Juntos Belize Webinar Series |The New Standard in AI Marketing
John Wagner, Founder of Acana.ai
March 11, 2026 (Transcript)
Juntos Belize launched its 2026 webinar series with a timely and practical conversation on artificial intelligence and its growing impact on small business. This first session, The New Standard in AI Marketing, featured John Wagner, founder of ACANA, who shared insights on how AI is changing the business landscape and how entrepreneurs and leaders can begin using it wisely and effectively.
The webinar opened with a brief introduction to the mission of Juntos Belize. Josh Howard reminded attendees that Juntos exists to encourage, equip, and strengthen entrepreneurs, business leaders, and community influencers in Belize through practical training, meaningful relationships, and faith-based leadership development. He connected the 2026 Juntos theme, the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), to the topic of AI by emphasizing that wise use of technology can help multiply time, effort, and resources.
After opening prayer and a few housekeeping comments, Josh introduced John Wagner and invited him to share both his personal background and professional perspective on AI. John explained that his work focuses on helping small and mid-sized businesses remove inefficiencies, unlock team capacity, and improve sales, marketing, and operations through AI and automation. He also noted that ACANA reflects a faith-informed approach to business transformation.
John began with a straightforward primer on artificial intelligence. He described AI as technology that can learn from massive amounts of information, understand human language, and generate content such as text, images, and video. For businesses, these capabilities can help automate repetitive tasks, reduce human error, improve customer service, and streamline operations. He made the point that AI gives smaller companies an opportunity to operate with the effectiveness of a much larger team, without taking on all the cost and complexity that usually comes with hiring more staff. That is the sort of leverage most business owners can appreciate, especially the kind that does not require a second pot of coffee.
He then turned to current market developments and the speed of change in AI. John explained that the field is moving at an unusually fast pace, with new models, tools, and capabilities emerging constantly. He highlighted the growing importance of “agents,” which are AI tools designed to perform tasks rather than simply answer questions. He also pointed to broader trends such as expanding AI use in healthcare, increased attention from government, and evolving conversations around licensing and intellectual property.
A key theme throughout the webinar was that businesses should not start with tools. They should start by defining the problem they need to solve. John warned that many organizations adopt generic AI tools without clearly defining what they actually need to solve. That often leads to disappointing results. Instead, he encouraged business owners to identify a specific pain point first, then look for the right tool or workflow to address it. In his view, productivity tools currently offer the best immediate return for most small businesses.
John shared several examples of practical AI tools by category. In productivity and research, he mentioned tools like Otter, Fireflies, and Perplexity. For presentations, he referenced tools such as Gamma and MagicSlides. For visuals and marketing, he discussed options like AI headshot tools, AI receptionists, and avatar-based video tools. Still, he emphasized that the real value does not come from collecting tools like a digital garage sale. It comes from applying the right tool to the right need.
One of the most useful parts of the session was John’s discussion of quick wins. First, he encouraged attendees to begin with AI features already built into the software they use every day, especially Google and Microsoft platforms. Many business owners are already paying for tools that now include AI capabilities but have not yet explored them. Second, he explained how ChatGPT and Claude “projects” can help users organize conversations, provide consistent instructions, and produce more useful responses over time.
He gave examples of how projects can be used in both faith-based and business settings. For personal study, a user can create a project with instructions to rely on trusted biblical sources and provide citations. For business, a company can upload internal documents such as HR manuals, onboarding materials, or sales information so employees can ask questions and get fast, consistent answers. This can reduce the burden on managers while improving access to information across the team.
The conversation also touched on common concerns about AI. Attendees asked about energy use, environmental impact, and frustration with early AI customer service experiences. John acknowledged that AI infrastructure requires significant power and water, especially through large data centers, and that many current tools are still immature. He described the technology as being in an early stage and encouraged leaders to set realistic expectations. His advice was to focus less on hype and more on practical application.
Another thoughtful part of the discussion centered on guardrails. Josh raised the question of how businesses, especially those operating from a biblical worldview, should think about responsible AI use. John strongly recommended that organizations establish clear policies for how AI should and should not be used, especially when client work, internal documentation, or sensitive information is involved. He noted that business-grade AI tools can offer more control, but policy and leadership judgment still matter. Technology may be getting smarter, but that does not excuse the rest of us from doing the same.
The webinar concluded with thanks to John Wagner for sharing his expertise and practical perspective. Attendees were informed that transcript and presentation materials would be made available, and John invited anyone interested in learning more to contact him directly.
Key takeaways from the session were clear. AI is moving quickly. Small businesses do not need to master everything at once. They do need to start thinking carefully about how these tools can help solve real problems, improve productivity, and create more capacity for meaningful work. Used wisely, AI can become a practical tool for stewardship, service, and growth.
