AI tools for ministry and churches

Practical tips for discerning use of artificial intelligence

AI has quickly moved from science fiction into everyday life. Whether you’ve used predictive text on your phone, searched with Google Maps or experimented with a chatbot such as ChatGPT, you’ve already encountered forms of AI.

For churches and ministries this raises natural questions: Should we use these tools? We know from history that emerging technologies can both serve us and subtly reshape us. How do we remain faithful while engaging?

The Faith Today article in this issue by Willy Kotiuga wisely reminds us AI must be a servant, not a substitute, supporting the practical tasks of church life so leaders can focus more energy on people and presence. Here are some practical ways churches can consider doing that.

Writing support

Every pastor knows the weight of Sunday coming every week, no matter how full the schedule. Sermon preparation requires prayer, study and discernment. AI can’t do that spiritual work for us, but it can serve the process.

• Brainstorming: Ask AI for sermon illustrations or historical background.
• Clarity and flow: Paste a draft and ask for help simplifying language.
• Summaries: AI can boil it down for a church bulletin, email or social media.

Administrative help

AI can help us reduce time spent on routine writing tasks and social media.

• Drafting first versions of event invitations.
• Creating simple outlines for training manuals.
• Summarizing meeting notes or reports.
• Suggesting draft captions for Instagram or Facebook posts (then staff can refine them in the church’s voice).
• Drafting a list of seasonal reminders staff can customize.

An AI draft doesn’t eliminate the need for thoughtful editing, but freeing up even an hour of admin time means more space for people, prayer or preparation.

Research and learning

Church leaders often need to review complex information – whether on local demographics, ministry trends or denominational reports. AI can digest long articles or documents into summaries. It can also compare multiple resources, saving hours of scanning.

Freeing up even an hour of admin time means more space for people, prayer or preparation.

One caution here – AI sometimes presents its answers with confidence, even when mistaken. It’s essential to check the sources and confirm details before relying on them. Think of it as a quick overview, not the final word.

Accessibility and inclusion

AI tools can help with several things.

• Generating live captions for online services.
• Offering text-to-speech or speech-to-text functions.
• Assisting in producing simple-language versions of church communications for those with different reading levels.
• Offering quick translations into other languages spoken in your congregation to be reviewed by a native speaker for accuracy.

These are powerful ways technology can help us extend hospitality, ensuring more people can engage with the Good News.

Kotiuga wisely notes we need to clarify what we think are good uses of AI in ministry and where exactly spiritually informed direction by a human is needed. There will be tasks we could automate entirely with AI, but we must choose not to.

The temptation will always be to lean on convenience. But as Kotiuga reminds us, faithfulness can’t be outsourced. Our calling as church leaders is not just to produce words or programs, but to bear witness. To embody Christ’s love with integrity, presence and hope.

Using AI wisely can lighten some of the load, but along the way we don’t want to risk hollowing out the very disciplines that shape us into faithful servants. In ministry, we are working to help the Church thrive – and experimenting with new tools will always require wisdom, prayer and discernment.