We're standing at a threshold. The kind of moment that only comes a few times in human history—when the tools we create fundamentally change who we can become.
Florence, 1440
In the heart of Renaissance Florence, something remarkable was happening. The printing press was democratizing knowledge that had been locked away in monasteries. Artists were discovering perspective, painting the world as it actually looked rather than as tradition demanded. Scholars were rediscovering Greek and Roman texts, synthesizing ancient wisdom with new ideas.
The Renaissance wasn't just about new technology—it was about new possibility. People who would never have had access to books could now read. Artists without formal training could learn techniques that were previously guarded secrets. The Medici family's patronage meant a silversmith's son could become Brunelleschi, the architect who engineered the impossible dome of Florence Cathedral.
It was a "rebirth"—not because humanity was starting over, but because we were rediscovering what we were capable of.
Jefferson City, 2025
I believe we're living through another renaissance. Not in Florence, but everywhere. Not driven by the printing press, but by artificial intelligence.
Here in Jefferson City, I'm watching it happen in real time. In my businesses—BXP, The Honey Homestead, Toxic Tournaments, and others—AI has become more than a tool. It's a partner in creation. I'm using it for business operations, creative work, content creation, ministry outreach, and even artistic expression. Things I could only imagine a few years ago are now part of my daily workflow.
The parallels to the Renaissance are striking:
- Democratization of tools: Just like the printing press made knowledge accessible, AI is making sophisticated capabilities available to anyone. A solo entrepreneur in Central Missouri can now access tools that were once exclusive to Fortune 500 companies.
- New forms of expression: Renaissance artists invented perspective. AI is enabling entirely new creative mediums—generated art, interactive narratives, human-AI collaboration that doesn't fit existing categories.
- Synthesis of knowledge: The Renaissance revived classical wisdom. AI can synthesize vast bodies of human knowledge, finding connections across disciplines that individual humans couldn't see.
- Acceleration of discovery: From protein folding to materials science to ministry strategy, AI is compressing decades of work into years. (Learn more from McKinsey's AI research.)
What Excites Me
When I think about AI's potential, I see four transformative forces converging:
1. Leveling the playing field for entrepreneurs. Small businesses can compete with giants. A family-run operation in Jefferson City can have the same analytical power, marketing sophistication, and operational efficiency as a national chain.
2. Amplifying ministry and community impact. Through Sports Crusaders and my work at Concord Baptist Church, I'm seeing how AI can help us reach more people, serve communities better, and spread the gospel further. We can analyze community needs, personalize outreach, and scale impact in ways that weren't possible before.
3. Unlocking human creativity. People are creating things they never could before. A worship leader can compose full arrangements. A youth pastor can design professional graphics. A local business owner can build custom software. AI isn't replacing creativity—it's amplifying it.
4. Transforming education and opportunity. Access to knowledge and skills for people who were previously excluded. A kid in Jefferson City can learn from the world's best teachers, get tutoring in any subject, and develop skills that were once gatekept by expensive universities.
But Here's What Keeps Me Up at Night
The Renaissance had a dark side. Religious wars. Colonialism. Power concentration. Disruption that destroyed as much as it created.
AI will have its shadows too. And I'm not naive about them.
My biggest concern isn't the technology itself—it's what it might do to us. To our connections. To our humanity. While understanding AI's limitations is important, we also need to think about these deeper implications.
Why would I partner with a new business owner when I have AI?
Why would I need to pursue an emotional connection with my partner when I could find it in AI?
These aren't theoretical questions. With the birth of AI, human connection means less. The economic incentive to collaborate decreases. The emotional effort required to maintain relationships becomes optional.
I worry about a world where we're more productive but less connected. Where we can create anything but relate to no one. Where Jefferson City becomes a collection of isolated individuals with AI assistants instead of a community of neighbors who know each other's names.
I worry about economic displacement—families losing income while tech companies capture the value. I worry about power concentration—big tech controlling AI and widening inequality. And I worry about the spiritual implications—what it means to be human when machines can think, create, and even seem to care.
The Choice We're Making
The Renaissance wasn't inevitable. It happened because people made choices—to patronize artists, to translate texts, to experiment with new techniques, to challenge old assumptions.
We're at a similar crossroads now. AI will reshape our world—that's not in question. The question is how we let it reshape us.
I choose to believe that early adopters who use AI to improve their productivity won't just build successful businesses—they'll make their cities flourish. That Jefferson City can be a place where technology amplifies community rather than replacing it.
But that only happens if we're intentional. If we use AI to serve people, not replace them. If we leverage efficiency to create more time for relationships, not fewer. If we build businesses that strengthen community bonds rather than atomize them.
A New Humanism
The Renaissance gave birth to humanism—a philosophy that emphasized human potential, dignity, and worth. It was a radical idea in a world that had been dominated by rigid hierarchies and divine right.
I think the AI renaissance will demand a new humanism. Not one that sees humans as just biological machines that can be optimized and automated, but one that recognizes what makes us irreplaceable:
- Our capacity for genuine relationship
- Our need for meaning and purpose
- Our ability to love sacrificially
- Our creation in the image of God
AI can help me run my businesses better. It can help me create content faster. It can help me analyze ministry data more effectively. But it can't replace the moment when I pray with someone in crisis. It can't replace my covenant with, my wife, Stephanie. It can't replace being there for my sons, Leonardo and Raphael through life's challenges.
And that's not a limitation—it's a reminder of what matters most.
Where Do We Go From Here?
I'm using AI across every part of my life—business, ministry, creative expression, learning. And I'm convinced it's one of the most powerful tools humanity has ever created. If you want practical guidance on getting the most out of AI, read about the systematic approach to AI prompting.
But I'm also convinced that how we use it will define us. Will we use it to scale impact or isolate ourselves? To create abundance or concentrate power? To amplify our humanity or replace it?
Here in Jefferson City, I want to be part of the answer. I want our businesses to show that AI can make us more human, not less. That technology can strengthen community, not weaken it. That early adopters don't just get rich—they make their cities flourish. That's why I offer AI-powered website services that help local businesses thrive in this new era.
The Renaissance lasted centuries. We're just at the beginning of ours.
I'm hopeful. But hope isn't passive—it's a choice we make every day.
What will you find through AI to create your own renaissance?
Join the Conversation