64% of Pastors Are Using AI for Sermon Prep. Here's How to Use it Wisely.
Learn how pastors can use AI for sermon research and support without outsourcing biblical interpretation, spiritual formation, or Holy Spirit-led discernment.
Looking for more resources for church leaders as you navigate the world of AI? Access our free resource list here! AI seems to be just about everywhere right now. It is being discussed in boardrooms. It is being incorporated into classrooms. It is helping us write emails, plan our shopping lists, generate content, and automate tasks that once required hours of human effort.
And now, it’s showing up in the pulpit. According to a recent nationwide survey, 64% of pastors are now using AI to prepare sermons – a statistic that deserves our attention.
Some church leaders will see this as a natural progression of technology. After all, pastors already use Bible software, online commentaries, Google searches, and digital study tools, so why should AI feel any different?
Others feel uneasy about the trend, and for good reason. They worry that something important could be lost if sermon preparation becomes automated.
I am not convinced AI is inherently a problem. But I do think sermon preparation is fundamentally different from many of the other tasks AI can assist with.
As pastors, we have to ask a deeper question than, "Can AI do this?" We need to ask, "Should AI do this?" Because not everything God asks us to do is meant to be efficient, and the methods and mediums we use in ministry will necessarily impact the outcomes.
The Medium Is the Message
When I was studying communication in college, one idea stayed with me long after I graduated.
The medium is the message.
Communication scholar Marshall McLuhan argued that the way we communicate shapes the message itself. The medium – whether it's the written word, television, or now AI – is never neutral. It influences not only what is communicated, but how people experience and understand the message.
I think the same principle applies to sermon preparation.
If preparing a sermon becomes primarily a matter of AI prompts, summaries, and generated outlines, we should ask how that process is shaping us as preachers and shaping our congregation as listeners. Because the goal of sermon preparation has never been simply to produce a message. As preachers, our lives are meant to be the message. We are called to be vessels through whom God speaks.
Formation is Greater Than Automation
Throughout Scripture, God seems remarkably interested in forming the messenger before delivering the message. Moses spent years in the wilderness before confronting Pharaoh. David was shaped in lonely fields long before he sat on Israel's throne. The disciples spent years walking with Jesus before they were sent to preach. Ezekiel was instructed to eat the scroll before proclaiming God's Word. Again and again, formation was never separate from the mission. In many ways, it was the mission.
That is why I become cautious whenever we try to automate what God intended to be formative.
Technology excels at accelerating tasks. The kingdom of God rarely operates according to the logic of acceleration. God's work is often slow, hidden, and deeply personal. He shapes His people through prayer, waiting, wrestling, obedience, and time in His presence.
If the medium shapes the message, then perhaps we should also ask how our methods of preparing sermons are shaping the messenger.
Use AI Where It Helps, Not Where It Replaces
None of this means pastors should reject AI altogether. Used wisely, it can free up time and extend the reach of ministry in genuinely useful ways.
For example, AI is a natural fit for automating church reports and analytics, the kind of administrative work that consumes time without requiring pastoral discernment. It can also help leaders repurpose existing sermon content to reach new audiences without starting from scratch. If you want to see that in practice, we put together a free webinar walking through exactly how to do it.
AI can also be a helpful support tool when it comes to sermon prep. Using AI to locate a verse reference is not much different than using a search engine. Asking it to summarize the historical background of Ephesus is similar to opening a Bible dictionary. Having it brainstorm discussion questions can be a genuine time-saver.
The danger comes when AI begins replacing the work that only God intended to do in us. Importantly, there are many things that AI simply cannot replace in ministry, and pastors need to know the difference.
There is a meaningful difference between using AI as a research assistant and asking it to do the spiritual work of interpreting, discerning, and crafting the message God has given you to preach.
The line may not always be obvious, but it becomes clearer when we ask a better set of questions.
Five Questions to Ask Before Using AI for Sermon Preparation
Before opening ChatGPT, Claude, or another AI tool this week, take a moment to ask yourself:
1. Am I asking AI to inform me or to form my message? Research can be outsourced. Prayerful discernment cannot.
2. Have I spent time with the biblical text before asking AI for help? The first voice shaping your sermon should be Scripture, not an algorithm.
3. Is this helping me become a better preacher, or simply a faster one? God is often more interested in forming the messenger than speeding up the message.
4. Could I faithfully preach this message if AI had never existed? Your sermon should ultimately come from your study, your prayer, and your shepherding of your people, not from a prompt.
5. Is this tool helping me hear God more clearly, or simply helping me work faster? Efficiency is valuable, but it is not the highest value in ministry. Faithfulness is.
