Faith
New Guide Urges Churches to Use AI Wisely
Faith Facts
- The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission released guidance cautioning church leaders on the use of artificial intelligence.
- The guide opposes replacing a pastor’s calling to preach with AI-generated sermons and urges technology to supplement rather than substitute ministry.
- It affirms that Christians must ensure AI upholds human dignity and remains consistent with biblical teachings.
The new ERLC document encourages Christian leaders to prioritize prayer and personal study when preparing sermons, warning against shortcuts that bypass spiritual growth or scriptural engagement.
The guide highlights the unique, God-given responsibility of pastors to shepherd their congregations with wisdom and integrity, not to delegate this divine calling to artificial intelligence.
“The process of sermon development is one of the ways that God refreshes and refines the heart of the preacher,” the guide states.
Guidance urges church leaders to employ technological advancements carefully, ensuring these tools serve to support ministry rather than erode authentic Christian community.
ERLC experts encourage believers to draw from Scripture as the foundational source for ethical discernment in a rapidly changing digital world, emphasizing the timelessness of God’s Word.
“AI must only be used in ways that complement holistic transformation that results from the godly development of the whole person, including our minds, bodies, and hearts,” the document declares.
As Christian communities address modern challenges, faith, wisdom, and respect for human dignity must remain central in all decisions regarding new technologies.