5 Reasons Why You Need A Theology Of AI & Technology In The Church

January 27, 2025

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer science fiction. It’s shaping our daily lives, workplaces, and even how we interact with one another. 

As AI continues to evolve, it’s time for pastors to reflect on its spiritual implications. Can AI deepen our faith, or does it pose new challenges to the church? This introduction aims to explore why developing a theology of AI is essential for today’s church leaders.

AI in the World and the Church

AI is becoming a powerful tool, from improving medical diagnoses to automating tasks in industries. However, its impact goes beyond the practicalities of life. AI now has the capacity to interact with people in ways that simulate human-like relationships. Chatbots, recommendation systems, and language generation tools like ChatGPT are just a few examples of AI technologies shaping the ways we connect, learn, and even reflect. AI agents are coming next, where it can book airline tickets for you, fill out forms on websites, and more.

The church is not immune to this shift. Many churches are already using AI tools to enhance administrative efficiency, improve outreach, and even create personalized spiritual resources for their congregations. 

But these advances also prompt significant questions: How does AI fit into God’s greater plan? Is there a spiritual cost to using AI in ministry? How do we draw boundaries to protect genuine spiritual experiences?

Addressing Big Spiritual Questions

We are entering into an age where Elon Musk predicts every household will have an AI-powered, android humanoid bot that we will have a “relationship with” in the very near future. Social influencers have already “cloned” themselves into AI chatbots and are selling engagement with their bot at prices by the minute. The perceived boundaries between AI and human will increasingly be confusing for many as consumer AI products become more powerful, sophisticated, and nuanced.

When considering AI and its intersection to ministry work, one of the first questions pastors must ask is, “What makes us human?” Because, as AI becomes more advanced, we need a clear understanding of what distinguishes people from machines. 

Theologically, our uniqueness lies in the concept of Imago Dei – we are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). This means that we carry inherent worth, creativity, relationality, and a moral compass, qualities that machines, no matter how sophisticated, cannot possess.

Psalm 8:4-6 reminds us that God has made us “a little lower than the angels” and crowned us with “glory and honor.” AI, despite its impressive capabilities, cannot participate in the divine relationship we have with God or understand the spiritual depth that he has placed within us. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God “has set eternity in the human heart,” a spiritual longing that AI will never have.

AI can simulate empathy, but it cannot truly feel. AI can process prayers, but it cannot communicate with God in the way we do – with the breath of the Almighty giving us understanding (Job 32:8).

Thus, developing a theology of AI helps us answer these fundamental questions. It helps frame discussions about what roles AI should have in our lives and, more importantly, where it shouldn’t have a role. 

AI’s Role in Spiritual Growth

Artificial Intelligence’s capabilities also challenges us to think about how we grow spiritually. Tools that adapt to user needs are increasingly used to encourage prayer, provide daily scripture, or create personalized Bible study plans. 

Imagine a church member who struggles to maintain a daily prayer habit. An AI app could remind them to pray and even suggest a prayer that fits their needs for that day – encouraging consistency and deepening their habit of communicating with God. This is not that far-fetched a scenario, since voice AI applications will become ubiquitous as Alexa, Siri, and Hey Google! are getting monumental updates with new generative AI technology that will mirror what we get with ChatGPT today. When executed well, AI agents and apps’ work can reflect the support we need to heed the call to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). 

Here’s the obligatory caution: AI can be a valuable aid in prompting and structuring our spiritual disciplines, but we need to make sure that AI complements, rather than replaces, the real human need for spontaneous and heartfelt prayer. 

Developing a theology of AI means grappling with these tensions – using AI as a support without allowing it to automate the sacred moments that define our faith.
A proper theology of AI will let us draw precise boundaries for where human vs. machines can or must come into play.

Community and Authentic Relationships

Church has always been about community, about bearing one another’s burdens and lifting each other up in love (Galatians 6:2). How does AI fit into that picture? Can it really foster the deep, Christ-centered relationships that a church needs?

AI is already used to organize small groups by analyzing schedules, interests, and spiritual maturity. It’s helping pastors identify members who may be drifting away by tracking giving data and flagging noticeable drops in giving that might be leading indicators for the need of pastoral care and follow-up.

When we examine the parts of relationship building and maintenance that can involve technology and the parts where we must keep a human in the loop, we can manage the risk that technology can make relationships feel transactional or reduce genuine spiritual care to a set of automated reminders.

To maintain authentic community, we need to ensure that AI serves as a tool to enhance human interaction and support it in wholesome ways. Church leaders, empowered by the Holy Spirit, must remain the primary shepherds of their flock (1 Peter 5:2). Pastors can focus on their highest value to their people in providing the personal touch, the prayer offered, the tears shared – all of which must always remain human.

Ethical Stewardship of AI

AI isn’t inherently good or bad – it’s a tool. As such, it requires ethical stewardship. Churches are called to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). These principles should also apply to how we use AI. For instance, AI can unintentionally perpetuate biases found in the data it’s trained on, which is why ethical considerations are crucial.

A notable example involves Amazon, which had to stop and backtrack using  AI in its hiring process after realizing it was biased against female applicants due to the data it was trained on. If AI is to be used in ministry – for tasks such as counseling or even hiring church staff – we must ensure that it aligns with Biblical justice and love, providing equal opportunities and fostering a sense of fairness and inclusiveness in the church.

Practical Next Steps for Pastors

Now that you have some foundational understanding of AI and its implications for ministry, what are the next steps? As a pastor, it’s important to think critically about how this technology can both help and potentially harm your congregation’s spiritual journey. 

Here are some initial ways to thoughtfully specifically develop your own thoughts with this topic and begin discerning your own theology of AI:

  1. Reflect and Educate Yourself: Take time to learn more about AI. You don’t need to be an expert, but understanding the basics – how it works, what it can do, and its limitations – will help you make informed decisions. Look for resources that explore both the technology and its ethical, social, and spiritual implications. The AI NEXT podcast series offers interviews on related topics. Courses like ChatGPTforChurches.com offer practical education so that you can tangible understand the capabilities (and limitations of tools like AI chatbots).
  2. Engage in Conversations: Start discussions within your church and with your leadership team. Ask questions like: Where could AI be a helpful tool? Are there risks to using AI that concern us? These conversations can help you build a thoughtful, faith-based approach to AI, making sure that it serves the church’s mission rather than distracts from it.
  3. Join the Broader Conversation: You don’t have to navigate these questions alone. Engage with other pastors and church leaders who are also exploring AI. Join forums like the AI for Church Leaders and Pastors Facebook Group, where over 6,200 peers are actively discussing these topics. This group provides a space for sharing experiences, asking questions, and learning from other pastors and church staffer just like you.
  4. Explore Deeper Content: To dive deeper, watch the AI NEXT Video Series, which covers topics related to ethics, the theology of AI, and practical examples of how churches are integrating these tools. These resources can provide valuable insights and help you think through the complexities of using AI in a way that aligns with your faith.
  5. Pray for Guidance: Most importantly, invite God into the process. Pray for wisdom as you lead your congregation through these changes. Ask God for discernment, that you may use technology in ways that honor him and help your church flourish.

AI presents both challenges and opportunities, and as church leaders, we need to be proactive in discerning how to use these tools wisely. Engaging thoughtfully with this topic means developing a theology of AI so that you can ensure your approach is guided by Biblical truth, calling as shepherds, and a commitment to authentic community. 

Let’s keep the conversation going – together, we can navigate this new frontier in a way that honors God and uplifts his people. What questions do you have about this topic? How are you tangibly increasing your practical knowledge of AI tools and what they have to offer?