AI: Opportunities and threats in pastoral ministry

In today’s world, technological advancements increasingly shape our daily lives. We live in a culture that “seeks its authorization in technology, finds its satisfaction in technology, and takes orders from technology.”¹

The past few years have witnessed the rapid development of wide-ranging and intense digital interaction options for communication between pastors and church members. Technology also has become an increasingly important component of a church’s outreach strategy as pastors recognize its potential for fulfilling the great commission of reaching the world and making disciples, as Jesus commanded (Matt. 28:19, 20).

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance, it is inevitable that its impact will spread across society, including pastoral ministry.² In particular, the use of AI and advanced chatbots such as ChatGPT presents both opportunities and threats for pastoral ministries. On one hand, without question such tools have the capacity to enhance communication with congregants and provide valuable insights into their needs and concerns. On the other hand, they also could pose a challenge to traditional forms of pastoral care and human connection within religious communities.

Therefore, it becomes important to consider the ways that pastors and church leaders may be able to leverage the power of AI. As part of this, the church must explore how it might integrate AI and related technologies into their ministry efforts to evangelize as well as consider the opportunities and threats associated with using them.

Potential opportunities

Use of chatbots—A chatbot is an artificial construct or system designed to “converse” with human beings using interactive textual or speech skills based on natural language. In the case of churches, it would be possible to leverage GPT-powered chatbots on their websites to provide quick and reliable responses to frequently asked questions, offer information about upcoming church activities, and engage with visitors and members in real time. It offers an obvious op­portunity to enhance the overall user experience and establish a more interactive and engaging online presence for the church.

Furthermore, churches can use interactive chatbots to answer basic biblical questions, provide relevant scriptures to address particular queries, and offer explanations and information related to their faith and teachings. Such programs can help visitors and members deepen their understanding of the church’s beliefs and values and facilitate a more interactive and engaging experience.

A church also can use chatbots to follow up with visitors by asking for contact information and permission to send subsequent messages. If granted, the chatbot can then send personalized post-visit messages to visitors, thanking them and inviting them to return for future services or events. Additionally, the chatbot can obtain feedback about the visitors’ experiences and offer resources or support if needed. Overall, chatbots can provide a convenient and effective way for churches to follow up with visitors and build stronger connections with their community.

Because of the wide use of social media, churches could utilize ChatGPT to create social media posts that resonate with their specific community and generate relevant hashtags to increase engagement and reach a wider audience. The strength of ChatGPT is that it can assist in crafting compelling and relevant content that aligns with the church’s values and mission while appealing to the broader interests of its audience. This can result in increased engagement, more expansive reach, and deeper connections with the church’s community online.

Bible study—In the wake of COVID-19, many have opted to minimize their in-person attendance at church events, including Bible study groups and prayer meetings. Churches can respond to such reduced attendance by using AI-powered technologies on their online platforms to offer support and spiritual encourage­ment. For instance, some AI technologies can be programmed and customized to collect and respond to requests from both visitors and members, thus providing personalized responses as well as facilitating Bible study discussions by generating discussion questions, providing relevant scripture passages, and offering insights and commentary on biblical themes and passages.

This can be particularly helpful for individuals who may not have access to an in-person Bible study group or who prefer to study with a flexibility better suited to their own schedule. Therefore, by leveraging the capabilities of AI-powered technologies, churches have a powerful tool at their disposal that can help provide a valuable resource to their members and foster a sense of community and spiritual growth.

Potential threats

Risk of replacing human interaction—One potential concern is the possibility of AI technologies completely replacing human interaction, a particular worry in pastoral ministry. While chatbots can certainly be useful and efficient tools, we should not view them as a complete substitute for human connection and relationships, as that is what churches are built upon.

