We are travelling this week (to celebrate a birthday) to places with little or no Wi-Fi or cell service.  We thought it would be fun to ask ChatGPT to write the post.  But this is not just a normal post.  We trained ChatGPT on all of our Integriosity posts and gave it the following prompt:

Write a short story in the style of Pilgrims Progress. Instead of Christian, call the pilgrim Faithful Leader. Weave in the Side Roads of Agonizing, Individualizing, Monetizing, Cosmeticizing, Monastecizing, Prosperitizing, and Interimizing as the various trials and temptations faced by Faithful Leader.

The focus is on the faith as usual Side Roads that we discussed in post #181 (The “Side Road” Detours of “Faith as Usual”).

With a few refinements to the prompt (but no edits to what it produced), this is its story titled “The Journey of Faithful Leader: An Allegory in the Spirit of Pilgrim’s Progress“.

We hope you enjoy it as much as we did (to be honest, we were blown away).

The Journey of Faithful Leader: An Allegory in the Spirit of Pilgrim’s Progress

By ChatGPT

As I slept, I dreamed a dream.

I saw a man named Faithful Leader walking upon the Path of Faithful Integrity, a narrow road stretching through the wilderness of Work, winding toward the shining gates of the Land of Flourishing—a Kingdom where all things were rightly ordered under the wise reign of the Good King.

Faithful Leader had been summoned out of the Region of Routine, where people did business as usual and called it good enough. He now carried a Scroll of Calling, placed in his hand by the King’s messenger, Wisdom, who had said:

“Stay on this path. Many begin with passion, but few finish in faithfulness. Beware the Side Roads—they promise ease but lead to ruin.”

And so, with hope and humility, Faithful Leader set out. Yet before long, he came to many diversions—Side Roads with signs that sparkled like insight but led away from transformation.

The Side Road of Agonizing

At the first fork, Faithful Leader came to a quiet clearing called Agonizing. The sign read:
“Enter here to consider every possibility.”

A man sat at the entrance, surrounded by blueprints, books, and abandoned models. His name was Overwhelm, and he wore a cloak of caution.

“There are too many voices,” he said. “Too many approaches to faithful leadership. Best to wait until you’re certain. You don’t want to get it wrong.”

Drawn by the weight of responsibility, Faithful Leader entered. Inside, he found many like him—wise, sincere, and stuck. They held their Scrolls but never unrolled them. They read and re-read, always learning, never doing. The longer he stayed, the heavier his feet became.

Then a passing pilgrim named Obedience whispered:

“The King delights not in perfect plans but in faithful steps.”

Convicted, Faithful Leader left the Side Road and returned to the Path of Faithful Integrity, saying,

“I cannot let uncertainty paralyze obedience. I must walk, even if I do not yet see every step.”

The Side Road of Individualizing

Next came a path of reflective pools and quiet retreats, called Individualizing. A banner above read:
“Be the change. Reform yourself.”

A soft-spoken guide named Solo Virtue welcomed him.

“You want to be faithful? Start with yourself. Speak kindly. Pray regularly. Lead with integrity. That is enough.”

Faithful Leader stepped in. He worked harder to be honest, humble, and holy. He corrected his own faults, prayed for his employees, and avoided pride.

But as time passed, he saw little change around him. His team remained driven by fear, his culture by metrics, and his decisions by what would “work” rather than what was right. He had changed—but the work had not.

He opened his Scroll and read:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed…”

And he understood: he had cleaned the cup outside, but left the house untouched.

“Personal piety without cultural repentance is incomplete,” he said, and returned to the Path of Faithful Integrity.

The Side Road of Monetizing

The road next turned toward a golden city called Monetizing, where the streets rang with success and the motto over the gate read:
“Make as much as you can. Give as much as you can.”

A prosperous man named Justifier greeted him:

“You can do great good for the Kingdom if you prosper here. Keep your operations efficient and your margins strong. Just tithe well, fund causes, and the King will surely be pleased.”

