Transform Iran, a church-planting and missions organization, launched a new artificial intelligence platform to help spread the gospel throughout Iran and other countries that lack faith-based resources. 

Lana Silk, CEO of Transform Iran, said the organization released the free, online AI platform Kairos in August. Transform Iran, she noted, provides printed and digital resources that go beyond barriers of access, including language, literacy and age. She explained:

We have a dream of making sure that every person in Iran has had the opportunity to hear the gospel in a clear and compelling way — and the opportunity to respond to it.

Islamic frustration

Silk explained that many Muslims in Iran are faced with a bleak state of living since communication, media outlets and relationships are controlled by the Islamist regime. Many people are growing impatient with the promises the regime has failed to deliver, she noted.

“The vast majority of Muslims in Iran are frustrated with every aspect of their lives — how their freedoms are curtailed, how they have such difficult economic hardships to overcome. There’s no job security; there’s no hope for a good future,” Silk said. 

Searching for answers

These failed promises have hardened many people against Islam, but their belief in God sends them searching for answers, Silk said. Transform Iran meets seekers while they’re searching via website, satellite TV, radio, social media and now AI. 

“We have provided an AI engine that will give accurate answers to the Christian faith,” Silk said. “We provide a free [virtual private network] to Iranians because part of all of this difficulty for them is actually getting to access this material without the shadow of the government over them.” 

Many VPNs in Iran are too expensive or introduce viruses and malware to users’ devices. Silk said thinking about meeting people where they are searching led to providing free and safe VPNs for Iranians. 

“Be present everywhere they might be looking,” Silk said. “Have those answers ready for them.” 

Using Kairos

Kairos is globally available online in 256 languages. Silk said the platform was used in 41 countries in September. Besides being used in Iran, Kairos is also being heavily used in Asian countries where Christians face persecution, as well as in the underground Church.

Silk said pastors in the United States and Europe are using Kairos for sermon preparation, and many Christians use it for devotional outlines. 

While the AI tool makes it easy to type in questions and receive immediate biblically backed answers to probing questions, Silk said Kairos is not a substitute for Christian fellowship.

“It’s still great and important to be a part of a Christian community but when that’s something that is difficult, then at least you know that at any time and any place you can still have a conversation with a Bible-based tool that’s going to help you grow in your faith while waiting for the next opportunity to ask a human,” Silk said. 

It’s understandable to be skeptical of AI and new technology, Silk said. However, she encourages everyone to try Kairos and quiz the search engine to test its biblical accuracy. She said Kairos cannot give answers that go against God’s Word.

You will be blown away by the way Kairos will keep pointing you back to the Bible and to Jesus.

Silk continued, “With careful use of this technology that’s available to us, we can be good stewards of it and make sure it serves the Kingdom of God.”

Keeping anonymity 

Young people are looking for easily accessible and interactive information through social media and AI. Even though Transform Iran provides people with WhatsApp, Telegram Messenger, email and phone number contacts where they can discuss their faith-based questions with real people, Silk said some people prefer to stay anonymous by asking questions to Kairos if they have security concerns.

“It’s still a really big step for someone to go from watching something completely anonymously to actually speaking with a human being,” Silk said. “Now, they’re being very exposed because the government might pick up on that communication.”

AI works to bridge this gap, Silk said. By keeping users’ identities anonymous, Kairos allows people to get accurate, faith-based answers to their questions in places like Iran where conversion to Christianity is illegal. 

“No one needs to know who you are,” Silk said. “But you still get to interact; you still get to have a personal conversation.” 

Breaking isolation

Another benefit to using Kairos is the ability to engage with biblical content in a similar way to a group study setting while remaining isolated.

“It offers that little bit of dialogue and interaction for people who are starved of Christian conversation,” Silk said. “It’s especially so for people who are the first in their communities to get saved.”

When people are the first to get saved, they may not have anyone else to confide in or ask questions about Jesus. Kairos allows users to engage in these types of conversations even if they are alone in their new Christian walk.

“That interaction does offer hope because it offers hope for community, and it keeps that sort of relational aspect alive a little bit in your heart while you’re waiting to bring that message to your loved ones and see God do a miracle in their lives,” Silk said. 

Kairos also offers encouragement and advice on how to pray when faced with topics like war, justice and government oppression. Silk said it has been programmed to teach users how to pray through Scripture as well as provide answers for what the Bible says regarding different circumstances. Silk said:

I pray that the information that comes out of Kairos and these interactions leads many people to the Lord. 

Transform Iran’s pillars of focus

According to Silk, Transform Iran focuses on evangelism, discipleship, leadership development and church planting. Transform Iran believes in further developing the seeds that are planted by mentoring leaders, training leaders in safe centers in the Middle East and encouraging people to attend the organization’s Bible college and digital Bible network.

Transformation is part of the focus for the organization. This ensures new believers in Iran become fruitful in their own evangelical work. 

“Churches are planted out of their witness so that every part of society is reached with the love of God,” Silk said. “And any other aspect of society that might still be untouched … we can make sure our churches are actively working as salt and light in their communities.” 

Ways to get involved

Transform Iran is actively fundraising to create a Kairos app. Silk said the app will cost her organization $17,000. 

Learn more about how you can help here. You can also sign up for Transform Iran’s monthly email updates to see what God is doing in this missions field. 

Header image courtesy of Unslpash.

Originally published on: The Alabama Baptist