Jason Moore is a church tech leader, bestselling author, and practitioner who has been at the forefront of integrating technology into ministry for over two decades. With a passion for helping churches leverage modern tools while staying rooted in faith, Jason has led numerous training sessions on AI in the church. His work has empowered church leaders across the country to embrace new technologies with confidence and purpose.

Jason joins Dale on today’s podcast to discuss options and implications for using AI in message prep. They also explore the pros and cons of AI and its potential long-term impact on the Church.

Key points in brief:

• Why “both/and” worship matters, and how to include online and in‑person participants well
• A simple definition of AI, and what’s here now versus future AGI concerns
• Three guardrails for pastors using AI: collaborate, converse, and keep your soul in the process
• Practical uses that save time for small churches: graphics, bulletins, children’s lessons, series bumpers, even prototyping music
• Getting started with tools like ChatGPT or Gemini, plus image, voice, and music generators

Key takeaways

• AI can save hours for small teams when used as a collaborator, not a replacement
• Keep your pastoral voice central: you lead, the tool assists
• Start simple: a chatbot for outlines and kids’ lessons, an image for a key idea, a short bumper if helpful
• Online and in‑room both matter; design with both in mind
• Steward tech with a biblical posture: creativity as gift, dominion with care, God’s sovereignty over the future

Quotes

• “The only way to fail at AI right now is to ignore it. You don’t have to love it, but you do have to understand it.”
• “Use AI as a do‑it‑with‑you, not a do‑it‑for‑you. You bring the soul.”
• “Treat AI like a conversation with a junior creative partner, not a vending machine.”
• “Keep the leash. If you let the tool pull, it will decide everything for you.”
• “God isn’t surprised by AI. The question is how we steward it for the sake of the gospel.”

Next steps (tailored for small and midsize churches)

• Outline in 60 minutes max: Use a chatbot to draft a 4–5 point sermon outline from your text and big idea, then edit for your context. Aim for under 1 hour so prep stays realistic for a solo or small staff leader. — Owner: Pastor. Target: Complete in the next 3 days.
• One visual, many channels: Generate a single image around your big idea and reuse it on screens, print, email header, and social to save design time. Keep readable fonts and high contrast for older projectors. — Owner: Volunteer (Media). Target: Needs to be at least two weeks out.
• Kids’ lesson from the sermon: Ask AI for a simple, age‑appropriate activity and a one‑sentence bottom line tied to your message. Add one memory verse. Print on one page front and back to lower costs. — Owner: Volunteer (Kids). Target: Needs to be at least two weeks out.
• Micro‑bumper instead of full video: Write a 10–12 second bumper script and prototype music with AI. Export a simple title card with your church logo to avoid heavy production. — Owner: Volunteer (Media). Target: Complete before next series begins.
• Guardrails you can live by: Paste these at the top of your prompts and share with volunteers: collaborate, converse, keep your soul. Require Scripture references for facts and keep all citations visible in drafts. — Owner: Pastor. Target: Needs to be at least two weeks out.
• Build a tiny creative team: Recruit 2–3 volunteers for a rotating “message assets” team. Create two reusable prompt templates: one for sermon outlines and one for kids’ lesson. Store them in Notion for copy‑paste. — Owner: Pastor. Target: Build at least two teams in order to give them time off.
• Measure what matters: Track two simple signals for four weeks and adjust: Sunday attendance trend and one engagement metric such as prayer card count or small‑group signups. — Owner: Pastor. Target to set up tracker: Review weekly on Sundays.
• Budget‑friendly tools list: Start with free tiers of ChatGPT or Gemini for text and Canva for graphics. Upgrade only if you consistently hit limits. — Owner: Pastor. Target: Acquire before you start.
• Safeguards: Never paste private prayer requests or counseling details into AI. Summarize anonymously. Keep a short data policy note with your prompts in Notion. — Owner: Pastor. Target: Core Value!
• Quick win this week: Apply all of the above to your next sermon only. After Sunday, do a 15‑minute debrief with your team and decide one change for the following week. — Owners: Pastor + Volunteers. Targets: Today’s service and debrief on the next day/or as soon as possible.

Link To Podcast Audio: 95Podcast 307

 

Link To Podcast YouTube:

Q&A Transcript

• What is AI in simple terms?
  • “The simulation of human intelligence processes by machines.” Today we’re using narrow AI that assists humans; AGI and superintelligence are future possibilities, not today’s reality.
• How should pastors use AI without losing their voice?
  • Treat it as a do‑it‑with‑you collaborator. Keep the leash. You lead the study, structure, and tone. Use AI like a commentary to test ideas and find illustrations.
• Is there a biblical way to think about technology?
  • Creativity as a gift from God, dominion with responsibility, and confidence in God’s sovereignty. The church has feared new tools before and learned to steward them well.
• Where can a small church start this week?
  • Try ChatGPT or Gemini to brainstorm outlines, generate a children’s lesson from your main point, and create one supporting image for a key idea. Consider a short bumper later.
• Any cautions?
  • Don’t outsource discernment. Bring your soul and pastoral context. Verify facts, and avoid letting the tool run ahead of your theological intent.

More From Jason:

• Website: AI & The Church
• Book: AI And The Church: A Clear Guide For The Curious And Courageous