There is nothing wrong with using helpful tools. But before we jump to AI, we should first consider what it is we are actually outsourcing!
Let the Holy Spirit Still Do the Heavy Lifting
Preaching has never been merely about producing content. It is about faithfully handling God's Word and allowing that Word to shape the preacher before it is shared with the congregation.
AI may help you find a verse reference or summarize a commentary, but it cannot illuminate Scripture, convict hearts, or discern what your congregation needs in this particular season.
So before you consider opening ChatGPT to brainstorm the perfect sermon illustration, pause for a moment. Ask the Holy Spirit to inspire you. Spend time with an open Bible. Sit with the passage. Pray through it. Let it challenge you. Let it encourage you. Let it shape you.
Because technology is a valuable tool, but it will never replace the Holy Spirit.
Spend Less Time Managing Ministry
At Tithely, we believe church technology should support the formative work of ministry – not replace it. From online giving and church management to communication and volunteer coordination, our tools are designed to simplify the administrative side of ministry so you can spend more time studying God's Word, caring for your congregation, and advancing the mission God has given your church. Learn more about the #1 church software platform at https://get.tithe.ly/
Sign Up for Product Updates
Susanna is a theological content writer with a Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. She is passionate about ministry, running, and exploring new cultures through international travel. In her free time, you’ll find her surfing, obsessing over the Olympics, or enjoying the San Diego sunshine!
Looking for more resources for church leaders as you navigate the world of AI? Access our free resource list here! AI seems to be just about everywhere right now. It is being discussed in boardrooms. It is being incorporated into classrooms. It is helping us write emails, plan our shopping lists, generate content, and automate tasks that once required hours of human effort.
And now, it’s showing up in the pulpit. According to a recent nationwide survey, 64% of pastors are now using AI to prepare sermons – a statistic that deserves our attention.
Some church leaders will see this as a natural progression of technology. After all, pastors already use Bible software, online commentaries, Google searches, and digital study tools, so why should AI feel any different?
Others feel uneasy about the trend, and for good reason. They worry that something important could be lost if sermon preparation becomes automated.
I am not convinced AI is inherently a problem. But I do think sermon preparation is fundamentally different from many of the other tasks AI can assist with.
As pastors, we have to ask a deeper question than, "Can AI do this?" We need to ask, "Should AI do this?" Because not everything God asks us to do is meant to be efficient, and the methods and mediums we use in ministry will necessarily impact the outcomes.
The Medium Is the Message
When I was studying communication in college, one idea stayed with me long after I graduated.
The medium is the message.
Communication scholar Marshall McLuhan argued that the way we communicate shapes the message itself. The medium – whether it's the written word, television, or now AI – is never neutral. It influences not only what is communicated, but how people experience and understand the message.
I think the same principle applies to sermon preparation.
If preparing a sermon becomes primarily a matter of AI prompts, summaries, and generated outlines, we should ask how that process is shaping us as preachers and shaping our congregation as listeners. Because the goal of sermon preparation has never been simply to produce a message. As preachers, our lives are meant to be the message. We are called to be vessels through whom God speaks.
Formation is Greater Than Automation
Throughout Scripture, God seems remarkably interested in forming the messenger before delivering the message. Moses spent years in the wilderness before confronting Pharaoh. David was shaped in lonely fields long before he sat on Israel's throne. The disciples spent years walking with Jesus before they were sent to preach. Ezekiel was instructed to eat the scroll before proclaiming God's Word. Again and again, formation was never separate from the mission. In many ways, it was the mission.
That is why I become cautious whenever we try to automate what God intended to be formative.
Technology excels at accelerating tasks. The kingdom of God rarely operates according to the logic of acceleration. God's work is often slow, hidden, and deeply personal. He shapes His people through prayer, waiting, wrestling, obedience, and time in His presence.
If the medium shapes the message, then perhaps we should also ask how our methods of preparing sermons are shaping the messenger.
Use AI Where It Helps, Not Where It Replaces
None of this means pastors should reject AI altogether. Used wisely, it can free up time and extend the reach of ministry in genuinely useful ways.
For example, AI is a natural fit for automating church reports and analytics, the kind of administrative work that consumes time without requiring pastoral discernment. It can also help leaders repurpose existing sermon content to reach new audiences without starting from scratch. If you want to see that in practice, we put together a free webinar walking through exactly how to do it.
AI can also be a helpful support tool when it comes to sermon prep. Using AI to locate a verse reference is not much different than using a search engine. Asking it to summarize the historical background of Ephesus is similar to opening a Bible dictionary. Having it brainstorm discussion questions can be a genuine time-saver.
