Can AI Strengthen the Church’s Mission?
Artificial intelligence is shaping how the world communicates, but can it serve the Church’s mission? Here’s how AI can support ministry while keeping Jesus and people at the center.
Innovation is not a new challenge for the church. The printing press was invented, and as a result, everyone had access to the Bible. Radio and television emerged, and pastors like Billy Graham were able to preach the gospel to millions around the country.
Then, the internet arrived, which changed almost everything.
Now we have livestreaming, podcasts, Church Management Systems (ChMS), social media, and texting. And lots of dancing on TikTok. Which doesn’t really matter, but it’s kind of funny.
Every innovation has forced leaders and churches to reevaluate how they fulfill the church’s mission.
Now we have artificial intelligence (AI). The “robots” have arrived.
Some leaders see AI as a distraction. Others view it as an opportunity. The truth is that AI is simply another tool in a long story of innovation. One that can serve the Church’s mission if used with wisdom, prayer, and discernment.
The question isn’t whether AI will shape the world. It’s already happening, and you will have to respond in some way. You can’t ignore it completely. Churches that tried to do that with the internet fell behind quickly and missed out on many ministry opportunities.
This introduction is already way too long, so let’s get into it. Let’s talk about the intersection of AI and the church’s mission.
Artificial intelligence can help churches save time, improve communication, and understand their communities better, but it can never replace pastoral care, prayer, or discipleship. When used wisely, AI supports the Church’s mission by freeing leaders to focus more on people and less on administration.
The Church’s Mission in a Changing World
Let’s be clear on one thing: the church’s mission hasn’t changed. It’s still to spread the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ to all people and nations. What has changed is the way people communicate, seek meaning, and even the means by which individuals come to Christ.
Life has undergone enormous changes over the past 1,000 years, yet people still face the same fundamental problems. Guilt. Anxiety. Relational problems. Trying to live well in a fallen world. And, of course, the most significant issue: sin that separates us from God.
Obviously, technology can’t solve these problems. Only God can, most often through the church. However, AI can help free up enormous amounts of time that would typically be spent on administrative work. More free time equals more time for ministry.
How AI Can Strengthen Your Church’s Mission
Let’s talk specifically about how AI can practically strengthen your church’s efforts to fulfill its mission from God.
Better Pastoral Care and Connection
As a pastor, your heart is for people. But you can’t be everything to everybody. You’re limited by time, energy, and other factors. It’s nearly impossible to be aware of every need in your church. That’s where AI can quietly help behind the scenes.
AI-powered tools in your church management system can help you spot patterns in attendance, giving, or group participation.
When someone starts to fade to the background, the system can flag that for a personal follow-up from you or another leader. Instead of reacting months later, your team can reach out quickly with care.
This has to be done in the right way, but AI chatbots can also provide simple answers to typical questions people might have about your church (meeting time, kids ministry, service times, etc).
AI can also support discipleship. It can recommend Bible studies, devotionals, or sermon clips based on a person’s needs or struggles.
It doesn’t replace you in any way, shape, or form. It simply helps your church stay more intentional in caring for each person.
Improved Communication and Outreach
Your team likely spends a significant amount of time writing emails, social posts, and other content. AI can make that process smoother without taking away the human touch.
Team members can utilize AI tools to brainstorm content ideas and outline announcements. They can draft event descriptions or social media posts. Instead of starting from scratch, they can focus on refining the tone and adding personal touches to enhance the overall experience. That means less time staring at a blank screen and more time connecting with your congregation.
Your team can also create automations that send emails or text messages when specific events occur, such as when a new person checks in.
Supporting Sermon Preparation (Without Replacing the Pastor)
This is a tricky one. Preparing a sermon is a sacred thing, requiring deep study, prayer, reflection, and writing. These things should never be outsourced to AI.
But there are some ways AI can help you prepare a sermon more effectively.
You can use AI to quickly gather related verses or point you to relevant resources to study. You can also use AI tools to better understand the historical context in which passages from the Bible were written.
Study tools like Logos enable you to delve deeply into the original Greek or Hebrew, allowing you better to understand the nuances of specific words and phrases. It can also search thousands of reliable theological sources to find what others have written about a passage or verse.
AI can’t replace the hard, holy work required to prepare a sermon. However, it can help you get there more quickly.
