7 Guidelines for Church Leaders Navigating Artificial Intelligence (Summary)
How the body of Christ can flourish as we enter the digital frontiers.
As artificial intelligence improves and increasingly impacts the world, there’s a lot for churches to digest. With seismic change comes considerable opportunity to leverage the benefits of AI as a valuable tool. However, successful implementation hinges on how church leaders approach the discussion. There are many practical, cultural, societal, and theological realities to digest; how leaders choose to do this will largely determine how the Church adjusts to the enormous changes that await it.
In my upcoming book The Church and AI, I propose seven guidelines for doing ministry on the digital frontiers of an AI-driven world. You’ll even find the original essay that the book is based on here. However, what I haven’t shared is a brief, more shareable summary of each guideline.
Here is a brief summary of seven guidelines for church leaders navigating the world of AI:
1. Prioritize Relationship, Community, and Pastoral Care.
Artificial intelligence will undoubtedly change how churches complete administrative and information-based tasks. Used wisely, it will significantly aid many facets of ministry, including (but not limited to) preaching, teaching, evangelism, missions and sung worship. However, while it may give some semblance of personal interaction, AI will never be able to function as a legitimate substitute for authentic human relationships. Unless drastic changes occur, western culture is on course to become increasingly siloed, hidden behind digital avatars and personas and, in many ways, stuck between a rock and a hard place. Existential fears and confusion may abound, but the meaningful relationships to assuage such fears are declining. On the one hand, a wealth of information is at one’s fingertips; on the other, such information will be muddied by a potential “information apocalypse,” inevitably leaving some believers lost and confused and in great need of the comfort that accompanies genuine human interaction.
As AI becomes increasingly prominent, I propose that the sort of church leadership model where the pastor’s role may better resemble that of a CEO rather than a shepherd will become increasingly redundant. Instead, the need for relationship, community, and pastoral care will become paramount. Indeed, the Church may see a resurgence in pastoral visitations as the congregation thirsts for meaningful connection. Such relationships will provide much-needed stability in an environment that feels increasingly unstable and can never truly be replaced by machine learning.
2. Cultivate Resilient Congregations.
As we’ve seen, the world will face drastic change over the next three decades. Church leaders can adequately prepare their congregations by supporting growth in biblical literacy, spiritual disciplines, and a robust understanding of the Gospel. In order to prepare believers to weather the coming storms, churches can lead one another to build their houses on the rock (Matt. 7:24-27). It is also prudent to preemptively approach some of these theological, ontological, existential and practical questions regarding AI sooner rather than later to ensure that the church is ready when increasingly drastic changes happen.
3. Build Adaptability into Church Structures.
While it is impossible to predict the realities of AI’s proliferation into society, one can be sure that the face of ministry will change with it in many ways. Church leaders would be wise to assess processes and structures regularly and ensure adaptability in an increasingly fast-paced society. Envisioning staff and volunteers to be agile and prepared for the realities of change will ensure that churches can adapt quickly and effectively to the needs of their community. Proactive preparation in these areas now will lessen the potential challenges in the future.
4. Embrace Positive Technological Developments.
Church leaders have a choice: they oppose the growing incorporation of AI into society in all its facets, or they can embrace its positive aspects to fulfill the Great Commission more effectively. It is wise to have concerns about some of the outcomes of artificial intelligence, but it is equally prudent to recognize how it could benefit the Church’s ministry for Christ. What this will entail is specific to a church’s community, focuses, and resources, but church leaders would do well not to bury their heads in the sand on the issue.
5. Stay Informed in a Rapidly Changing Environment.
As we’ve seen elsewhere on ChurchandAI.com, AI developed gradually, then suddenly, and it’s impossible to predict how these changes might develop in the near future. However, it’s enormously beneficial for churches to effectively pay attention to the ever-changing landscape in order to lead congregations through such drastic changes in a healthy way. This is not to say that all pastors must be AI experts; rather, it is prudent to be aware of the significant cultural shifts that an increasingly AI-driven world may precipitate.
6. Proactively Pray for God-Given Wisdom.
Biblical wisdom is an awe-driven closeness with God that results in Christlike character. In a world that edges closer to AGI (and possibly superintelligence), it will be tempting for believers to increasingly look to AI for knowledge. However, it is important not to confuse earthly knowledge with God-given wisdom. Church leaders must remember that while it is tempting to search for answers in ChatGPT and its inevitable successors, God alone is the source of true wisdom. As such, leaders would do well to take time for proactive prayer for God-given wisdom, particularly regarding the future of AI and the Church.
7. Keep an Undistracted Focus on the Mission of the Church.
There will be many distractions as AI becomes an increasingly prominent part of social and cultural life. However, church leaders must remember that whatever the outcome, the mission of the Church remains the same: The Church is to fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission, in the Spirit’s power, and bring about the glorious worship of God the Father. It’s important to recognize potential existential questions, but church leaders must help their congregations to hold them in their rightful place. Jesus will not return to an empty, barren wasteland with great fanfare and suddenly realize that humans annihilated themselves before He arrived. While this should bring believers confidence regarding the future, there is no room for complacency. The world will not be destroyed, but that does not mean it is immune from devastating and irreparable damage. Thus church leaders must guide their congregations with an undistracted focus to live out the God-given calling of the Church.
Into the Unknown
If we are able to navigate the coming changes that artificial intelligence will bring with these steps in mind, we’ll do so with God-honouring, bible-saturated, resilient churches filled with followers of Christ who can stand firm on solid Rock as we encounter the shifting sands of our time.
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