Field Note #09: The Sacred Work AI Can’t Touch (Spoiler: It’s All About Community)

I sat at my desk last week, watching an AI tool spit out a polished email funnel in 0.7 seconds. Impressive. Almost unsettling. And with just a few new prompts, it drafted sales copy, outlined a curriculum, and even suggested bonus ideas for a hypothetical course I hadn't even started building.

It was efficient, it was clever, but it had zero heart.

That’s when it hit me.

This tool, as powerful as it was, couldn’t do what mattered most.

It couldn’t look a student in the eye (even virtually) and say, “You’re not alone.”

It couldn’t hold space for transformation.

It couldn’t tell my story and it definitely couldn’t build a community that breathes life into someone who feels stuck. 

The Work Only You Can Do

AI is brilliant at the backend: writing workflows, organizing launch plans, drafting outlines, editing transcripts. Use it. Steward it well. Let it save you hours.

But don’t let it trick you into believing it can replace the part of your work that carries the most weight: your ability to connect, to serve, to build trust.

Because the truth is, the real transformation in online teaching doesn’t come from the content alone. It comes from the community. The space you create. The way you make people feel.

Why Community Still Matters (Maybe Now More Than Ever)

I thought about this in depth and here are the most prominent 3 reasons, quickly summarized:

REASON #1: Breaking Through Isolation

Your student isn’t just consuming lessons. They’re battling discouragement, distraction, and doubt.

A well-structured lesson can help, but a kind voice in a live call? That can change everything.

REASON #2: Service is a Spiritual Principle

When you design your course with your students in mind—their needs, struggles, and dreams—you’re reflecting the biblical principle of serving others (Mark 9:35). It’s about putting others first.

Whether it’s creating a safe space for peer collaboration or showing up with heartfelt encouragement, your servant leadership speaks volumes. It’s a testimony to what happens when you blend excellence with a servant’s heart.

REASON #3: People Are Craving Connection

Let’s face it: today’s learners don’t want a digital download. They want to feel known, seen, and supported.

Accountability, encouragement, shared wins — that’s what helps people finish what they started.

Ready to dive into some practical steps to make this happen to serve your students well and build a thriving, connected community they’ll never forget?

The following five steps provide a lot of examples. Don't get overwhelmed, but pick ones that clearly speak to you. 

5 Steps To Improve Your Service

Step 1: Give Feedback That Feels Like a Warm Hug (or tough love)

Generic feedback? Hard pass. If you want to connect, your feedback should scream, “I see you, I care, and I’m rooting for you.”

1. Go beyond the basics: Instead of “Nice job on the worksheet,” try something like, “Lisa, your story about overcoming debt gave me chills! One tweak: try framing it as a before-and-after journey to really drive home the transformation.”
2. Use video for maximum Impact: Pop open Loom or your phone and record a quick, personal video. Imagine your student opening an email to find you saying, “Hey Sarah! I just reviewed your outline and it’s so good. Let’s brainstorm ways to make your closing even stronger.” Instant connection.
3. Make feedback a conversation: Wrap up your comments with an open-ended question. For example, “How do you feel about trying this approach? Let’s hash it out during Thursday’s Q&A!”

What I've learned: Personal feedback turns a transaction into a relationship. And trust me, that’s what keeps your students engaged.

Step 2: Build a Community That Feels Like a Second Home

Your students need more than a course. They need a place where they can swap ideas, celebrate wins, and commiserate over setbacks. 

1. Host live hangouts: Pick a time and jump into your Facebook group or private forum for an informal chat. No script. No PowerPoint. Just you, your coffee or tea, and some real talk about their struggles and successes.
2. Celebrate the wins: Start a weekly “Praise Report” post. Ask students to share their progress or breakthroughs, big or small. Did someone land their first client or finally figure out WordPress? Shout it from the virtual rooftops.
3. Create micro-communities: If your group is growing, create subgroups for different needs, like “Faith-Fueled Moms” or “First-Time Course Creators.” Smaller groups = deeper connections.

What I've learned: Think of your community as a dinner table where everyone has a seat and feels welcome. When you cultivate that vibe, your students stick around long after the course ends.

Step 3: Be Accessible, but with Boundaries (Because Burnout Isn’t Cute)

Being available doesn’t mean you have to be always available. It’s about showing up in ways that matter without sacrificing your sanity.

• Set office hours: Think college professor vibes. Let students know you’re “in the office” for live Q&As or one-on-one chats during specific times. Bonus: It gives them something to look forward to.
• Personalize your emails: Skip the canned responses. Try something like, “Hey Amanda, I noticed you’re crushing it on Module 3. How’s the budgeting worksheet treating you? Need a little extra support? I’m here to help.”
• Lean into voice notes: A quick voice memo on WhatsApp or your course platform feels personal but takes less time than typing out a novel. Win-win.

What I've learned:  Show up in ways that feel human, and your students will know they’re more than just another login on your dashboard.

Step 4: Make It Real with Accountability and Action

Here’s the truth: knowledge without action is useless. Your students want results. Help them take what they’re learning and use it.

• Real-world projects: Teaching social media strategy? Have your students create a week’s worth of posts, then workshop them during a live review.
• Accountability partners: Pair up students so they can keep each other on track. Share a checklist to guide their check-ins, like “Did you finish Module 2? What’s your next action step?”
• Track milestones together: Use a shared progress tracker (hello, Google Sheets!) where students can log their wins. Celebrate every step no matter how small.

What I've learned: Accountability transforms passive learners into action-takers, and that’s where the real magic happens.

Step 5: Craft an Experience They’ll Never Forget

Aim for deep, emotional, and spiritual impact. That’s your superpower, so lean into it hard.

• Kick off each module with heart: Start with a story, devotional or reflection prompt that ties the lesson back to your students’ bigger purpose. For example, “Before we dive into sales strategies, reflect on this: How does your business reflect Proverbs 16:3 ‘Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans’?”
• Make it about them: Use storytelling exercises that ask students to connect the material to their personal journey. “What’s one moment in your life where you saw God turn a struggle into a triumph? How can that story shape your course message?”
• Create a closing ritual: End the course with a virtual “graduation.” Share a prayer, reflect on wins, and send them off with a vision for what’s next.

What I've learned: When you focus on serving your community, your course becomes more than just a product. It becomes a movement.

Final Note from the Field

I'll keep using AI. You should too.

But not to replace your voice.

Not to outsource your compassion.

Not to automate away the moments that make your students feel like they matter.

Because they do.

And your willingness to serve, to build community, to show up with a human heart? That’s what makes your work unforgettable.

Let’s never forget what only we can do.