Posted by Chris Blair 03/25/26
AI in Ministry?
My first encounter with AI left me with a raised eyebrow. I watched a co-worker repeat a mathematical riddle, one based on an obscure accounting error, to a Siri-like AI companion. The AI’s response was unsettling; with a flirty, giggling tone, she pleasantly agreed that the riddle “wasn’t really that smart.” She then launched into a five-minute, complex explanation to solve it. This contradiction—agreeing that something is simple while requiring a lengthy, elaborate justification—was alarming. I realized then that this AI was likely programmed to tell the user whatever it calculated they wanted to hear based on their phrasing to increase usage, rather than providing an objective truth.
In my professional life, however, I’ve seen AI’s more practical side: Radiology AI reads. In a typical ER setting, the gap between a tech’s scan and a radiologist’s official report can range from fifteen minutes to several hours. AI has proven reliable enough to provide preliminary reads, helping ER physicians rule out time-sensitive emergencies while waiting for the official word. Based on the current trajectory, I suspect remote radiology reads may be entirely handled by AI within twenty years.
An AI summary of Bryan Rose’s webinar on AI in ministry stated, “AI is a tool, not a leader. AI can serve a church’s vision, but it cannot cast a compelling vision. AI can enhance decision-making, but it cannot replace wisdom.”[1] These are both bold and telling statements. Bryan Rose clearly makes a point to emphasize that AI should be used with both efficiency and restraint. The misuse of AI could be detrimental if used to replace one’s personal relationship with the Holy Spirit. We must always remember that truth can only be discerned through our relationship with the Holy Spirit within the context of God’s Word. A computer analysis, no matter how complex, can never replace Divine Inspiration.
However, AI can be used as a tool to free up limited time and resources to focus on calling. As a church gets larger and has a greater number of employees and volunteers, it can cost the pastor precious time of devotion to God and the self-reflection needed for effective ministry. AI can be an excellent tool in doing administrative work. Rose informs us, “AI can automate and simplify many of the tasks …such as: Processing meeting notes and action items from recorded discussions. Generating sermon-based study guides for small groups. Assisting in planning, communication, and scheduling to ensure teams stay aligned.”[2] Using AI to keep a vision both clear and central to the churches organizational processes may be a valid use for the growing new technology of AI.
For church leaders, AI, as Bryan Rose states, can help keep vision in focus by “keeping strategic priorities, measurable goals, and progress updates easily accessible for ministry teams.”[3] Although there is strong skepticism and reservation with its use, AI will have a role in ministry moving forward. It is clear that AI has the capability to become a helper within ministry. However, the Bible teaches us, “For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.”(Proverbs 2:6) I pray that AI does not take away from wisdom or from our personal relationships with the Holy Spirit.
[1] Bryan Rose, “AI and Pastoral Leadership: 4 Game-Changing Ways to Leverage the Tech Tool,” Lifeway Research, April 23, 2025, https://research.lifeway.com/2025/04/23/ai-and-pastoral-leadership-4-game-changing-ways-to-leverage-the-tech-tool.
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
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