Summit 2026 is happening in Silicon Valley, April 7–9. We'd love to see you there.
• AGI Is 5-10 Years Away — Is the Church Ready? | Dr. Richard Susskind 27.02.2026 13min

  Dr. Richard Susskind has spent four decades studying the social, legal, and ethical implications of emerging technology — and he's sounding the alarm. In this episode, we sit down with Richard to explore why leading AI researchers now believe AGI is just five to ten years away, what that means for society and the church, and why the window to act is now. From the problem of AI control to the need for international diplomacy and deeper public discourse, this conversation is essential listening for anyone serious about navigating the future with wisdom and conviction."Saving humanity with and from AI is the defining challenge of our age."
• "This AI Moment Is a Gospel Moment" — Conversation with Yvonne Carlson 12.02.2026 11min

  What if the greatest barrier to sharing the gospel — language — was suddenly no longer an issue?In this episode, we sit down with Yvonne Carlson, Chief Technology Officer at Global Media Outreach and board member of Faith Tech, about how AI is reshaping digital evangelism and discipleship.Yvonne shares how GMO is deploying chatbot technology and AI-powered messaging assistants to connect seekers with online missionaries at scale. She unpacks how translation breakthroughs mean mission organizations are no longer limited by the languages on their team, why the cultural context still matters, and what the "message assistant" co-pilot for online missionaries looks like in practice.As Yvonne puts it: "This AI moment is a gospel moment." For builders and ministry leaders alike, the opportunities have never been greater.Topics covered: AI chatbots for digital evangelism, the message assistant co-pilot, language barriers and cultural localization, how builders can steward this moment, and why partnership across the faith-tech space matters more than ever.The Global Missional AI Summit 2026 is happening April 7-9 in Silicon Valley. Early bird pricing is available through March 10 at missional.ai.This episode is sponsored by Gloo, the technology platform for the faith ecosystem. Learn more at gloo.com.
• The Biggest Barrier to Innovation Isn't Technology — It's Fear 03.02.2026 13min

  Alfred Biehler spent 13 years at Google London, finishing as Head of Innovation — a title he created for himself and simply used until it stuck. But his most powerful innovation habit had nothing to do with tech: before advising any organization, he'd ask God what He wanted to say to them.In this episode, Alfred and the Missional AI team explore why the church is scared of AI when it should be energized by it, how this technology can accelerate mission work in ways both obvious and surprising, and why the single biggest obstacle to innovation — in any organization — is a spirit of fear. Grounded in 2 Timothy 1:7, it's a conversation about what happens when we build from courage instead.
• Scripture for the Last Mile: Reaching the Unreached with Simple Tools 26.01.2026 21min

  What if the most powerful innovation isn't about bleeding-edge technology, but about using what you already have in new and strategic ways?In this episode recorded live at CV Global Digital Day in London, Joshua Seale shares Biblica's remarkable journey of digital Bible distribution—230 apps, 7 million users, half a billion Scripture engagements, and zero lines of code written by their team.But here's the real story: While 95% of all digital Scripture engagement happens in just five languages, Joshua and his team made a different choice. They focused on the last mile—the underrepresented languages where massive populations had almost no access to digital Scripture.In this episode, you'll discover:How a $2,000 experiment became a movement reaching millionsThe Ukrainian Bible app built in one day that reached 1 million users in 200 days during the warWhy digital distribution costs $0.17 vs. $12 for printed Bibles in restricted areasHow open licensing and Creative Commons unlocked exponential kingdom impactThe AI chatbot serving emerging world pastors who lack formal theological trainingWhy persistence beats perfection in innovation workThe breakthrough result: In the 20 most underrepresented languages, Biblica saw 10,000% more users than major platforms by taking a laser-focused approach on the underserved.Key Quote: "God can use the things that you have right now. Innovation isn't easy, but persistence beats perfection. What could you do with what you already have?"This is a masterclass in strategic innovation that prioritizes kingdom impact over technological sophistication.
• The Ethics of AI: Could We, Should We, Would We? with James Poulter 20.01.2026 23min

