Should the Church Fear AI?
Why wisdom—not worry—should guide us
In one of my previous blogs, I wrote about the benefits of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and why Christians should embrace it. In this article, I want to discuss why a church needs AI.
Recently, I have seen many Christian articles written with skepticism about using AI in the church. Some even express fear that AI might replace pastors.
Remember, during the COVID era, millions of physical churches were closed, and even today, many believers prefer to attend services live online rather than go to a physical church. Online churches powered by AI could eventually cause a massive decline in physical churches in the near future.
Now, AI is an advancement that some fear might replace shepherds — and this shift is already starting to happen. Not only churches, but soon believers might even see AI-powered robotic pastors preaching online, and human pastors could slowly disappear.
But before we worry about the future, let’s first look at why a church needs AI today.
🖥️ Prepare Sermon Presentations
Regardless of size, almost every church these days has one or more monitors to display Bible verses and supporting notes. This is especially common in evangelical churches. Usually, the pastor doesn’t have time to prepare these PowerPoint presentations, so a volunteer steps in to help.
And here’s where the gap starts. I often see typos, wrong verse numbers, missing Bible version references (like KJV, NIV, ESV, etc.), a mix of verses from different versions, and various formatting issues. I once saw a missing slide in a church presentation, and the pastor lost the flow suddenly. You could see the frustration on his face — a clear reminder of the importance of human review.
AI can solve these problems easily. The pastor simply inputs the information into ChatGPT or another favorite AI tool, and it creates a polished presentation automatically. It can suggest improvements, highlight formatting fixes, and even tailor the presentation to match specific monitor resolutions.
Every pastor has a responsibility to clearly state which version of the Bible they are using. It’s not just “the Bible” — different versions have significant differences. AI can help ensure this detail is handled accurately.
AI can also draft a strong baseline sermon, which the pastor can then expand and deliver in a more human, heartfelt way.
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16, ESV).
📚 Christian Books Summarization and Validation
This year alone, I completed reading more than 20 books and reviewed summaries of over 100 books and online materials. Let’s be honest: time is precious, and the days of reading a book line by line, cover to cover, are mostly behind us. Unless a book deeply captures our interest, a good summarization is often enough to understand the core message and reflect on it meaningfully.
Take, for example, the classic works of John Owen, George Müller, and Charles Spurgeon. Their writings are deeply theological but often written in archaic English that can feel like deciphering an ancient code. My goal is not to become a scholar in old English, but to understand and meditate on their divine insights — and then present them to you in a way that’s relevant and life-giving today.
This is exactly where AI shines. With tools like ChatGPT, I can generate clear, simple summaries of these heavy works in plain English. Imagine grasping Owen’s thoughts on sanctification or Spurgeon’s sermons on faith without struggling through 16th-century language!
But AI doesn’t stop at summarization. It also helps validate the content of Christian books. As believers, we must be vigilant, especially with books published from the early 20th century onward. The explosion of Christian publishing has sometimes prioritized profit, personal opinions, or rushed production over Spirit-led truth and biblical accuracy. Printing errors, mistranslations, and doctrinal drift can sneak into even popular titles.
Recently, I read a book by a well-known preacher (and let me say, I have tremendous respect for him). It’s no small feat to write and publish a book in his era — it requires courage, wisdom, and deep faith. However, I cross-referenced every cited verse with my ESV Bible and discovered numerous errors in verse numbers throughout the chapters.
In one chapter, the author claimed that the Israelites in Egypt didn’t know about God’s covenant with Abraham, which is why they remained in slavery. Intrigued, I turned to AI for help. ChatGPT explained clearly that the Israelites knew the Abrahamic covenant very well; however, God had foretold Abraham that his descendants would be sojourners and enslaved for 400 years (Genesis 15:13–14). This was a divine timeline that had to be fulfilled, no matter their awareness or desire (Exodus 9:16; Romans 9:17).
The surprising part? This correction and deep explanation came from an AI tool — a "robot" — but it helped uncover the truth and align it with Scripture.
As believers, we should start questioning and cross-examining what we read, not in a spirit of cynicism, but with a desire for truth. AI can be a helpful tool in this process — a modern "Berean" approach — while we always invite the Holy Spirit to guide our understanding and guard our hearts (Acts 17:11).
Remember: AI can be a helper, not a master. It can help us go deeper, ask better questions, and grow stronger in faith. But it should never replace our reliance on Scripture and the living voice of God through His Spirit.
📣 Enhancing Communication and Outreach
I still remember when I went to Schenectady, NY, back in 2001. I wanted to find a church and figure out their service times. Back then, MapQuest was the go-to website (yes, before Google Maps took over!). I printed out a list of churches and directions on paper and started walking around town, peeking at the signboards just to learn their denominations and service schedules.
Every church had a big, beautiful signboard proudly showing their service times. It felt like a treasure hunt, but at least you knew you’d find the info somewhere on the street.
