American pastors are becoming increasingly comfortable using artificial intelligence in ministry, according to a 2025 survey prepared by AI company Exponential. According to “The 2025 State of AI in the Church Survey Report,” 91% of ministry leaders surveyed declared themselves “for … the use of AI in ministry work” (up from 87% in 2024), 61% of respondents used AI at least weekly (up from 25% in 2024), and 25% used AI daily (up from 13% in 2024).

Is this increased use of AI positive or negative? In answer to a question about their “perspective on AI as it relates to ministry,” 30% of survey respondents said it was positive, 5% called it inherently dangerous, and 65% viewed it as a “neutral tool,” whose “impact depends entirely on how it’s used.” (Notably, 0% of respondents chose the fourth option provided, which is that AI is irrelevant to ministry — a fact discussed further below.)

While these varied responses may reflect theological diversity among those surveyed, they also reflect the astonishing diversity in programs and applications that fall under the general category, “AI.” Whether AI in the church is good, bad, or neutral depends in large measure on which AI tools are considered — and for what purpose.

Limitations

Before delving into this discussion, however, it’s worth clarifying the limitations of the AI survey. First, the survey was produced by an AI company that has made Christian ministry its target market, giving it a clear profit motive to expand the use of AI among church leaders. The source does not necessarily invalidate the survey results, but it’s worth keeping the potential for bias in mind.

Second, the survey’s sample selection method is unclear. The summary simply states that “Survey responses were collected from a total of 594 pastors and church staff members across a variety of denominations, church sizes, and geographic regions.” (Note also the relatively small survey size; more than 500 respondents is adequate, as the summary states, “for statistical confidence at a 95% level with a ±5% margin of error,” but surveys with 1,000 or more respondents yield smaller margins of error.)

From the information provided, it is unclear whether survey participants were random or voluntary. A random sample would provide more confidence in the result, whereas a sample comprised of volunteers would skew toward those with stronger opinions or curiosity about AI in ministry. The surprisingly high number of respondents using AI or in favor of use may signal a voluntary sample, as well as the fact that 0% of respondents thought AI was irrelevant to ministry.

What Kind of AI?

With these limitations in mind, we can now turn to consider what kinds of AI were used in church ministry, according to survey responses. Unfortunately, the survey questions only provided the broadest sketch of these uses. In answer to the question, “What is the PRIMARY way you use AI tools in ministry?” 36% of respondents chose “content creation,” followed by research (26%), administrative work (16%), and image or graphics generation (10%).

Some of these categories are clear, but the most common category is both vague and likely the most problematic category. For what kind of content creation are church leaders using AI? If AI is drafting website text and event announcements, that’s uncontroversial. If AI is generating prayer requests or compiling notes from a pastor’s sermon, that’s more controversial. If the content being created is the substance of the sermon itself — well, that’s downright problematic.

While the AI survey fails to clarify this point outright, it does offer a slightly-less-foggy picture from a nearer vantage point. To the question, “Which AI tools have you used in the last 6 months?” the top five responses were ChatGPT (26%), Grammarly (11%), Microsoft Co-Pilot (9%), Google Gemini (8%), and Canva Magic Studio (8%).

Insofar as some of these tools have definite uses, these answers begin to shed a little light. For instance, Canva is a graphic design tool, and Co-Pilot is a search engine; these tools are obviously used for image creation and research, respectively. Grammarly, likewise, is a writing and editing tool. However, this question presents only a partial picture, as ChatGPT and Gemini have multiple uses.

Even questions that seem to drill down on potential problem areas fall short of clarity. Of the 69% of respondents who were involved in sermon preparation, the survey asked, “Have you used AI as part of your sermon preparation or writing process?” (In response, 64% said “yes” in the 2025 survey, up from 43% in 2024.)

Yet even this question lacks necessary precision. A preacher who uses Microsoft Co-Pilot to track down the origin of a great Spurgeon quote he once heard would answer “yes,” just like a preacher who asked ChatGPT to feed him an outline and applications.

Outsourcing Ministry?

This is the issue that is truly at stake: Are pastors outsourcing their essential duties to a computer program? Nothing theological is at stake when an office assistant uses Grammarly to compose emails, or when a volunteer pulls icebreaker questions for youth night from ChatGPT. But when AI is shepherding the flock, then that is a real problem.

Jesus the Good Shepherd gave his sheep “shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 6:11-12). To accomplish this work, pastors must devote themselves, like the apostles, “to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4).

Because this is a sacred duty, those who exercise it “will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1). Who wants to stand before the judgment seat of God and argue that their pastoral errors were due to an overreliance on AI?

Pastors can do no better than follow Peter’s counsel, “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:2-4).

In the estimation of AI businesses, churches can grow their engagement and impact by effectively leveraging AI to improve efficiency (or so the trendy business jargon goes). In the estimation of Jesus Christ, faithfulness in ministry matters far more. Some forms of AI can assist in this mission if wisely used, but AI can never replace the essential ministry of human under-shepherds, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, through whom Jesus promised to build his church.