Faithful Leader entered and was quickly impressed. These were good people—generous, mission-minded, and proud of their giving. But when he looked deeper, he saw that the culture inside their businesses remained untouched:
Cutthroat targets. Exhausted teams. Compromised ethics. Fear of losing profit.
They spoke often of “impact,” but it was external—not internal.

His Scroll began to glow, and he read:

“You tithe mint and dill and cumin, but neglect the weightier matters…”

Grieved, he said, “The King does not want profit on one hand and compromise on the other. He wants the business itself redeemed.”

And he left Monetizing behind, declaring, “Generous giving is no substitute for faithful transformation.” He returned to the Path of Faithful Integrity.

The Side Road of Cosmeticizing

Later, Faithful Leader passed into a lush meadow called Cosmeticizing, where all was branded, framed, and beautifully worded.

He was met by twins—Polish and Spin—carrying branding guides and language frameworks.

“Let your culture look Kingdom-minded,” they said. “Adopt the vocabulary. Publicize your purpose. Appear excellent.”

Faithful Leader adorned his company with virtue signals and Christian language. To the outside world, it looked like a Kingdom enterprise. But inside, the same selfishness, fear, and hierarchy reigned. His team said the right words, but no one believed them.

A worker quietly told him, “You changed the labels, but not the ingredients.”

He read again his Scroll:

“Let your love be genuine. Hate what is evil. Cling to what is good.”

Ashamed, he returned to the Path of Faithful Integrity, saying,

“Words without substance are walls without foundations.”

The Side Road of Monastecizing

Next, he came to a well-fortified town called Monastecizing, where scripture adorned every wall and worship music played in every corridor.

A man named Zeal Without Wisdom met him and said:

“Let your business become holy ground. Hire only the faithful. Speak only in sacred tones. Make your workplace a sanctuary.”

Faithful Leader was moved by their passion. He entered, wrapped his operations in religious symbols, and transformed his company into something resembling a church.

But he soon noticed something troubling—outsiders stopped coming. Non-believers felt uninvited. Even some believers quietly admitted they couldn’t bring their friends.

He opened his Scroll and found:

“Let your light shine before others… so they may see and glorify your Father.”

And he understood:

“The King wants my work to reflect Him—not exclude others from encountering Him.”

He left Monastecizing, saying, “The Gospel must be visible, not gated,” and returned to the Path of Faithful Integrity.

The Side Road of Prosperitizing

Then came the bright and easy lanes of Prosperitizing, where the skies were always blue and the signs declared:
“If you are faithful, you will flourish.”

A preacher in designer robes greeted him, saying,

“Obedience brings abundance. Struggles mean something is wrong. Lead with faith, and you’ll never lack.”

Faithful Leader walked the road with optimism—until trials came. Business slowed. Clients vanished. Fear returned. The Preacher was gone.

Next to him was a suffering pilgrim with a scarred hand, who said:

“The King was faithful—and He was crucified.”

Faithful Leader looked to his Scroll, which now read:

“Take up your cross and follow Me.”

And he knew: prosperity is no measure of favor, nor adversity of failure.

He returned to the Path of Faithful Integrity, content to walk with scars.

The Side Road of Interimizing

At last, he reached a quiet clearing called Interimizing, where strategy sessions went in circles and whiteboards never erased.

A man named Safety smiled and said,

“Now is not the time. Plan more. Prepare longer. Wait until the climate is right. You don’t want to misstep.”

Faithful Leader rested. He drafted visions, refined models, ran simulations. But nothing was ever launched.

Then he saw written on the Scroll:

“He who observes the wind will not sow.”

He stood up and said, “The King’s call is not to perfection but to progress.” And he stepped forward once again, back onto the Path of Faithful Integrity.

The Narrow Path and the King’s Joy

Though battered and wiser, Faithful Leader continued. The Scroll of Calling, now worn and radiant, stayed firm in his hand. Every Side Road had promised relief or results—but none delivered the reward his soul longed for.

At last, he reached the Mountain of Fulfillment, where the weight of the journey lifted and joy descended like morning sun.