Streamlining Administration and Operations
Your staff and volunteers handle a vast amount of logistical work. Scheduling, database management, event coordination, record-keeping, the list goes on. These tasks can consume several hours each week.
AI can help your team handle these details with less effort. It can automatically schedule volunteers, generate event reminders, and ensure rooms are not double-booked.
Your finance team can use AI analytics to track giving trends and forecast budgets. When you can clearly see these patterns, you can plan with confidence and communicate transparently with the congregation.
Understanding Your Community and Audience
One of the most powerful things AI can do is help your church better understand the local community.
Your communications team can use AI to determine what topics people in your city are searching for online. You may discover that people are asking questions about anxiety or the meaning of life. Using this information, you could create a sermon series or outreach program that addresses those struggles with biblical hope.
AI doesn’t replace the hard work of meeting people where they are and ministering to them directly. You still have to be the hands and feet of Christ to your city. AI can help you find the right place and the right people.
Empowering Growth and Evangelism
Evangelism begins long before someone visits your church. Becoming a follower of Jesus is often a gradual process, marked by a series of steps and encounters that may take months or even years.
People visit your website, watch sermons, and sign up for emails to get a better feel for your church.
If a person regularly signs up for online devotionals or consistently opens and engages with your emails, AI can flag them for a personalized follow-up. You could send them an invitation to a newcomer lunch or a note from a volunteer saying, “We’d love to meet you.”
AI tools can also be used to repurpose sermons into other formats. A Sunday message could be transformed into a blog post or a series of social media quotes. Key quotes could be automatically found and then posted on your website. One sermon can reach many people beyond the church walls without requiring much extra work from staff
When AI is used for evangelism, it can become a multiplier. You can reach more people while still maintaining real, authentic relationships.
Navigating the Tough Questions About AI in Church
Yes, AI opens new possibilities. However, it must be used responsibly in ways that honor God. Here are a few key principles to keep in mind.
Keep People At the Center
As we’ve noted, AI can assist with ministry, but it can’t replace it. It doesn’t understand emotion or spiritual conviction. It can’t pray, discern, or comfort. Only you and your team can do that.
To give a ridiculous example, don’t give someone a ChatGPT prompt when they tell you they’re struggling with anxiety.
Additionally, it’s essential to always have a human overseeing anything done by AI. Currently, AI is effective, but it still occasionally makes mistakes. Double-check recommended resources and make sure results, including quotes and numbers, are accurate. AI has been known to generate fabricated information, such as book titles and quotes that sound like a person but aren’t real.
Let AI handle the repetitive stuff so your people can focus on what’s relational.
Keep Jesus at the Center
Technology is just a tool. It amplifies whatever you bring to it. If you use AI to amplify Jesus, that will help you use AI in ways that bring honor to Him. However, if you use AI to do less ministry or to shortcut work that requires engaging with God, you’re going in a bad direction.
Remember, the goal isn’t to build a more efficient church but a more faithful one.
Setting Guardrails for AI Use in Your Church
If your church is considering AI, start with small, low-risk applications. Let your administrative team use it for scheduling, or your communications people test it for drafting announcements. Start where it can clearly save time and energy.
If you try to go too big, too early with AI, it can lead to lots of mistakes that hinder your ability to serve God effectively.
Take the time to develop a set of guidelines to outline how AI will be used in your church. Include guidelines about oversight, theological accuracy, avoiding false information, and more.
Before using any new tool, ask questions like:
- Does this help us serve people better?
- Does it create more personal connections or less?
- Does it align with our mission and values?
If you have established church members who also appreciate new technology, consider letting them beta test the tools. Ask them to report back about benefits, drawbacks, and potential ministry applications.
Why AI Will Never Replace the Church
AI is truly remarkable and can accomplish some incredible things, but it will never be able to do what you and your people are called to do. Spreading the gospel is relational. Algorithms and computer code can't do that.
AI can write text, but it can’t show compassion. It can process data but not pray for healing. It can send reminders, but not show up at a sick person’s house with chicken noodle soup.
You and your church must do that holy work of sharing the good news of the gospel. AI can help you do it more effectively, but God has given the mission to the church, not the robots.
Want to explore tools that help churches save time and stay people-focused? Discover how modern church technology can support your mission without losing what matters most.
