My wife and I have been going out and sharing the Gospel since 2020. One question people consistently asked us was, "How do you disciple those you've shared the Gospel with?"
Like most people, our time is limited between work, ministry, and family life. So I began asking, how could I disciple those who had recently heard the Gospel?
The solution was to create a Bible study website with a chatbot.
As I built the study site and the chatbot, I noticed something. The bot's responses became more theologically defined as the study content grew. It became clear that this could be a useful tool for ministry.
In prayer, I shared with the Lord my desire to continue sharing the Gospel and to have a tentmaker ministry that could support itself.
As I continued building the website and training the bot for those we were reaching, I had a thought:
"Wouldn't it be neat if pastors could do this?"
In other words, what if a pastor could train a chatbot and publish a study without having to build all the tools required to verify data integrity or manage a website—and without needing to be a web designer or expert in multiple disciplines?
Realizing how limited a pastor's time is, it became clear this needed to be a tool that was simple to use and not time-consuming to learn.
I also considered that no one studies the Word as much as a pastor. Sermon preparation notes, which are often filed away afterward, could instead become the foundation for meaningful Bible studies. At the very least, they are a strong starting point.
I then realized this could help people better absorb the teaching throughout the week—without placing an added burden on the pastor to learn a complex system.
That realization became the foundation for what ShepherdForge is today—and the vision behind it.
Pastors spend hours every week studying Scripture, preparing sermons, and shepherding their people. Yet most of that teaching is heard once on Sunday and then set aside.
ShepherdForge was built to extend that teaching beyond Sunday.
DoctrineGuard audits chatbot responses to ensure they remain faithful to Scripture and aligned with the church's teaching.
We pray this platform blesses your church, strengthens your people, and supports your calling.
— Mike & Sue
