Michael Youssef, founder and president of Leading The Way and pastor of the Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, Georgia, believes it’s time to redeem and reclaim what many Christians fear most — artificial intelligence.
“I listen carefully to what people are saying, and I understand why so many are terrified of AI,” the 77-year-old Egyptian-American pastor and bestselling author told The Christian Post. “For some good reasons, the potential is huge both ways. But I asked myself, how do we redeem AI? And I believe with all my heart that we’ve succeeded.”
That success, he said, has taken shape in My Faith Assistant, a new digital tool designed to deliver “clear, Scripturally sound responses” to spiritual questions anytime, anywhere.
Built by Leading The Way’s in-house team in collaboration with faith-minded technologists and businessmen, the platform functions like a ChatGPT except, as Youssef described it, “rooted solely in Scripture and faithful teaching from the Word of God.”
The platform, now live at MyFaithAssistant.com and through Leading The Way’s mobile app, represents what Youssef referred to as a defining moment in digital ministry, as it’s the first AI-driven tool of its kind in the Christian world, offering instant biblical guidance alongside access to real-time pastoral care.
Youssef, who has written 58 books, has a global television network and reached millions through broadcast, said the idea for My Faith Assistant began with a simple conversation.
“I sat with my technical teams, I’m not a technical man at all, but I know enough to bring the right people to the table,” he said. “We have an expert on AI heading up our social media team full-time, and together with some business leaders who run AI companies, we just talked about it. How do we redeem AI? How can we use it for the glory of God?”
The result is a system that allows users to type any question, like “What does the Bible say about forgiveness?” or “How can I share my faith with my co-worker?” and receive a concise, Bible-based answer drawn from decades of Youssef’s preaching and writings.
The tool has already facilitated more than 2,400 pilot-phase conversations across 191 biblical topics.
“The internet came, and everybody panicked, saying it was going to bring all this horrible stuff,” Youssef reflected. “And sure enough, it did. But also, now so many people are using the internet to proclaim the Gospel. A knife can hurt somebody or cut bread; everything can be used for the glory of God or as the enemy’s tool. So let’s bring this light to the forefront and let God’s people use it and be blessed by it.”
While My Faith Assistant offers instant answers, Youssef emphasized that its deeper goal is spiritual growth and the opportunity for discipleship. The system can recommend Bible reading plans, direct users to Youssef’s sermons and ultimately connect them to Leading The Way’s pastoral care team for prayer or further support.
“This isn’t just a Q&A machine,” he said. “It’s a discipleship tool. Someone in a remote area, without anyone to guide them, can literally go and find the right tools to help them walk with Christ as His disciple.”
According to Youssef, the feature was inspired by the ministry’s previous “Finding True Peace” campaign, which used brief television spots on secular networks to invite viewers to faith.
“When we were overwhelmed with responses from Finding True Peace, we assembled a group of retired pastors to personally pray with people,” Youssef recalled. “One of them said, ‘I’ve led more people to Christ through this than in all my years in ministry.’ So when someone using My Faith Assistant wants that personal touch, we have those pastors ready.”
For Youssef, who has spent decades broadcasting the Gospel through radio, television and online platforms, My Faith Assistant represents a continuation of his ministry.
Since its founding in 1988, Youssef said Leading The Way has been defined by its embrace of innovation, as the ministry’s early shortwave broadcasts reached believers in restricted nations.
Satellite TV programming soon followed, including THE KINGDOM SAT, a 24/7 Arabic-language Christian channel broadcasting across the Middle East. The organization’s solar-powered Navigator devices now deliver the Bible to remote villages, while its global prayer network connects believers in more than 190 countries.
My Faith Assistant is simply the next step, the pastor stressed. “We’ve always broken through barriers to reach people with God’s Word,” Youssef said. “This tool lets anyone, from the curious skeptic to the mature believer, receive trustworthy answers rooted in Scripture.”
“We exist for one purpose,” he said. “That is to honor the Lord Jesus Christ by ministering to His people, regardless of background or denomination. I often say: yes, we can curse the darkness but let’s not stop there. Let’s light a candle. And this is one of those candles.”
Youssef, a father and grandfather, said his heart is burdened by the thought that the next generation take ownership of the faith now, not later. “I’m seeing it even in our own church,” he said. “The younger generation is into technology, and I’m bringing them into leadership now, not waiting until they get older.”
That includes his own son, Jonathan Youssef, who now shares the pulpit at the Church of the Apostles in Atlanta. “He’s 41 and preaching more and more,” Youssef said. “We’re raising up the next generation. I tell them, ‘You have to carry the baton. You can’t wait until we’re gone.’ We don’t want to be the generation with whom the Gospel dies.”
Through Leading The Way’s global reach, including new initiatives in digital discipleship, the pastor hopes to see young leaders worldwide take up the same charge.
“We’ve lost so many wonderful giants of the faith,” he said, referencing Voddie Baucham and John MacArthur, who died this year. “It grieves me, but that’s why I tell this generation: you need to rise up now, not in the future.”
“Everything we do is for the audience of one,” he said, “One day I want to stand before Jesus and hear, ‘Well done.'”
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