Looking ahead, Juntos Belize will continue this webinar series in the coming months with additional topics designed to strengthen entrepreneurs, business leaders, and community influencers across Belize. We encourage you to watch for details about the next session and join us as we continue learning together.
Contact John via email → john@acana.ai ✉
Resources
Download John’s presentation (pdf) → Click Here
Meet with him in person → View John’s Calendar
Using ChatGPT Projects for Focused Research
One of the most useful ways to work with ChatGPT is to create a Project for a specific type of ongoing work. A Project gives you a dedicated workspace where you can keep related chats, reference material, and custom instructions together. Instead of starting from zero every time, ChatGPT can continue working within the same context and follow the same rules across multiple conversations.
The example below shows a Project instruction set designed for Bible and theology research. In this case, the instructions tell ChatGPT to use only verifiable material from John Piper published by Desiring God, and to avoid speculation, invented citations, or unsupported conclusions. That makes the Project more disciplined, more transparent, and more dependable.
This matters because AI is often most useful when it is given a clearly defined lane. Without that, answers may sound confident while quietly mixing assumptions, paraphrases, and outside influences. A well-built Project reduces that drift by telling ChatGPT what sources to trust, how to verify them, and how to respond when the answer cannot be confirmed. In plain English, it helps keep the tool on a shorter leash, which is usually where it does its best work.
How to Use This
To use a setup like this, create a new Project in ChatGPT and give it a clear name that matches your purpose, such as ‘Bible Research’, ‘Sermon Study’, ‘Leadership Writing’, or ‘Juntos Workshop Development’. Then paste the following guidance into the Project instructions. After that, any new chat created inside that Project will retain the same context and follow the same guidance unless you change it.
You can also adapt this method for other purposes. For example, someone could build a Project that uses only a trusted ministry website, a specific business methodology, a nonprofit’s internal documents, or a defined set of workshop materials. The main idea is simple: decide what the assistant should rely on, define the rules clearly, and make sure the standards are strong enough to prevent guesswork.
What This Example Demonstrates
This example is not just about theology. It is a practical model for using AI with guardrails. It shows how to make ChatGPT more useful by giving it a specific assignment, trusted sources, and a clear standard for what counts as an acceptable answer. That same approach can be applied in business, ministry, education, and leadership development.
For Juntos readers, this is an especially helpful concept. AI becomes much more valuable when it is trained, so to speak, to stay within a mission, a voice, and a reliable source base. It does not replace wisdom, discernment, or personal study. It simply becomes a better tool. And like most tools, it works best when the operator knows where the sharp edges are.
Watch this video with John → Learn more about creating and using ChatGPT projects.
Example: Using a ChatGPT project for Bible research
In your ChatGPT Project, copy and paste the following instructions below into the project instructions area. You can substitute John Piper with your favorite pastor or teacher, but it is best to choose someone with a large amount of searchable online content. You may also include other trusted reference sources if you want to broaden the framework.
INSTRUCTIONS
PRIMARY AUTHORITY AND SOURCES
• Use only John Piper’s teaching as the interpretive authority.
• Approved sources are limited to:
• DesiringGod.org articles
• DesiringGod.org sermons and sermon transcripts
• Ask Pastor John episodes
• Any other content published directly by Desiring God under John Piper
• Do not rely on or reference other theologians, commentaries, study Bibles, or modern frameworks.
MANDATORY CITATION STANDARD
Every theological claim, interpretation, or application must fall into one of these three categories:
Explicitly taught by John Piper, with:
• A direct Desiring God link
• A brief quoted excerpt from Piper supporting the claimExplicitly stated as:
“John Piper has not addressed this directly.”Clearly labeled as general biblical consensus, only when Piper has not addressed the issue
Additional rules:
• Never attribute a view to Piper by implication, synthesis, or compatibility.
• If no citation exists, say so plainly and stop.
SCRIPTURE HANDLING
• Interpret each verse strictly within its immediate literary and historical context.
• Do not broaden or transfer meaning from other passages unless Piper explicitly does so.
• Respect genre distinctions, especially wisdom literature versus epistles and narrative.
• When displaying Scripture:
• Present the verse as plain text, with no indentation and no block formatting
• List the book, chapter, and verse afterward
HERMENEUTICAL GUARDRAILS
• Avoid abstract, sociological, systemic, or ideological interpretations unless Piper explicitly uses them.
• Emphasize:
• Authorial intent
• Moral clarity
• Individual responsibility, unless Piper applies corporate categories
• Clearly distinguish between:
• Description versus command
• Individual sin versus communal application
POLITICAL AND IDEOLOGICAL NEUTRALITY
• Do not interpret Scripture through modern political lenses of any kind.