Personal connections and relationships are critical for supporting individuals in times of need, offering emotional and spiritual guidance, and building a sense of community and belonging. Consequently, we should never regard AI as a replacement for face-to-face communication and support. Therefore, it is essential to consider the role of AI technology within the context of pastoral ministry and prioritize maintaining human connections as a vital aspect of it.³

Theological inaccuracies—Another threat is the potential for theological inaccuracies generated by AI tools. AI-powered technologies have the potential to provide conflicting or inaccurate information on biblical teachings and doctrines, such as the Sabbath, baptism, sanctuary, death, and Christ’s second coming. As a result, pastors must exercise caution when utilizing AI tech­nologies for outreach. It is crucial to cross-reference AI-generated content with reliable sources to ensure accurate interpretation of Scripture.

Though AI tools can certainly provide accurate biblical references and teachings, they may not be able to fully interpret complex theological questions or form nuanced responses that require understanding of human emotions and experiences. For instance, as a machine learning model, ChatGPT can generate sophisticated responses based on the data it has been trained on, but ultimately it is not a human being and does not have the capacity for empathy, intuition, or spiritual discernment that are vital in addressing some theological issues. As such, pastors and church leaders should exercise caution in relying too heavily on AI technologies for theological guidance. While such tools are useful, they can never be a complete replacement for human expertise and empathy in providing spiritual and emotional support.

Ultimately, it is essential to prioritize a holistic approach to pastoral ministry that incorporates both technology and personal connection, one that recognizes the unique strengths and limitations of each in providing theological guidance to those seeking to understand biblical doctrines and themes. Carefully combining both technology and personal connection can help ensure that individuals receive the most comprehensive and effective theological guidance possible.

Privacy and data protection—The use of AI technologies in pastoral ministry may raise concerns about privacy and data protection, particularly regarding any personal information collected. Churches should take steps that will ensure that it remains confidential and is used only for its intended purposes. That may require implementing strong data protection policies and protocols that will encrypt and store it securely as well as make clear how such information will be used and protected.

It is also important to regularly review and update such policies and protocols so that they remain effective and incorporate current protection laws and practices.

Seven AI-powered tools that churches can utilize

ChatGPT. Imagine a chatbot that not only takes instructions from you but also delivers detailed responses based on those instructions. That is exactly what ChatGPT does. Link: chat.openai.com.

DALL-E 2. For pastors who enjoy incorporating images into their sermons and Bible studies, this AI tool is perfect for you. I have used it while preparing lectures for my classes. It generates realistic images based on textual descriptions, essentially creating unique visuals. Link: openai.com/dall-e-2.

Eightify. A powerful tool that can benefit both pastors and their congregation, it is powered by OpenAI GPT-3 and ChatGPT and summarizes YouTube videos in 10–20 seconds. No more sitting through lengthy sermons on YouTube; it saves you time and keeps you informed. Link: eightify.app.

Supercreator AI. Today, churches are increasingly dependent on video content. However, editing videos can be time-consuming. With Supercreator, you can now create short videos 10 times faster. Link: supercreator.ai.

Stockimg AI. With this AI-powered tool, you can generate stock images for your church in seconds. Link: stockimg.ai.

Vidyo AI. This platform enables you to create short videos from longer ones in seconds. Pastors can take advantage of this AI-powered tool to produce concise videos for evangelism. With Vidyo, there is no need to edit lengthy videos manually. It handles the task for you! The clips generated by Vidyo are typically ready for social media sharing. Link: vidyo.ai.

Personal connection

As we acknowledge technology as important in today’s world, we must “resist the temptation to prostrate ourselves before it”⁴ and “we must not let it fashion and mold us into its insistent (now!), efficient (faster!), and greedy (more!).”⁵ Proverbs 16:9 provides a valuable reminder for churches as they consider the use of AI technologies in their ministry efforts: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps” (NIV). This verse reminds us that while we may use AI tools or other forms of technology to aid God’s work, it is ultimately God who guides our steps and directs our paths. As such, it is important to approach the use of such modern technology with humility and a recognition of our dependence on God’s guidance in all that we do.

As technology continues to advance and change the way we communicate, churches must maintain a balance between using AI and the essential value of personal connection and community in their ministry efforts. Through maintaining such a balance, churches can ensure that their use of technology aligns with their core values and mission while fostering deeper relationships and community among their members as God intended.