By Josh Roberie

AI can make your study sharper, but it should never preach for you. Think of it like hiring a tireless research assistant who helps you start at 1,000 instead of zero, while you keep the shepherd’s heart, the Scripture work, and the final word.

‍

How I Use AI in Study

1) Context Fast-Tracks - I’ll ask focused questions to frame the world behind the text: culture, geography, rulers, timelines, and key tensions. It gives me a map so I can spend more time with the text and writing from my own voice.

2) Audience Awareness - I’ll prompt for perspectives outside my experience. For example ask it to let me know how teens, college students, new believers, and retirees interpret what I am saying so application lands with real people in real situations.

3) Illustration Ideation - When a concept is dense, I’ll request five modern analogies and sort for the one that serves the text best. I still rework it in my voice.

4) Clarity Checks - I’ll paste a paragraph and ask, “Where is this muddy?” As AI helps me be more clear and concise I decide what to keep and what to cut.

5) Follow-Up Content - After the message is formed, I’ll ask AI to help me create a social media post for promotion or to turn what I have written into a blog post or devotional. The original message drives in my voice. AI helps it travel farther.

‍

What I Won’t Do

• I don’t ask AI to “write my sermon.”
• I don’t copy-and-paste without editing.
• I don’t trust quotes or stats without verifying sources.
• I don’t outsource prayerful discernment. That’s on me.

‍

Guardrails That Keep Me Honest

• Scripture first: Exegesis before prompts.
• Verify quotes: Especially church fathers and modern voices.
• Protect privacy: I do not put anything in AI I wouldn't want someone to be able to find online..
• Keep my voice: I start by writing not by prompting. Then after getting AI insight, I rewrite everything in my cadence and convictions.
• Submit to feedback: AI is a tool; real people are my sounding board.

‍

The Win

Used wisely, AI doesn’t make sermons faster—it makes them stronger. It clears brush so I can spend more time with the text, more time with the Spirit, and more time crafting application that serves real people.

For more practical tips and examples, watch or listen to the latest episode of the Believe Again podcast, where we cover this in greater detail and share prompts you can use this week.