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AI & Tech

What Is AI and Why Should Your Church Care?

· Updated · by · 2 min read

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I know what some of you are thinking. “AI is a tech thing. I’m a church person. These worlds don’t overlap for me.” I thought that once too — right up until I realized I’d been using AI every single day without knowing it.

The spam filter that keeps your inbox from drowning in junk mail? AI. The Netflix recommendation that convinced you to watch three more episodes? AI. Siri, Alexa, the “suggested replies” in your Gmail? All AI. It has already woven itself into the fabric of daily life — which means it has already arrived at your church, whether you’ve invited it or not.

So What Actually Is AI?

At its core, artificial intelligence refers to computer systems designed to simulate human-like thinking. These systems learn from data, reason through problems, understand language, and make decisions — performing tasks that used to require a human mind.

The AI most of us interact with today falls into a few different categories:

  • Practical AI — The behind-the-scenes intelligence in your apps and devices. Spam filters, autocomplete, personalized feeds. Useful, invisible, everywhere.
  • Generative AI — This is the one making headlines. Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini that can write, create images, compose music, and generate content. It doesn’t just find answers — it invents them.
  • Agentic AI — The next wave. AI that doesn’t just respond to prompts but plans, executes, and monitors multi-step tasks on its own. Still emerging, but coming fast.

How Does AI Actually Learn?

At the heart of every AI system is training data — vast collections of text, images, and information that the AI studies to recognize patterns and develop capabilities. Think of it like a student who has read millions of books, articles, and conversations and can now draw on all of that to help you write a sermon outline or draft an email.

The quality and diversity of that training data matters enormously — which is something the church should pay attention to. More on that in a future post.

Why Does This Matter for the Church?

Because the church has always used the best available tools to spread the gospel. Paul used the Roman roads. Gutenberg’s printing press put Scripture in the hands of ordinary people. Radio, television, and the internet each expanded the reach of the church in their time.

AI is the tool of our moment. And right now, churches can use it to:

  • Draft sermons, newsletters, and social media posts faster
  • Research biblical texts and theological questions more thoroughly
  • Create graphics and visuals for ministry without a design degree
  • Automate administrative tasks so staff can focus on people
  • Reach more people online with better, more consistent content

This isn’t about replacing the human heart of ministry. It’s about freeing that heart to do more of what only humans can do — show up, sit with people, and love them well.

You Don’t Have to Be a Tech Person

I teach AI at universities, I’ve worked at Meta, and I’ve helped churches build their digital presence for years. And my biggest takeaway? You don’t need a computer science degree to use these tools. You need curiosity and a willingness to experiment.

This year, I’m going to walk you through exactly how to do that — one practical post at a time. Welcome to the AI conversation. The church belongs in it.

🤖 Want to go deeper with AI in your ministry? Check out my book AI Prompts for Church Leaders — practical, ready-to-use prompts designed specifically for pastors, communicators, and ministry teams. Grab it on Amazon.