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Stephen Altrogge lives in Tallahassee, Florida. He is a dad to three wonderful girls and has written for publications like The Gospel Coalition, Church Leaders, Crosswalk, and many more. When he’s not writing, you’ll find him reading or watching The Lord Of the Rings for the 10th time.
Innovation is not a new challenge for the church. The printing press was invented, and as a result, everyone had access to the Bible. Radio and television emerged, and pastors like Billy Graham were able to preach the gospel to millions around the country.
Then, the internet arrived, which changed almost everything.
Now we have livestreaming, podcasts, Church Management Systems (ChMS), social media, and texting. And lots of dancing on TikTok. Which doesn’t really matter, but it’s kind of funny.
Every innovation has forced leaders and churches to reevaluate how they fulfill the church’s mission.
Now we have artificial intelligence (AI). The “robots” have arrived.
Some leaders see AI as a distraction. Others view it as an opportunity. The truth is that AI is simply another tool in a long story of innovation. One that can serve the Church’s mission if used with wisdom, prayer, and discernment.
The question isn’t whether AI will shape the world. It’s already happening, and you will have to respond in some way. You can’t ignore it completely. Churches that tried to do that with the internet fell behind quickly and missed out on many ministry opportunities.
This introduction is already way too long, so let’s get into it. Let’s talk about the intersection of AI and the church’s mission.
Artificial intelligence can help churches save time, improve communication, and understand their communities better, but it can never replace pastoral care, prayer, or discipleship. When used wisely, AI supports the Church’s mission by freeing leaders to focus more on people and less on administration.
The Church’s Mission in a Changing World
Let’s be clear on one thing: the church’s mission hasn’t changed. It’s still to spread the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ to all people and nations. What has changed is the way people communicate, seek meaning, and even the means by which individuals come to Christ.
Life has undergone enormous changes over the past 1,000 years, yet people still face the same fundamental problems. Guilt. Anxiety. Relational problems. Trying to live well in a fallen world. And, of course, the most significant issue: sin that separates us from God.
Obviously, technology can’t solve these problems. Only God can, most often through the church. However, AI can help free up enormous amounts of time that would typically be spent on administrative work. More free time equals more time for ministry.
How AI Can Strengthen Your Church’s Mission
Let’s talk specifically about how AI can practically strengthen your church’s efforts to fulfill its mission from God.
Better Pastoral Care and Connection
As a pastor, your heart is for people. But you can’t be everything to everybody. You’re limited by time, energy, and other factors. It’s nearly impossible to be aware of every need in your church. That’s where AI can quietly help behind the scenes.
AI-powered tools in your church management system can help you spot patterns in attendance, giving, or group participation.
When someone starts to fade to the background, the system can flag that for a personal follow-up from you or another leader. Instead of reacting months later, your team can reach out quickly with care.
This has to be done in the right way, but AI chatbots can also provide simple answers to typical questions people might have about your church (meeting time, kids ministry, service times, etc).
AI can also support discipleship. It can recommend Bible studies, devotionals, or sermon clips based on a person’s needs or struggles.
It doesn’t replace you in any way, shape, or form. It simply helps your church stay more intentional in caring for each person.
Improved Communication and Outreach
Your team likely spends a significant amount of time writing emails, social posts, and other content. AI can make that process smoother without taking away the human touch.
Team members can utilize AI tools to brainstorm content ideas and outline announcements. They can draft event descriptions or social media posts. Instead of starting from scratch, they can focus on refining the tone and adding personal touches to enhance the overall experience. That means less time staring at a blank screen and more time connecting with your congregation.
Your team can also create automations that send emails or text messages when specific events occur, such as when a new person checks in.
Supporting Sermon Preparation (Without Replacing the Pastor)
This is a tricky one. Preparing a sermon is a sacred thing, requiring deep study, prayer, reflection, and writing. These things should never be outsourced to AI.
But there are some ways AI can help you prepare a sermon more effectively.
You can use AI to quickly gather related verses or point you to relevant resources to study. You can also use AI tools to better understand the historical context in which passages from the Bible were written.
Study tools like Logos enable you to delve deeply into the original Greek or Hebrew, allowing you better to understand the nuances of specific words and phrases. It can also search thousands of reliable theological sources to find what others have written about a passage or verse.
AI can’t replace the hard, holy work required to prepare a sermon. However, it can help you get there more quickly.