The danger comes when AI begins replacing the work that only God intended to do in us. Importantly, there are many things that AI simply cannot replace in ministry, and pastors need to know the difference.
There is a meaningful difference between using AI as a research assistant and asking it to do the spiritual work of interpreting, discerning, and crafting the message God has given you to preach.
The line may not always be obvious, but it becomes clearer when we ask a better set of questions.
Five Questions to Ask Before Using AI for Sermon Preparation
Before opening ChatGPT, Claude, or another AI tool this week, take a moment to ask yourself:
1. Am I asking AI to inform me or to form my message? Research can be outsourced. Prayerful discernment cannot.
2. Have I spent time with the biblical text before asking AI for help? The first voice shaping your sermon should be Scripture, not an algorithm.
3. Is this helping me become a better preacher, or simply a faster one? God is often more interested in forming the messenger than speeding up the message.
4. Could I faithfully preach this message if AI had never existed? Your sermon should ultimately come from your study, your prayer, and your shepherding of your people, not from a prompt.
5. Is this tool helping me hear God more clearly, or simply helping me work faster? Efficiency is valuable, but it is not the highest value in ministry. Faithfulness is.
There is nothing wrong with using helpful tools. But before we jump to AI, we should first consider what it is we are actually outsourcing!
Let the Holy Spirit Still Do the Heavy Lifting
Preaching has never been merely about producing content. It is about faithfully handling God's Word and allowing that Word to shape the preacher before it is shared with the congregation.
AI may help you find a verse reference or summarize a commentary, but it cannot illuminate Scripture, convict hearts, or discern what your congregation needs in this particular season.
So before you consider opening ChatGPT to brainstorm the perfect sermon illustration, pause for a moment. Ask the Holy Spirit to inspire you. Spend time with an open Bible. Sit with the passage. Pray through it. Let it challenge you. Let it encourage you. Let it shape you.
Because technology is a valuable tool, but it will never replace the Holy Spirit.
Spend Less Time Managing Ministry
At Tithely, we believe church technology should support the formative work of ministry – not replace it. From online giving and church management to communication and volunteer coordination, our tools are designed to simplify the administrative side of ministry so you can spend more time studying God's Word, caring for your congregation, and advancing the mission God has given your church. Learn more about the #1 church software platform at https://get.tithe.ly/
podcast transcript
Susanna is a theological content writer with a Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. She is passionate about ministry, running, and exploring new cultures through international travel. In her free time, you’ll find her surfing, obsessing over the Olympics, or enjoying the San Diego sunshine!
Looking for more resources for church leaders as you navigate the world of AI? Access our free resource list here! AI seems to be just about everywhere right now. It is being discussed in boardrooms. It is being incorporated into classrooms. It is helping us write emails, plan our shopping lists, generate content, and automate tasks that once required hours of human effort.
And now, it’s showing up in the pulpit. According to a recent nationwide survey, 64% of pastors are now using AI to prepare sermons – a statistic that deserves our attention.
Some church leaders will see this as a natural progression of technology. After all, pastors already use Bible software, online commentaries, Google searches, and digital study tools, so why should AI feel any different?
Others feel uneasy about the trend, and for good reason. They worry that something important could be lost if sermon preparation becomes automated.
I am not convinced AI is inherently a problem. But I do think sermon preparation is fundamentally different from many of the other tasks AI can assist with.
As pastors, we have to ask a deeper question than, "Can AI do this?" We need to ask, "Should AI do this?" Because not everything God asks us to do is meant to be efficient, and the methods and mediums we use in ministry will necessarily impact the outcomes.
The Medium Is the Message
When I was studying communication in college, one idea stayed with me long after I graduated.
The medium is the message.
Communication scholar Marshall McLuhan argued that the way we communicate shapes the message itself. The medium – whether it's the written word, television, or now AI – is never neutral. It influences not only what is communicated, but how people experience and understand the message.
I think the same principle applies to sermon preparation.
If preparing a sermon becomes primarily a matter of AI prompts, summaries, and generated outlines, we should ask how that process is shaping us as preachers and shaping our congregation as listeners. Because the goal of sermon preparation has never been simply to produce a message. As preachers, our lives are meant to be the message. We are called to be vessels through whom God speaks.
Formation is Greater Than Automation
Throughout Scripture, God seems remarkably interested in forming the messenger before delivering the message. Moses spent years in the wilderness before confronting Pharaoh. David was shaped in lonely fields long before he sat on Israel's throne. The disciples spent years walking with Jesus before they were sent to preach. Ezekiel was instructed to eat the scroll before proclaiming God's Word. Again and again, formation was never separate from the mission. In many ways, it was the mission.
