By Josh Roberie‍

Is AI quietly grabbing the steering wheel of our ministries? Or is it simply a powerful tool sitting in the passenger seat, ready to serve when asked?

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When you look at church history, every major leap in communication has forced leaders to make a choice. The Roman roads were built for empire, but God used them to accelerate the gospel. Gutenberg’s press sparked fear and debate, but Scripture spread like wildfire. The internet came with plenty of pitfalls, yet it let us pray together across time zones, gather in online small groups, and reach people far beyond our zip code.

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AI is the next disruption. And the question isn’t, “Will it change ministry?” It already has. The real question is, “Will we steward it?”‍

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What AI Is

Generative AI isn’t magic. It’s advanced pattern recognition trained on a mind-bending amount of text, images, and code. It predicts the next most likely word, idea, or image. That can feel miraculous when it nails your intent. But like any tool, it only does what we tell it, and it needs wise guardrails.

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Where AI Can Help Ministry

• Creative brainstorming: Clarify ideas, simplify complex concepts, and see from perspectives beyond your own (families, students, skeptics, new believers).
• Content extension: Turn core ideas into posts, emails, short videos, and resources that keep serving people long after Sunday.
• Admin support: Summaries, schedules, and repetitive tasks that steal time from people work.
• Team collaboration: Draft policies, workshop ideas, and create shared prompt libraries so your team works smarter together.

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The Real Risks

• Privacy: Never paste sensitive or personal information into public AI tools. If you wouldn’t want it searchable online, don’t put it in a prompt.
• Hallucinations: AI can sound confident while being wrong. Always verify stats, quotes, and references; especially in theological contexts.
• Bias: Models reflect the input and the user. Expect slant. Read critically. Ask better questions.
• Loss of voice: Copy-and-paste ministry is not shepherding. AI is a great co-pilot and a terrible driver. Keep your voice. Keep your story. Keep your calling.
• Atrophy: If you let a tool think for you, your creative muscles weaken. Use AI to strengthen your work, not replace it.

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Simple Guardrails for Your Team

• Protect privacy: No confidential data in public tools.
• Verify everything: Quotes, stats, and stories get source-checked.
• Keep your voice: AI can assist, but final the original words and final word should come from you.
• Name the win: Share how it saved time or improved clarity so the team learns together.

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My Take

AI is not a silver bullet. But it can be a strong kingdom tool in wise hands. Let it handle research, brainstorming, and busywork so you can invest more energy where it matters most—prayer, people, preaching, pastoring. Be courageous, be careful, and keep your hands on the wheel.‍‍

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Want practical examples and guardrails? Watch or listen to the latest episode of the Believe Again podcast, w

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