Streamlining Administration and Operations
Your staff and volunteers handle a vast amount of logistical work. Scheduling, database management, event coordination, record-keeping, the list goes on. These tasks can consume several hours each week.
AI can help your team handle these details with less effort. It can automatically schedule volunteers, generate event reminders, and ensure rooms are not double-booked.
Your finance team can use AI analytics to track giving trends and forecast budgets. When you can clearly see these patterns, you can plan with confidence and communicate transparently with the congregation.
Understanding Your Community and Audience
One of the most powerful things AI can do is help your church better understand the local community.
Your communications team can use AI to determine what topics people in your city are searching for online. You may discover that people are asking questions about anxiety or the meaning of life. Using this information, you could create a sermon series or outreach program that addresses those struggles with biblical hope.
AI doesn’t replace the hard work of meeting people where they are and ministering to them directly. You still have to be the hands and feet of Christ to your city. AI can help you find the right place and the right people.
Empowering Growth and Evangelism
Evangelism begins long before someone visits your church. Becoming a follower of Jesus is often a gradual process, marked by a series of steps and encounters that may take months or even years.
People visit your website, watch sermons, and sign up for emails to get a better feel for your church.
If a person regularly signs up for online devotionals or consistently opens and engages with your emails, AI can flag them for a personalized follow-up. You could send them an invitation to a newcomer lunch or a note from a volunteer saying, “We’d love to meet you.”
AI tools can also be used to repurpose sermons into other formats. A Sunday message could be transformed into a blog post or a series of social media quotes. Key quotes could be automatically found and then posted on your website. One sermon can reach many people beyond the church walls without requiring much extra work from staff
When AI is used for evangelism, it can become a multiplier. You can reach more people while still maintaining real, authentic relationships.
Navigating the Tough Questions About AI in Church
Yes, AI opens new possibilities. However, it must be used responsibly in ways that honor God. Here are a few key principles to keep in mind.
Keep People At the Center
As we’ve noted, AI can assist with ministry, but it can’t replace it. It doesn’t understand emotion or spiritual conviction. It can’t pray, discern, or comfort. Only you and your team can do that.
To give a ridiculous example, don’t give someone a ChatGPT prompt when they tell you they’re struggling with anxiety.
Additionally, it’s essential to always have a human overseeing anything done by AI. Currently, AI is effective, but it still occasionally makes mistakes. Double-check recommended resources and make sure results, including quotes and numbers, are accurate. AI has been known to generate fabricated information, such as book titles and quotes that sound like a person but aren’t real.
Let AI handle the repetitive stuff so your people can focus on what’s relational.
Keep Jesus at the Center
Technology is just a tool. It amplifies whatever you bring to it. If you use AI to amplify Jesus, that will help you use AI in ways that bring honor to Him. However, if you use AI to do less ministry or to shortcut work that requires engaging with God, you’re going in a bad direction.
Remember, the goal isn’t to build a more efficient church but a more faithful one.
Setting Guardrails for AI Use in Your Church
If your church is considering AI, start with small, low-risk applications. Let your administrative team use it for scheduling, or your communications people test it for drafting announcements. Start where it can clearly save time and energy.
If you try to go too big, too early with AI, it can lead to lots of mistakes that hinder your ability to serve God effectively.
Take the time to develop a set of guidelines to outline how AI will be used in your church. Include guidelines about oversight, theological accuracy, avoiding false information, and more.
Before using any new tool, ask questions like:
- Does this help us serve people better?
- Does it create more personal connections or less?
- Does it align with our mission and values?
If you have established church members who also appreciate new technology, consider letting them beta test the tools. Ask them to report back about benefits, drawbacks, and potential ministry applications.
Why AI Will Never Replace the Church
AI is truly remarkable and can accomplish some incredible things, but it will never be able to do what you and your people are called to do. Spreading the gospel is relational. Algorithms and computer code can't do that.
AI can write text, but it can’t show compassion. It can process data but not pray for healing. It can send reminders, but not show up at a sick person’s house with chicken noodle soup.
You and your church must do that holy work of sharing the good news of the gospel. AI can help you do it more effectively, but God has given the mission to the church, not the robots.
