AI In The Church Survey 2024
From a report by Exponential
In 2024, Exponential launched a national survey titled “The State of AI in the Church” by the AI NEXT initiative team. The survey drew input from a wide spectrum of church leaders in the USA that are associated with ministries across 20+ denominations as well as non-denominational churches. AI NEXT also collaborated with additional organizations to increase the reach of the national survey.
The 660 responses to this survey demonstrate a growing interest among church leaders in integrating AI into various aspects of ministry. However, there's a balanced mix of excitement and caution, reflecting the nascent stage of AI's adoption in religious contexts. The enthusiasm for AI's potential in enhancing ministry effectiveness contrasts with concerns about ethical implications and the need to preserve the human touch.
What were the key findings?
87% of respondents said they are FOR the use of AI in ministry to some degree. Only 13% are fully against it.
66% are already using AI tools for ministry purposes at least occasionally. 13% are using AI tools daily.
The top ways AI is being used include:
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Informational/research (27%)
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Text/Content generation (25%)
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Image/Graphics generation (15%)
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Process automation (8%)
The most popular AI tools being used are:
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ChatGPT (25%)
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Grammarly (13%)
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Canva Magic (10%)
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Google Gemini (Bard) (9%)
One specific example of how you use AI in a ministry work context within the last month? Most common uses:
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Sermon preparation
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Research
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Article creation, management, distribution
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Creating content or resources
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Drafting documents or presentations
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Planning activities or events
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Translating text or speech
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Learning tools
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Data analysis or visualization
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Digital assistant or task automation
The majority of respondents believe that AI can enhance ministry and also indicated that AI can improve church work. Leaders prioritized operational domains such as:
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Communications (17%)
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Data analysis (16%)
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Administration (14%)
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Event/project planning (13%)
Traditional ministry areas like member engagement (11%), outreach/evangelism (9%), and discipleship (8%) were seen as less promising, possibly reflecting hesitancy about AI's role in relational and spiritual contexts.
Lack of AI expertise (41%) and ethical concerns (26%) are the most significant challenges to AI adoption in churches. This suggests a need for church leaders to prioritize AI education and training, as well as the development of ethical frameworks to guide responsible usage. Addressing these key barriers will be critical to building the capacity and confidence necessary for churches to fully leverage AI's potential in ministry.
What is your PRIMARY ethical concern regarding the use of AI in a church setting?:
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Moral and Theological Implications (23%) - Concerns regarding how AI aligns with theological beliefs and moral principles of the church.
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Replacement of Human Interaction (17%) - Worries about AI replacing meaningful human pastoral care and community connections.
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Privacy and Data Security (14%) - Concerns over how personal data of church members is collected, stored, and used by systems using AI.
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Bias and Discrimination (13%) - The risk of AI algorithms unintentionally perpetuating biases or discriminating against certain groups
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Dependence on Technology (10%) - Fears about over-reliance on technology in spiritual and community aspects of church life.
Read the report here.
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From a report by Exponential, 01/10/2024