On my last trip to Canada, I heard that church planting had fallen out of favor. A Bible school graduate told me, “Even Christian universities discourage it—it’s seen as culture-changing, and that’s considered wrong.”Some assume that because city officials resist zoning for churches, they must be undesirable in modern society.
A Surprise from AI
Here in Marabá, our neighborhood was considered dangerous. Officials warn visitors not to stay past dusk. A taxi once refused to bring a friend here at night. So when I asked ChatGPT to summarize our area, I expected crime, violence, and economic hardship. Instead, it called our neighborhood privileged. Why? Because of two churches—ours, Igreja da Vinha, and another local congregation. This wasn’t a faith-based query. It was raw data. And yet, the conclusion was clear: churches improve communities.
Why This Matters
AI aggregates vast amounts of information, often revealing trends we overlook. This result didn’t shock me, though, for two reasons: Academia recognizes it. In my 2015 master’s research on helping marginalized communities, my secular university encouraged me to highlight the role of evangelical churches. The data is undeniable—Christians have historically led efforts to uplift the disadvantaged. Firsthand experience confirms it. After 30 years of cross-cultural work across four continents, I’ve seen missionaries and churches at the forefront of community transformation, helping people build better lives. Maybe it’s time we rethink the narrative. What if churches aren’t a problem—but part of the solution? |
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