Fast forward to today — things have completely changed. You don’t need to wander the city anymore; most churches list their service times on their websites and across social media. In fact, many have even taken down those classic signboards.
But here’s the problem: on at least one social media platform, you might see an outdated service time. They forget to update it. You try sending them a message, but the reply doesn’t come in time — and before you know it, you’ve missed the Sunday service or an important event.
This is where AI can truly step in and shine. Imagine an AI-powered bot that reads all the church’s website updates, social media posts, and event calendars in real-time, then suggests corrections and updates immediately.
Churches can integrate this AI bot into all communication channels so that when someone asks about service times, upcoming events, or even emergency announcements (like sudden cancellations due to weather), they get the correct info instantly.
The AI can also personalize responses based on who’s asking. For example, if a teenager inquires, the bot can highlight youth events, Bible studies, or retreats. If a senior asks, it can share prayer meetings or fellowship gatherings more relevant to them.
Gone are the days of manually updating information on every single social media platform and forum — we all know human input often comes with typos, forgotten details, and delays. AI can automate this seamlessly and accurately.
🌎 Live Translation
Live translation has always been a challenge in multicultural churches and big preaching meetings. Even today in India, many preachers prefer to preach in English while someone else translates into the local language beside them. It’s a beautiful idea in theory, but in practice, it often ends up with half-meanings, awkward pauses, or completely missed points.
I still remember a meeting years ago where the translator suddenly got caught up in the Spirit and started praying passionately on stage. The translation completely stopped, and I saw visible frustration on the preacher’s face as he waited, microphone in hand, not knowing whether to jump in or join the prayer! In some cases, the translator got good at preaching themselves and even split off to start their own congregation.
Today, I visited a mega church in Bogotá called Avivamiento Centro Mundial (in English, Worldwide Revival Center). There were about 7,000 Spirit-filled believers worshiping passionately. In Latin America, it’s pretty easy for them to spot me as a foreigner — usually, I’m the only one who looks completely different in the whole sea of people!
My friend Maria, a believer, introduced me to the volunteer team. They kindly handed me a headset and helped me download a translation app called Live Voice. To my surprise, it translated the entire sermon live into English for me — instantly! It was such a beautiful experience.
The only funny downside? The pastor was a man with a powerful, booming voice, but in my headset, I heard a woman’s voice translating him in a gentle tone. It felt like I was listening to a heavenly podcast instead of a fiery sermon! But with AI and machine learning improving so quickly, I’m sure they’ll soon offer voice-matching options.
This experience reminded me of an important truth: I was able to witness this incredible service because I was in a country where English is not the main language. While many predominantly English-speaking churches think they don’t need live translation, they might want to think again.
A church in Colombia — where 99% of people speak Spanish — went the extra mile to provide live translation. That shows deep empathy and a genuine heart for welcoming outsiders.
Now, imagine a church in Canada. Think about newcomers from China, Latin America, or the Middle East, sitting there feeling completely lost. With AI-powered language apps (and for your information, ChatGPT supports 50+ languages!), these visitors can instantly feel included and valued.
Churches today have a huge opportunity to break language barriers, embrace diversity, and make everyone feel at home. Live translation isn’t just a tech gimmick — it’s a powerful way to reflect Christ’s love for all nations and all tongues (Revelation 7:9).
🛠️ Supporting Church Administration
Church administration is no small task. It’s not like running a typical business where you can hand out orders and expect salaried employees to follow them to the letter. In church life, you’re working with volunteers — wonderful people who give their time freely out of love, not for a paycheck. That means you can’t exactly say, “You must do it this way, by 5 PM sharp!”
I remember a church in Mexico that asked for my help with an Excel sheet. They were struggling to forecast their offerings, which caused delays in their mission projects. I loved that church community, so I rolled up my sleeves and built a detailed excel spreadsheet. It included historical offerings, monthly ups and downs, and estimates for future months.
The sheet had all sorts of formulas and colorful charts — and to be honest, it looked beautiful. But maintaining it? That’s another story. I had to call in some Excel expert friends, and even then, I knew it wouldn’t be easy for the church to update it year after year.
Here’s where AI steps in like a superhero. Instead of wrestling with formulas, you simply upload your historical data — offerings, attendance, event expenses — and let AI analyze it. Within minutes, it gives you accurate forecasts, trends, and even suggestions for budgeting. No headaches, no late-night Excel marathons.
Volunteer management is another big challenge. Many churches still manage this manually — long lists on sheets, phone calls, and sometimes favoritism creeps in (“Oh, let’s just ask Brother Sam again; he never says no!”). With AI, you can input volunteer names, their skills, interests, availability, and preferences. AI then matches them to roles seamlessly and prints out a beautiful, organized schedule.
Let’s talk about facility management — especially in big churches or those in colder climates, like Canada. You’re dealing with heaters, AC, snow shoveling, lighting systems, internet maintenance, parking logistics, and more. Keeping track of all this in a logbook? That’s a recipe for errors and endless sticky notes on the church office desk.