  In this thought-provoking episode recorded live at CV Global Digital Day in London, James Poulter challenges us to move beyond asking "What is AI?" to wrestling with the more critical questions: How should we use it, and why?As we stand at the threshold of agentic AI—where artificial intelligence doesn't just respond but actually does the work for us—James explores the profound ethical implications for the church and kingdom work. With over a billion people now using ChatGPT daily and predictions of AI superintelligence by 2027, the future is arriving faster than most of us realize.In this episode, you'll discover:Why AI is fundamentally different from other tools (it's grown, not built)The hidden "system prompts" shaping how AI models interpret reality—including religious textsThe dangerous "trust transfer" phenomenon and why it mattersHow the church can lead in establishing ethical frameworks for AI usePractical resources including the Missional AI Community Christian AI PrinciplesJames doesn't shy away from the hard questions—from job displacement and surveillance to the possibility of AI sentience and rights. But rather than fear, he calls us to be the best users of this technology, aligned with Scripture and kingdom values.Key Quote: "We need to use it with caution. We need to use it aligned to scripture and ethics. And we need to know what we're trusting and more importantly, whom we are trusting, because these things are being grown, not made."
• The Crisis in Nonprofit Missions: How AI Can Solve the Donor Retention Problem 12.01.2026 15min

  What if the greatest threat to your nonprofit isn't lack of funding or passion—but a quiet crisis happening in your donor database right now?Most nonprofit CEOs claim they have "good retention," but when you peel back the onion, the reality is sobering: organizations are losing 40% or more of their donors every single year. It's nearly impossible to build a sustainable mission when you're hemorrhaging that much support annually.In this episode, we sit down with Justin Wheeler, founder and CEO of Fundraise, a technology platform serving nonprofits globally. Before building Fundraise, Justin spent 13 years in the nonprofit trenches, co-founding organizations like Invisible Children and Liberty in North Korea. Those experiences—the frustrations with inadequate tools and the hunger for better solutions—inspired him to create purpose-built technology for the nonprofit sector.In this conversation, we explore:Why digital fundraising for nonprofits hasn't evolved like e-commerce, and what needs to changeHow AI-powered insights can identify at-risk donors before they churn and surface hidden opportunities for deeper engagementThe critical guardrails needed when using powerful personalization technology ethicallyWhy the nonprofit sector is suddenly embracing AI after years of tech resistance (hint: FOMO is real)How AI could finally solve the systemic donor retention crisis that quietly kills missionsJustin's approach isn't about replacing human connection with algorithms—it's about using AI to tell fundraisers where to focus their relational energy for maximum kingdom impact. As he puts it: "Just because you have the data doesn't mean the person is going to give. You still need to build authentic relationships."This episode is essential listening for anyone leading fundraising efforts, managing donor relationships, or wondering how AI can serve—not replace—the human heart of nonprofit work.
• From Event to Movement: Vision Casting for Missional AI 2026 15.12.2025 24min

  Join us for a special episode recorded in Paris, where Joshua sits down with James Poulter and Éric Célérier for an intimate planning session about the future of Missional AI. Fresh from exploring the spiritual renewal happening across Europe, the team shares their vision for the 2026 summit in Silicon Valley and the evolution from an annual conference to a year-round movement.In this episode, you'll discover:The ambitious vision for Missional AI 2026: bringing 1,000 attendees to the heart of Silicon Valley-How the community has evolved into three distinct tiers: technical builders, non-technical "vibe coders," and ethics/theology thinkers-Why "intentionality" is emerging as the defining theme for 2026Plans for sustaining community year-round through podcasts, regional gatherings, and an open ecosystem-Content tracks designed for pastors, denomination leaders, developers, entrepreneurs, and AI practitioners-Eric's inspiring story of faith: investing $124,000 in JESUS.net 17 years ago and reaching over 1 billion people-The dream of creating local missional AI gatherings around the world—from cafes in Paris to meetups in SingaporeKey Quote:"If God is calling you to do something, you do it by faith, with the intention of glorifying God. You give your life, you put everything in... but you don't do it alone." - Eric CelsierWhether you're a technical developer, a church leader exploring AI, or someone called to build at the intersection of faith and technology, this episode will inspire you to take bold steps and join a global community using AI for God's kingdom.Registration is now open for Missional AI 2026 in Silicon Valley. Register here: https://missional.ai/
• Divine Intelligence with Éric Célérier 08.12.2025 19min