The gates of Flourishing swung wide, and a voice like thunder wrapped in mercy called out:

“Well done, good and faithful servant. You did not detour. You did not delay. You walked in truth. Enter into your rest.”

And I saw that many behind him now followed—leaders who had seen in his steps not perfection, but faithfulness.

PERSONAL NOTE (from PM): I must thank my dear friend Charles Adamo for introducing me to The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyon. I had certainly heard of it, but he sent a copy (actually two different versions).  For those unfamiliar with the book, it is the story of a journey by a man named Christian.  Here is ChatGPT’s summary based on a prompt to particularly highlight the temptations Christian faces on his journey from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City.

Brief Overview

• Christian, burdened by sin, leaves the City of Destruction seeking salvation.

• Guided by Evangelist, he sets out on the narrow path to the Celestial City.

• His journey symbolizes the Christian life, filled with trials, spiritual lessons, and moral decisions.

Major Temptations and Challenges Along the Way

The Slough of Despond

A bog representing despair and doubt. Christian nearly drowns under the weight of his guilt and fears but is rescued by Help.

Temptation: To give up early under the burden of sin.

Worldly Wiseman

A smooth-talking man who advises Christian to seek relief from his burden in the village of Morality through good works.

Temptation: To replace the gospel with legalism or moral self-reliance.

Mount Sinai (the Law)

Christian is directed here by Worldly Wiseman and nearly crushed.

Temptation: Believing the Law can save or relieve guilt rather than grace through Christ.

Vanity Fair

A town where worldly pleasures, pride, and materialism are constantly on sale. Christian and Faithful are mocked and persecuted.

Temptation: To conform to the world and indulge in its pleasures.

Faithful is eventually martyred here.

Talkative

A companion who talks fluently about religion but lives a hypocritical life.

Temptation: Superficial religiosity without inward transformation.

Doubting Castle and Giant Despair

Christian and Hopeful are imprisoned by despair after straying from the path into By-Path Meadow.

Temptation: To abandon hope when suffering or confusion sets in.

The Enchanted Ground

A land where travelers are lulled to spiritual sleep.

Temptation: Spiritual laziness and apathy near the journey’s end.

Flatterer

A deceiver who leads them off the true path under the guise of kindness.

Temptation: To trust smooth lies over biblical truth.

Key Companions Who Help Him Resist Temptation

Evangelist – Repeatedly steers Christian back to the true path.

Faithful – A loyal friend who helps him resist Vanity Fair.

Hopeful – Joins after Faithful’s death and encourages perseverance.

The Shepherds and Interpreter – Provide spiritual insights and warnings.

ESSENCE

In Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian’s journey is filled with temptations that mirror real-world spiritual struggles: despair, legalism, materialism, hypocrisy, doubt, apathy, and deception. Each temptation offers a shortcut or distraction from the narrow way to the Celestial City, and Christian must choose between faithfulness and failure at each turn.

The story teaches that faithful progress requires discernment, encouragement from fellow believers, reliance on Scripture, and a constant gaze toward the goal—eternal life in the presence of God. Ultimately, the allegory affirms that grace, not self-effort, is what sustains the pilgrim to the end.

ESSENCE: We trained ChatGPT on Integriosity^® and asked it to write a short story about the journey of Faithful Leader in the spirit of The Pilgrim’s Progress, focusing on the seven Side Road detours of what we call faith as usual.  Here is ChatGPT’s summary:

Faithful Leader’s journey is the call of every leader entrusted with work under the reign of the King. Each Side Road—Agonizing, Individualizing, Monetizing, Cosmeticizing, Monastecizing, Prosperitizing, and Interimizing—is a false promise dressed in spiritual disguise. But only the Path of Faithful Integrity, walked in obedience to the Scroll of Calling, leads to true flourishing. Let all who lead remember: the King seeks faithfulness, not formulas; the work must be transformed—not just the leader, the words, or the profits; and the only way to the Kingdom is the narrow way—one faithful step at a time.

Copyright © 2025 Integrous LLC.  Integriosity is a registered Service Mark of Integrous LLC.

Image Credit: Original image by ChatGPT
(image cropped)