AI handles this effortlessly. Imagine this: A heavy snowstorm is coming. Instead of someone calling up a volunteer at 6 a.m., AI reads the weather forecast automatically, notifies the snow removal team, confirms when the work is done, and updates church leadership in real-time.
Or think about heating systems. AI can monitor temperature trends and adjust heating or cooling schedules, saving money and keeping everyone comfortable. It can even handle routine tasks like turning off unused lights or notifying cleaning staff after big events.
In short, AI transforms church administration from a stressful juggling act into a smooth, spirit-led ministry. Less time chasing details means more time for what truly matters: caring for people, sharing the Gospel, and building community.
🚨 Fraud and Scam
Truly, when I first wrote this section, AI didn't like this section title. It suggested I use something softer like "Ethical Considerations." But you know what? Sometimes a soft title doesn’t give the punch we need. So, I chose "Fraud and Scam" because it grabs your attention — and keeps you reading.
We all know churches are often terrible at protecting data privacy. They’re fantastic at tracking offerings, missions budgets, and expenses for top leadership, but when it comes to handling congregants’ personal information — oh boy, it’s a free-for-all.
A few months ago, I got a WhatsApp call supposedly from my church. The caller knew every detail: my prayer group, my home address, even my last visit. Suddenly, he sent me a six-digit PIN and told me to enter it in WhatsApp. This is classic WhatsApp hijacking. I hung up immediately.
Later, I found out a few other brothers got the same WhatsApp call and PIN from the same person. It turned out that someone who left the church took the entire contact list and tried to hijack people’s accounts.
This scam happened because of reckless behavior in managing congregants’ data. I don’t know how many people fell for it, but even one victim is too many.
Listen carefully, my brothers and sisters! In my experience, I've seen more so-called financial gurus, real estate prophets, multi-level marketing wizards, and demon-casting specialists inside churches than anywhere else. Why? Because there are no clear ethical controls.
In corporate life, I have strict boundaries: I can’t accept a gift over $20 (and only once a year), I can’t promote my side business to colleagues, and I can’t run a GoFundMe campaign in the office. But in church? No rules. Pastors love to condemn sin from the pulpit, but they often overlook the predators sitting in the pews. (Don’t worry — I’ll write about them in a separate series!)
We must be vigilant.
Remember Matthew 10:16: "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves" (ESV).
AI isn’t just a tech toy — it can be a guardian. Imagine if churches used AI to encrypt and protect congregant data, only showing full contact details to authorized pastors and staff. AI could even notify you whenever the church contacts you, so you'd know immediately if something looked fishy. AI can also track data breaches or suspicious access, flagging potential misuse before it turns into a full-blown scam.
As a trained pastoral counselor, I never counsel a woman alone. I always have another woman present, and I get written consent beforehand. Even in my corporate days, when I gave performance feedback to female employees, I did it in a public place — usually in the office cafeteria — with another coworker nearby.
Today, it’s even easier: we can do video calls, keep records, and get digital consent.
Yet, in many evangelical churches, I see an unethical phenomenon. A male deacon or assistant pastor will counsel a woman alone, give them "prophecies" they don’t like, or manipulate them emotionally. All it takes is one legal complaint, and the entire church reputation comes crashing down like a house of cards.
AI can help here too. It can manage and log counseling appointments, ensure sessions are recorded (with consent), and track if proper protocols are followed. It can even remind counselors about ethical guidelines and send automatic requests for written consent before a meeting starts.
Churches must stop seeing these issues as "someone else’s problem" and start seeing them as their responsibility. AI, used wisely and prayerfully, can build a wall of protection around both the congregation and the ministry team.
✅ Conclusion
The fear around AI is unnecessary — in fact, it will only benefit the Church. Many Christian articles create fear because AI has the potential to increase faith-based awareness among believers, and it might make certain preachers and "wannabe" preachers obsolete. But remember, those writers are not trained and experienced computer engineers like me.
I see physical churches slowly disappearing, but the Gospel itself is growing stronger. AI can actually help spread the Gospel, with proper validation and supporting documentation.
I imagine one day an AI pastor standing at the church door after service. That robot pastor won’t scratch the backs of rich believers while ignoring the poor, or give only a nod to a divorced, single sinner like me. The AI pastor won’t discriminate.
🙏 Prayer
Lord, guide us to use technology with wisdom and humility. Help us stay focused on Your truth and love, and protect our hearts from pride and misuse. May every tool we create bring glory to You and help us reach more souls for Your Kingdom. We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.
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📄 Previous FaithAI Blog
Artificial Intelligence and Christians — Read here
✍️ About the Author
Lawrence Manickam is a servant of the Lord and founder of Calvary International Mission. He is a Canadian Indian with Mexican permanent residency, living an international life and sharing the love of Christ across cultures. In July 2024, he completed his Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling at Liberty University, Virginia.
Feel free to contact him if you need biblical counseling, prayer support, or simply a listening ear.
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