Want to explore tools that help churches save time and stay people-focused? Discover how modern church technology can support your mission without losing what matters most.
podcast transcript
Stephen Altrogge lives in Tallahassee, Florida. He is a dad to three wonderful girls and has written for publications like The Gospel Coalition, Church Leaders, Crosswalk, and many more. When he’s not writing, you’ll find him reading or watching The Lord Of the Rings for the 10th time.
Innovation is not a new challenge for the church. The printing press was invented, and as a result, everyone had access to the Bible. Radio and television emerged, and pastors like Billy Graham were able to preach the gospel to millions around the country.
Then, the internet arrived, which changed almost everything.
Now we have livestreaming, podcasts, Church Management Systems (ChMS), social media, and texting. And lots of dancing on TikTok. Which doesn’t really matter, but it’s kind of funny.
Every innovation has forced leaders and churches to reevaluate how they fulfill the church’s mission.
Now we have artificial intelligence (AI). The “robots” have arrived.
Some leaders see AI as a distraction. Others view it as an opportunity. The truth is that AI is simply another tool in a long story of innovation. One that can serve the Church’s mission if used with wisdom, prayer, and discernment.
The question isn’t whether AI will shape the world. It’s already happening, and you will have to respond in some way. You can’t ignore it completely. Churches that tried to do that with the internet fell behind quickly and missed out on many ministry opportunities.
This introduction is already way too long, so let’s get into it. Let’s talk about the intersection of AI and the church’s mission.
Artificial intelligence can help churches save time, improve communication, and understand their communities better, but it can never replace pastoral care, prayer, or discipleship. When used wisely, AI supports the Church’s mission by freeing leaders to focus more on people and less on administration.
The Church’s Mission in a Changing World
Let’s be clear on one thing: the church’s mission hasn’t changed. It’s still to spread the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ to all people and nations. What has changed is the way people communicate, seek meaning, and even the means by which individuals come to Christ.
Life has undergone enormous changes over the past 1,000 years, yet people still face the same fundamental problems. Guilt. Anxiety. Relational problems. Trying to live well in a fallen world. And, of course, the most significant issue: sin that separates us from God.
Obviously, technology can’t solve these problems. Only God can, most often through the church. However, AI can help free up enormous amounts of time that would typically be spent on administrative work. More free time equals more time for ministry.
How AI Can Strengthen Your Church’s Mission
Let’s talk specifically about how AI can practically strengthen your church’s efforts to fulfill its mission from God.
Better Pastoral Care and Connection
As a pastor, your heart is for people. But you can’t be everything to everybody. You’re limited by time, energy, and other factors. It’s nearly impossible to be aware of every need in your church. That’s where AI can quietly help behind the scenes.
AI-powered tools in your church management system can help you spot patterns in attendance, giving, or group participation.
When someone starts to fade to the background, the system can flag that for a personal follow-up from you or another leader. Instead of reacting months later, your team can reach out quickly with care.
This has to be done in the right way, but AI chatbots can also provide simple answers to typical questions people might have about your church (meeting time, kids ministry, service times, etc).
AI can also support discipleship. It can recommend Bible studies, devotionals, or sermon clips based on a person’s needs or struggles.
It doesn’t replace you in any way, shape, or form. It simply helps your church stay more intentional in caring for each person.
Improved Communication and Outreach
Your team likely spends a significant amount of time writing emails, social posts, and other content. AI can make that process smoother without taking away the human touch.
Team members can utilize AI tools to brainstorm content ideas and outline announcements. They can draft event descriptions or social media posts. Instead of starting from scratch, they can focus on refining the tone and adding personal touches to enhance the overall experience. That means less time staring at a blank screen and more time connecting with your congregation.
Your team can also create automations that send emails or text messages when specific events occur, such as when a new person checks in.
Supporting Sermon Preparation (Without Replacing the Pastor)
This is a tricky one. Preparing a sermon is a sacred thing, requiring deep study, prayer, reflection, and writing. These things should never be outsourced to AI.
But there are some ways AI can help you prepare a sermon more effectively.
You can use AI to quickly gather related verses or point you to relevant resources to study. You can also use AI tools to better understand the historical context in which passages from the Bible were written.
Study tools like Logos enable you to delve deeply into the original Greek or Hebrew, allowing you better to understand the nuances of specific words and phrases. It can also search thousands of reliable theological sources to find what others have written about a passage or verse.
AI can’t replace the hard, holy work required to prepare a sermon. However, it can help you get there more quickly.