  What if the key to building transformative AI isn't just technical prowess, but divine intelligence? In this compelling conversation, Joshua sits down with Éric Célérier a French technologist and ministry pioneer who's spent decades at the intersection of faith and technology.Eric founded jesus.net, a global cooperation of 130 ministries operating in 40 languages, and is now building Hello Bible, an AI companion designed to help the 95% of Christians who don't read Scripture daily connect personally with God's word. He's also developing an open-source Christian LLM for the entire church to use in Bible translation, education, and ministry applications.Drawing on the stories of Daniel, Joseph, and Bezalel—the first person Scripture says was filled with the Holy Spirit specifically to create with intelligence and artistry—Eric challenges the false choice between divine and artificial intelligence. Rather than opposing AI and the Holy Spirit, Eric invites us to see technology as an opportunity for partnership with God, creating spaces where divine encounters can happen.Eric shares practical insights on starting each day with God, praying for wisdom, and doing things with God rather than just for God. Whether you're a technologist, entrepreneur, or ministry leader, this conversation will inspire you to seek divine intelligence as the foundation for all you build.
• Building Together - The Power of Open Innovation in Faith Tech 01.12.2025 30min

  Here's a reformatted version with better structure and flow:What if the secret to keeping pace with AI isn't working harder, but working together?In this builder panel episode, host James Poulter sits down with three pioneers of open innovation in the faith tech space: James Kelly (Founder, Faith Tech), Ali Llewellyn (Gloo Open), and Nick Skitland (Gloo Open).As new AI models drop on Saturday afternoons and developers feel the pressure to stay current with every update, a performance culture threatens to burn out even the most passionate technologists. But there's another way.In this conversation, you'll discover:• Why "irrational generosity" is reshaping how faith-based organizations approach technology• How Faith Tech has grown to 50 cities across 18 countries, mobilizing Jesus-following developers to build Kingdom technology• The surprising story of the "Pineapple Project"—a global hackathon team that built across six continents in 48 hours• Why you don't need to be a developer to shape the future of AI (and how to get involved)• How open source principles are creating shared infrastructure, data sets, and APIs for the entire faith community• The collective might of the church vs. the limitations of individual organizationsFrom hackathons in Jordan to community chapters in London to collaborative projects spanning time zones, this episode demonstrates that open collaboration isn't just efficient—it's fundamentally Christian.Resources mentioned:• Faith Tech: faithtech.com• Gloo Open: ai.gloo.us• Global Missional AI Summit 2026: April 7-9 in Silicon Valley (registration at missional.ai)Whether you're a technologist, ministry leader, or simply passionate about the future, this conversation will challenge you to rethink how the church can shape technology's trajectory—together.
• Turning Language Data into Kingdom Impact: AI-Powered Bible Translation 12.11.2025 17min

  What if the biggest barrier to Bible translation isn't time or money—but capturing the right data? In this episode of the Global Missional AI Podcast, we explore how two organizations are revolutionizing Bible translation for the world's lowest-resourced languages.Jacob Bullock from SIL Global and Daniel Wilson from XRi Global share their groundbreaking approach to collecting and optimizing language data. Daniel reveals a stunning calculation: Kenya's 300,000 teachers could generate a trillion tokens of Swahili—enough to train a large language model—in just two months. The challenge isn't data scarcity; it's strategic data capture.We discuss the next frontier in AI-assisted ministry: moving from early adoption to scalability. Jacob explains how they're helping Bible translators find their identity as "skilled craftsmen" who use AI as a tool rather than viewing it as a replacement. Daniel shares practical examples of "AI-first" workflow, including how AI agents completed hours of research while he cleaned his garage.Key topics include:Why "low-resource languages" is almost a scandal when data is abundant but uncapturedThe science of optimizing "intelligence per sentence" in data collectionHow to develop new muscle memory for AI-powered knowledge workThe identity question: "Who am I in the world of AI?"Accelerating not just Bible translation but Scripture engagement across all resource levelsWhether you're in ministry, missions, or simply curious about AI's role in reaching unreached people groups, this conversation offers practical insights on bridging the gap between technological possibility and kingdom impact.