What artificial intelligence will always miss
When we see AI translate sermons, subtitles and social media posts within seconds, it’s tempting to dream of exponential church growth through digital evangelism. But simply translating discipleship materials is not enough. A translated gospel is not always a contextualized gospel.
To contextualize the gospel means communicating the unchanging message of Jesus Christ in a way that is understandable, relational and meaningful within a specific culture.
Quebec is a place where this distinction matters deeply, because its history has left many with a complicated, emotional memory of institutional religion. Religious language can trigger distance or suspicion, even as Quebeckers show a deep spiritual hunger, particularly among younger generations. Conversations about meaning, belonging, identity, justice, beauty and mental health are everywhere.
This means evangelism in Quebec cannot simply import ministry models from English-speaking North America or France. French-speaking audiences are not culturally identical. France French, Quebec French and Montreal’s bilingual culture each carry their own beauty, humour, references, rhythms and relational instincts.
Literal translation may preserve information, but it often loses emotional resonance. It can flatten humour, vulnerability, pacing and warmth, and may unintentionally sound imported. People look for authenticity before they offer trust, which is why tone and cultural context matter immensely. When people feel marketed to, they scroll; when they feel understood and genuinely connected, they stay.
Literal translation may preserve information, but it often loses emotional resonance.
Gospel ministry can never be reduced to information distribution, because we are made in the image of a relational God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – to know and be known, to love and be loved.
Jesus set the pattern for effective ministry. He did not simply broadcast truths. He shared meals, asked questions, listened to stories and entered people’s lives personally. His ministry was marked by closeness, hospitality and presence.
In Quebec culture what often resonates online is not polished performance or aggressive apologetics but testimony, humility, humour, honest questions, beauty and relational invitation. People engage with content that feels human rather than produced for mass consumption.
This is where AI and translation technologies must be approached carefully. These tools are useful for accessibility, efficiency and collaboration, helping ministries reach wider audiences. But AI is a tool, not a substitute for cultural intimacy or human presence. People often sense when content was conceived specifically for them versus merely imported for them.
Martin Buber, the 20th century European philosopher, described two ways of relating. In an "I-Thou" relationship, the other person is approached with curiosity, dignity and attentiveness. But in an "I-It" relationship, people become objects, audiences or projects. Communication becomes transactional.
When evangelism is reduced to translation, it falls into an "I-It" mode. Contextualization requires an "I-Thou" posture. It calls us to listen before sharing, to learn and inquire before assuming and to consider the deeper questions and experiences people are carrying within their realities.
Ultimately, effective digital evangelism relies on authentic connection. As Pope Francis observed in 2014, the digital world must be "an environment rich in humanity; a network not of wires but of people … in order to dialogue with people today and help them encounter Christ," which requires genuine human presence rather than just automated translation.
Fostering that kind of presence requires prioritizing spiritual depth. In Emotionally Healthy Discipleship (Zondervan, 2021), New York pastor Peter Scazzero writes that "the goal of the Christian life was to abide in Jesus all day, remaining in communion with Him in everything." Authentic evangelization must flow from communion, not performance.
Instead of asking, "How do we translate content into French?" let’s ask, "How do we love people well in their actual context?" How do we create digital spaces where people feel seen, heard and respected, communicating the gospel relationally?
Evangelism always returns to our call to love as Jesus loves. This requires listening, presence, humility and openness – especially in online spaces where distance is already built-in. The goal is not merely reach, but resonance and significance.
Soukeïna N’Diaye of Mont-Royal, Que., is a francophone and anglophone specialist at Alpha Canada (AlphaCanada.org). Find more of these columns at FaithToday.ca/ThrivingInDigital.