Streamlining Administration and Operations
Your staff and volunteers handle a vast amount of logistical work. Scheduling, database management, event coordination, record-keeping, the list goes on. These tasks can consume several hours each week.
AI can help your team handle these details with less effort. It can automatically schedule volunteers, generate event reminders, and ensure rooms are not double-booked.
Your finance team can use AI analytics to track giving trends and forecast budgets. When you can clearly see these patterns, you can plan with confidence and communicate transparently with the congregation.
Understanding Your Community and Audience
One of the most powerful things AI can do is help your church better understand the local community.
Your communications team can use AI to determine what topics people in your city are searching for online. You may discover that people are asking questions about anxiety or the meaning of life. Using this information, you could create a sermon series or outreach program that addresses those struggles with biblical hope.
AI doesn’t replace the hard work of meeting people where they are and ministering to them directly. You still have to be the hands and feet of Christ to your city. AI can help you find the right place and the right people.
Empowering Growth and Evangelism
Evangelism begins long before someone visits your church. Becoming a follower of Jesus is often a gradual process, marked by a series of steps and encounters that may take months or even years.
People visit your website, watch sermons, and sign up for emails to get a better feel for your church.
If a person regularly signs up for online devotionals or consistently opens and engages with your emails, AI can flag them for a personalized follow-up. You could send them an invitation to a newcomer lunch or a note from a volunteer saying, “We’d love to meet you.”
AI tools can also be used to repurpose sermons into other formats. A Sunday message could be transformed into a blog post or a series of social media quotes. Key quotes could be automatically found and then posted on your website. One sermon can reach many people beyond the church walls without requiring much extra work from staff
When AI is used for evangelism, it can become a multiplier. You can reach more people while still maintaining real, authentic relationships.
Navigating the Tough Questions About AI in Church
Yes, AI opens new possibilities. However, it must be used responsibly in ways that honor God. Here are a few key principles to keep in mind.
Keep People At the Center
As we’ve noted, AI can assist with ministry, but it can’t replace it. It doesn’t understand emotion or spiritual conviction. It can’t pray, discern, or comfort. Only you and your team can do that.
To give a ridiculous example, don’t give someone a ChatGPT prompt when they tell you they’re struggling with anxiety.
Additionally, it’s essential to always have a human overseeing anything done by AI. Currently, AI is effective, but it still occasionally makes mistakes. Double-check recommended resources and make sure results, including quotes and numbers, are accurate. AI has been known to generate fabricated information, such as book titles and quotes that sound like a person but aren’t real.
Let AI handle the repetitive stuff so your people can focus on what’s relational.
Keep Jesus at the Center
Technology is just a tool. It amplifies whatever you bring to it. If you use AI to amplify Jesus, that will help you use AI in ways that bring honor to Him. However, if you use AI to do less ministry or to shortcut work that requires engaging with God, you’re going in a bad direction.
Remember, the goal isn’t to build a more efficient church but a more faithful one.
Setting Guardrails for AI Use in Your Church
If your church is considering AI, start with small, low-risk applications. Let your administrative team use it for scheduling, or your communications people test it for drafting announcements. Start where it can clearly save time and energy.
If you try to go too big, too early with AI, it can lead to lots of mistakes that hinder your ability to serve God effectively.
Take the time to develop a set of guidelines to outline how AI will be used in your church. Include guidelines about oversight, theological accuracy, avoiding false information, and more.
Before using any new tool, ask questions like:
- Does this help us serve people better?
- Does it create more personal connections or less?
- Does it align with our mission and values?
If you have established church members who also appreciate new technology, consider letting them beta test the tools. Ask them to report back about benefits, drawbacks, and potential ministry applications.
Why AI Will Never Replace the Church
AI is truly remarkable and can accomplish some incredible things, but it will never be able to do what you and your people are called to do. Spreading the gospel is relational. Algorithms and computer code can't do that.
AI can write text, but it can’t show compassion. It can process data but not pray for healing. It can send reminders, but not show up at a sick person’s house with chicken noodle soup.
You and your church must do that holy work of sharing the good news of the gospel. AI can help you do it more effectively, but God has given the mission to the church, not the robots.
Want to explore tools that help churches save time and stay people-focused? Discover how modern church technology can support your mission without losing what matters most.