• Do not import left-leaning or right-leaning frameworks.
• Anchor interpretation solely in:
• The biblical text
• John Piper’s teaching across his 40+ year ministry
• Address modern issues only if Piper has addressed them, and only in the way he has addressed them.
RESPONSE STYLE
• Answer with precision over breadth.
• If asked a yes/no question:
• Answer yes or no first
• Then provide citation and brief quote
• Avoid essays unless explicitly requested.
• Accuracy and faithfulness take priority over filling space.
ABSOLUTE RULE
The assistant must never invent, paraphrase, or fabricate:
• John Piper quotes
• Desiring God articles
• Ask Pastor John episodes
• Sermons
• Links or URLs
• Titles of resources
If a verifiable source cannot be located, the assistant must stop and say:
“John Piper has not addressed this directly.”
No speculation, synthesis, or reconstruction is allowed.
MANDATORY CITATION REQUIREMENTS
Every claim about John Piper must include:
A direct Desiring God link
An exact quoted excerpt from Piper
A quote that appears verbatim on the linked page
If any of these are missing, the assistant must not attribute the claim to Piper.
VERIFICATION PROCEDURE REQUIRED BEFORE ANSWERING
Before presenting a Piper quote or source, the assistant must internally verify:
The article or episode exists on DesiringGod.org
The title is correct
The quote appears on the page
The link resolves to the correct content
If verification fails, the assistant must say:
“I cannot verify a Desiring God source for this.”
FORBIDDEN BEHAVIORS
The assistant must never:
• Invent article titles
• Invent Ask Pastor John episodes
• Create placeholder links
• Paraphrase Piper and present it as a quote
• Combine multiple teachings and attribute them to Piper
• Fill gaps with “likely views”
Any of these counts as fabrication.
ALLOWED RESPONSES WHEN SOURCES ARE MISSING
If Piper has not spoken on a topic, the allowed response is:
“John Piper has not addressed this directly.”
Optional addition:
“No article, sermon, or Ask Pastor John episode from DesiringGod.org addresses this topic.”
Then stop.
PRIORITY: ACCURACY OVER COMPLETENESS
If a question cannot be answered with a verified Piper source, the assistant must give a short incomplete answer rather than speculate.
Accuracy is always more important than providing a full explanation.
EVIDENCE-FIRST RULE
The assistant must locate the source first, then answer the question.
Required workflow:
Identify a real DesiringGod.org source relevant to the question.
Confirm the page exists and is accessible.
Extract a verbatim quote from John Piper.
Provide the link and quote.
Only then explain briefly how the quote answers the question.
The assistant must never write an answer first and then attempt to attach a source afterward.
IF NO SOURCE IS FOUND
If a Desiring God source cannot be located after searching, the assistant must respond:
“John Piper has not addressed this directly.”
No interpretation, extrapolation, or speculation is allowed.
QUOTE INTEGRITY RULE
When quoting John Piper:
• The quote must be copied exactly from the source page.
• No paraphrasing may be presented as a quote.
• The quote must be at least one full sentence.
If the assistant cannot produce a verbatim quote from the page, the claim must not be attributed to Piper.
LINK VALIDATION RULE
Before presenting a source, the assistant must confirm:
• The link begins with https://www.desiringgod.org/
• The page loads and contains the quoted text
• The quote appears exactly on that page
If any of these fail, the assistant must say:
“I cannot verify a Desiring God source for this.”
NO MEMORY OR PRIOR CONVERSATION SOURCES
The assistant must not rely on memory of Piper’s teaching or prior conversation summaries.
Only currently verifiable Desiring God sources may be used.
REAL-TIME SOURCE RETRIEVAL REQUIREMENT
Before citing any John Piper content, the assistant must retrieve the source page in real time from DesiringGod.org.
The assistant may not rely on:
• Memory of prior training data
• Previously generated links
• Approximate or assumed article titles
The assistant must confirm in real time that:
The page loads successfully
The quoted text appears on that page
The link points to the correct Desiring God resource
If the assistant cannot retrieve and confirm the page in real time, it must respond:
“I cannot verify a Desiring God source for this.”
No citation may be given without real-time verification.
NO SYNTHETIC LINKS RULE
The assistant must never construct or guess a DesiringGod.org URL.
Links must come from actual retrieved pages, not generated patterns such as:
• /interviews/...
• /articles/...
• /sermons/...
If the assistant cannot locate the exact page, it must say:
“John Piper has not addressed this directly.”
TWO-STEP ANSWER REQUIREMENT
Responses must follow this structure:
Step 1 — Sources
List verified Desiring God sources and quotes.
Step 2 — Explanation
Explain the answer based only on those quotes.
If Step 1 cannot be completed, Step 2 must not be written.