That is why I become cautious whenever we try to automate what God intended to be formative.
Technology excels at accelerating tasks. The kingdom of God rarely operates according to the logic of acceleration. God's work is often slow, hidden, and deeply personal. He shapes His people through prayer, waiting, wrestling, obedience, and time in His presence.
If the medium shapes the message, then perhaps we should also ask how our methods of preparing sermons are shaping the messenger.
Use AI Where It Helps, Not Where It Replaces
None of this means pastors should reject AI altogether. Used wisely, it can free up time and extend the reach of ministry in genuinely useful ways.
For example, AI is a natural fit for automating church reports and analytics, the kind of administrative work that consumes time without requiring pastoral discernment. It can also help leaders repurpose existing sermon content to reach new audiences without starting from scratch. If you want to see that in practice, we put together a free webinar walking through exactly how to do it.
AI can also be a helpful support tool when it comes to sermon prep. Using AI to locate a verse reference is not much different than using a search engine. Asking it to summarize the historical background of Ephesus is similar to opening a Bible dictionary. Having it brainstorm discussion questions can be a genuine time-saver.
The danger comes when AI begins replacing the work that only God intended to do in us. Importantly, there are many things that AI simply cannot replace in ministry, and pastors need to know the difference.
There is a meaningful difference between using AI as a research assistant and asking it to do the spiritual work of interpreting, discerning, and crafting the message God has given you to preach.
The line may not always be obvious, but it becomes clearer when we ask a better set of questions.
Five Questions to Ask Before Using AI for Sermon Preparation
Before opening ChatGPT, Claude, or another AI tool this week, take a moment to ask yourself:
1. Am I asking AI to inform me or to form my message? Research can be outsourced. Prayerful discernment cannot.
2. Have I spent time with the biblical text before asking AI for help? The first voice shaping your sermon should be Scripture, not an algorithm.
3. Is this helping me become a better preacher, or simply a faster one? God is often more interested in forming the messenger than speeding up the message.
4. Could I faithfully preach this message if AI had never existed? Your sermon should ultimately come from your study, your prayer, and your shepherding of your people, not from a prompt.
5. Is this tool helping me hear God more clearly, or simply helping me work faster? Efficiency is valuable, but it is not the highest value in ministry. Faithfulness is.
There is nothing wrong with using helpful tools. But before we jump to AI, we should first consider what it is we are actually outsourcing!
Let the Holy Spirit Still Do the Heavy Lifting
Preaching has never been merely about producing content. It is about faithfully handling God's Word and allowing that Word to shape the preacher before it is shared with the congregation.
AI may help you find a verse reference or summarize a commentary, but it cannot illuminate Scripture, convict hearts, or discern what your congregation needs in this particular season.
So before you consider opening ChatGPT to brainstorm the perfect sermon illustration, pause for a moment. Ask the Holy Spirit to inspire you. Spend time with an open Bible. Sit with the passage. Pray through it. Let it challenge you. Let it encourage you. Let it shape you.
Because technology is a valuable tool, but it will never replace the Holy Spirit.
Spend Less Time Managing Ministry
At Tithely, we believe church technology should support the formative work of ministry – not replace it. From online giving and church management to communication and volunteer coordination, our tools are designed to simplify the administrative side of ministry so you can spend more time studying God's Word, caring for your congregation, and advancing the mission God has given your church. Learn more about the #1 church software platform at https://get.tithe.ly/
VIDEO transcript
Looking for more resources for church leaders as you navigate the world of AI? Access our free resource list here! AI seems to be just about everywhere right now. It is being discussed in boardrooms. It is being incorporated into classrooms. It is helping us write emails, plan our shopping lists, generate content, and automate tasks that once required hours of human effort.
And now, it’s showing up in the pulpit. According to a recent nationwide survey, 64% of pastors are now using AI to prepare sermons – a statistic that deserves our attention.
Some church leaders will see this as a natural progression of technology. After all, pastors already use Bible software, online commentaries, Google searches, and digital study tools, so why should AI feel any different?
Others feel uneasy about the trend, and for good reason. They worry that something important could be lost if sermon preparation becomes automated.
I am not convinced AI is inherently a problem. But I do think sermon preparation is fundamentally different from many of the other tasks AI can assist with.
As pastors, we have to ask a deeper question than, "Can AI do this?" We need to ask, "Should AI do this?" Because not everything God asks us to do is meant to be efficient, and the methods and mediums we use in ministry will necessarily impact the outcomes.
The Medium Is the Message
When I was studying communication in college, one idea stayed with me long after I graduated.
The medium is the message.