VIDEO transcript
Innovation is not a new challenge for the church. The printing press was invented, and as a result, everyone had access to the Bible. Radio and television emerged, and pastors like Billy Graham were able to preach the gospel to millions around the country.
Then, the internet arrived, which changed almost everything.
Now we have livestreaming, podcasts, Church Management Systems (ChMS), social media, and texting. And lots of dancing on TikTok. Which doesn’t really matter, but it’s kind of funny.
Every innovation has forced leaders and churches to reevaluate how they fulfill the church’s mission.
Now we have artificial intelligence (AI). The “robots” have arrived.
Some leaders see AI as a distraction. Others view it as an opportunity. The truth is that AI is simply another tool in a long story of innovation. One that can serve the Church’s mission if used with wisdom, prayer, and discernment.
The question isn’t whether AI will shape the world. It’s already happening, and you will have to respond in some way. You can’t ignore it completely. Churches that tried to do that with the internet fell behind quickly and missed out on many ministry opportunities.
This introduction is already way too long, so let’s get into it. Let’s talk about the intersection of AI and the church’s mission.
Artificial intelligence can help churches save time, improve communication, and understand their communities better, but it can never replace pastoral care, prayer, or discipleship. When used wisely, AI supports the Church’s mission by freeing leaders to focus more on people and less on administration.
The Church’s Mission in a Changing World
Let’s be clear on one thing: the church’s mission hasn’t changed. It’s still to spread the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ to all people and nations. What has changed is the way people communicate, seek meaning, and even the means by which individuals come to Christ.
Life has undergone enormous changes over the past 1,000 years, yet people still face the same fundamental problems. Guilt. Anxiety. Relational problems. Trying to live well in a fallen world. And, of course, the most significant issue: sin that separates us from God.
Obviously, technology can’t solve these problems. Only God can, most often through the church. However, AI can help free up enormous amounts of time that would typically be spent on administrative work. More free time equals more time for ministry.
How AI Can Strengthen Your Church’s Mission
Let’s talk specifically about how AI can practically strengthen your church’s efforts to fulfill its mission from God.
Better Pastoral Care and Connection
As a pastor, your heart is for people. But you can’t be everything to everybody. You’re limited by time, energy, and other factors. It’s nearly impossible to be aware of every need in your church. That’s where AI can quietly help behind the scenes.
AI-powered tools in your church management system can help you spot patterns in attendance, giving, or group participation.
When someone starts to fade to the background, the system can flag that for a personal follow-up from you or another leader. Instead of reacting months later, your team can reach out quickly with care.
This has to be done in the right way, but AI chatbots can also provide simple answers to typical questions people might have about your church (meeting time, kids ministry, service times, etc).
AI can also support discipleship. It can recommend Bible studies, devotionals, or sermon clips based on a person’s needs or struggles.
It doesn’t replace you in any way, shape, or form. It simply helps your church stay more intentional in caring for each person.
Improved Communication and Outreach
Your team likely spends a significant amount of time writing emails, social posts, and other content. AI can make that process smoother without taking away the human touch.
Team members can utilize AI tools to brainstorm content ideas and outline announcements. They can draft event descriptions or social media posts. Instead of starting from scratch, they can focus on refining the tone and adding personal touches to enhance the overall experience. That means less time staring at a blank screen and more time connecting with your congregation.
Your team can also create automations that send emails or text messages when specific events occur, such as when a new person checks in.
Supporting Sermon Preparation (Without Replacing the Pastor)
This is a tricky one. Preparing a sermon is a sacred thing, requiring deep study, prayer, reflection, and writing. These things should never be outsourced to AI.
But there are some ways AI can help you prepare a sermon more effectively.
You can use AI to quickly gather related verses or point you to relevant resources to study. You can also use AI tools to better understand the historical context in which passages from the Bible were written.
Study tools like Logos enable you to delve deeply into the original Greek or Hebrew, allowing you better to understand the nuances of specific words and phrases. It can also search thousands of reliable theological sources to find what others have written about a passage or verse.
AI can’t replace the hard, holy work required to prepare a sermon. However, it can help you get there more quickly.
Streamlining Administration and Operations
Your staff and volunteers handle a vast amount of logistical work. Scheduling, database management, event coordination, record-keeping, the list goes on. These tasks can consume several hours each week.
