More churches embrace AI in ministry but pastors leave sermons to Holy Spirit: study

May 5, 2025

The State of the Church 2025 Tech report has revealed that more churches across the U.S. are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their ministries but pastors are stopping short of using it to prepare their sermons.

The Christian Post reports that the report was created by Pushpay, a payment and engagement solutions provider for the faith-based and nonprofit sectors, with data collected from roughly 8,000 church leaders in February.

Use of AI has increased by 80% across all ministries in churches but researchers say that is only for specific tasks.

While many churches are using AI to enhance their operational efficiency, the research shows that pastors overwhelmingly use AI to meet their communications needs.

The researchers reported, “While adoption (of AI) has increased, leaders remain reluctant to rely on AI for pastoral content. Last year’s report revealed that less than one quarter of AI users applied the tool for developing devotionals, sermons, or ideas for pastoral care; that pattern still holds true today. The vast majority of AI use cases revolve around content generation and editing of communication materials like emails, imagery, and social media posts.”

According to the Christian Post, researchers say that many of those called to lead churches, began serving before AI rose to prominence.

As a result, there is trepidation in how AI is being used to facilitate spiritual leadership, although researchers explain, “But, once the message is ready to be shared, leaders are taking advantage of this next-gen tool to spread that message widely and swiftly.”

The State of the Church 2025 Tech report also found that 85% of the church leaders surveyed agree that technology increases connection in their community.

Photo: top, Credit: iStock/Chor Muang