Communication scholar Marshall McLuhan argued that the way we communicate shapes the message itself. The medium – whether it's the written word, television, or now AI – is never neutral. It influences not only what is communicated, but how people experience and understand the message.
I think the same principle applies to sermon preparation.
If preparing a sermon becomes primarily a matter of AI prompts, summaries, and generated outlines, we should ask how that process is shaping us as preachers and shaping our congregation as listeners. Because the goal of sermon preparation has never been simply to produce a message. As preachers, our lives are meant to be the message. We are called to be vessels through whom God speaks.
Formation is Greater Than Automation
Throughout Scripture, God seems remarkably interested in forming the messenger before delivering the message. Moses spent years in the wilderness before confronting Pharaoh. David was shaped in lonely fields long before he sat on Israel's throne. The disciples spent years walking with Jesus before they were sent to preach. Ezekiel was instructed to eat the scroll before proclaiming God's Word. Again and again, formation was never separate from the mission. In many ways, it was the mission.
That is why I become cautious whenever we try to automate what God intended to be formative.
Technology excels at accelerating tasks. The kingdom of God rarely operates according to the logic of acceleration. God's work is often slow, hidden, and deeply personal. He shapes His people through prayer, waiting, wrestling, obedience, and time in His presence.
If the medium shapes the message, then perhaps we should also ask how our methods of preparing sermons are shaping the messenger.
Use AI Where It Helps, Not Where It Replaces
None of this means pastors should reject AI altogether. Used wisely, it can free up time and extend the reach of ministry in genuinely useful ways.
For example, AI is a natural fit for automating church reports and analytics, the kind of administrative work that consumes time without requiring pastoral discernment. It can also help leaders repurpose existing sermon content to reach new audiences without starting from scratch. If you want to see that in practice, we put together a free webinar walking through exactly how to do it.
AI can also be a helpful support tool when it comes to sermon prep. Using AI to locate a verse reference is not much different than using a search engine. Asking it to summarize the historical background of Ephesus is similar to opening a Bible dictionary. Having it brainstorm discussion questions can be a genuine time-saver.
The danger comes when AI begins replacing the work that only God intended to do in us. Importantly, there are many things that AI simply cannot replace in ministry, and pastors need to know the difference.
There is a meaningful difference between using AI as a research assistant and asking it to do the spiritual work of interpreting, discerning, and crafting the message God has given you to preach.
The line may not always be obvious, but it becomes clearer when we ask a better set of questions.
Five Questions to Ask Before Using AI for Sermon Preparation
Before opening ChatGPT, Claude, or another AI tool this week, take a moment to ask yourself:
1. Am I asking AI to inform me or to form my message? Research can be outsourced. Prayerful discernment cannot.
2. Have I spent time with the biblical text before asking AI for help? The first voice shaping your sermon should be Scripture, not an algorithm.
3. Is this helping me become a better preacher, or simply a faster one? God is often more interested in forming the messenger than speeding up the message.
4. Could I faithfully preach this message if AI had never existed? Your sermon should ultimately come from your study, your prayer, and your shepherding of your people, not from a prompt.
5. Is this tool helping me hear God more clearly, or simply helping me work faster? Efficiency is valuable, but it is not the highest value in ministry. Faithfulness is.
There is nothing wrong with using helpful tools. But before we jump to AI, we should first consider what it is we are actually outsourcing!
Let the Holy Spirit Still Do the Heavy Lifting
Preaching has never been merely about producing content. It is about faithfully handling God's Word and allowing that Word to shape the preacher before it is shared with the congregation.
AI may help you find a verse reference or summarize a commentary, but it cannot illuminate Scripture, convict hearts, or discern what your congregation needs in this particular season.
So before you consider opening ChatGPT to brainstorm the perfect sermon illustration, pause for a moment. Ask the Holy Spirit to inspire you. Spend time with an open Bible. Sit with the passage. Pray through it. Let it challenge you. Let it encourage you. Let it shape you.
Because technology is a valuable tool, but it will never replace the Holy Spirit.
Spend Less Time Managing Ministry
At Tithely, we believe church technology should support the formative work of ministry – not replace it. From online giving and church management to communication and volunteer coordination, our tools are designed to simplify the administrative side of ministry so you can spend more time studying God's Word, caring for your congregation, and advancing the mission God has given your church. Learn more about the #1 church software platform at https://get.tithe.ly/
Sign Up for Product Updates
Susanna is a theological content writer with a Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. She is passionate about ministry, running, and exploring new cultures through international travel. In her free time, you’ll find her surfing, obsessing over the Olympics, or enjoying the San Diego sunshine!
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