AI can help your team handle these details with less effort. It can automatically schedule volunteers, generate event reminders, and ensure rooms are not double-booked.
Your finance team can use AI analytics to track giving trends and forecast budgets. When you can clearly see these patterns, you can plan with confidence and communicate transparently with the congregation.
Understanding Your Community and Audience
One of the most powerful things AI can do is help your church better understand the local community.
Your communications team can use AI to determine what topics people in your city are searching for online. You may discover that people are asking questions about anxiety or the meaning of life. Using this information, you could create a sermon series or outreach program that addresses those struggles with biblical hope.
AI doesn’t replace the hard work of meeting people where they are and ministering to them directly. You still have to be the hands and feet of Christ to your city. AI can help you find the right place and the right people.
Empowering Growth and Evangelism
Evangelism begins long before someone visits your church. Becoming a follower of Jesus is often a gradual process, marked by a series of steps and encounters that may take months or even years.
People visit your website, watch sermons, and sign up for emails to get a better feel for your church.
If a person regularly signs up for online devotionals or consistently opens and engages with your emails, AI can flag them for a personalized follow-up. You could send them an invitation to a newcomer lunch or a note from a volunteer saying, “We’d love to meet you.”
AI tools can also be used to repurpose sermons into other formats. A Sunday message could be transformed into a blog post or a series of social media quotes. Key quotes could be automatically found and then posted on your website. One sermon can reach many people beyond the church walls without requiring much extra work from staff
When AI is used for evangelism, it can become a multiplier. You can reach more people while still maintaining real, authentic relationships.
Navigating the Tough Questions About AI in Church
Yes, AI opens new possibilities. However, it must be used responsibly in ways that honor God. Here are a few key principles to keep in mind.
Keep People At the Center
As we’ve noted, AI can assist with ministry, but it can’t replace it. It doesn’t understand emotion or spiritual conviction. It can’t pray, discern, or comfort. Only you and your team can do that.
To give a ridiculous example, don’t give someone a ChatGPT prompt when they tell you they’re struggling with anxiety.
Additionally, it’s essential to always have a human overseeing anything done by AI. Currently, AI is effective, but it still occasionally makes mistakes. Double-check recommended resources and make sure results, including quotes and numbers, are accurate. AI has been known to generate fabricated information, such as book titles and quotes that sound like a person but aren’t real.
Let AI handle the repetitive stuff so your people can focus on what’s relational.
Keep Jesus at the Center
Technology is just a tool. It amplifies whatever you bring to it. If you use AI to amplify Jesus, that will help you use AI in ways that bring honor to Him. However, if you use AI to do less ministry or to shortcut work that requires engaging with God, you’re going in a bad direction.
Remember, the goal isn’t to build a more efficient church but a more faithful one.
Setting Guardrails for AI Use in Your Church
If your church is considering AI, start with small, low-risk applications. Let your administrative team use it for scheduling, or your communications people test it for drafting announcements. Start where it can clearly save time and energy.
If you try to go too big, too early with AI, it can lead to lots of mistakes that hinder your ability to serve God effectively.
Take the time to develop a set of guidelines to outline how AI will be used in your church. Include guidelines about oversight, theological accuracy, avoiding false information, and more.
Before using any new tool, ask questions like:
- Does this help us serve people better?
- Does it create more personal connections or less?
- Does it align with our mission and values?
If you have established church members who also appreciate new technology, consider letting them beta test the tools. Ask them to report back about benefits, drawbacks, and potential ministry applications.
Why AI Will Never Replace the Church
AI is truly remarkable and can accomplish some incredible things, but it will never be able to do what you and your people are called to do. Spreading the gospel is relational. Algorithms and computer code can't do that.
AI can write text, but it can’t show compassion. It can process data but not pray for healing. It can send reminders, but not show up at a sick person’s house with chicken noodle soup.
You and your church must do that holy work of sharing the good news of the gospel. AI can help you do it more effectively, but God has given the mission to the church, not the robots.
Want to explore tools that help churches save time and stay people-focused? Discover how modern church technology can support your mission without losing what matters most.
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Stephen Altrogge lives in Tallahassee, Florida. He is a dad to three wonderful girls and has written for publications like The Gospel Coalition, Church Leaders, Crosswalk, and many more. When he’s not writing, you’ll find him reading or watching The Lord Of the Rings for the 10th time.
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