Can You Use AI to Write a Sermon? The Complete Guide for Clergy in 2025

Yes, you can technically use AI to write sermons, and many clergy already do—but the real question isn't whether you can, it's whether you should, and how. Recent surveys show that while only 12% of Protestant clergy feel comfortable using AI to write complete sermons, NPR 64% of pastors involved in sermon preparation now use AI in some capacity, Barna Group and 91% of church leaders support AI use in ministry. churchtechtoday +3 The technology has evolved from experimental curiosity to practical reality, raising profound questions about authenticity, pastoral calling, and the role of the Holy Spirit in preaching.

What AI Can Actually Do for Sermon Writing Today

Modern AI sermon writing tools have reached surprising sophistication. Platforms like SermonAI, SermonSpark, Sermon Outline AI, and Sermonly can generate complete sermon manuscripts in under 60 seconds, produce three-point outlines from Scripture passages, compile biblical commentaries, provide Greek and Hebrew word studies, and create illustrations tailored to specific audiences. Ai-for-churches +4 ChatGPT, used by 25% of church leaders who employ AI, has become the most popular general-purpose tool adapted for sermon preparation. Exponential +4

These systems work primarily through transformer neural networks—the same technology powering GPT-4 and similar models. CNN They've been trained on massive datasets including multiple Bible translations, theological texts, historical sermons, and biblical commentaries. CNN +2 When you input a Scripture passage, topic, and audience details, the AI searches this vast knowledge base and recombines patterns to generate new content structured according to homiletical frameworks.

Technical Capabilities

The technical capabilities are genuinely impressive. AI can now:

• Produce full sermon manuscripts of 500-1,000+ words
• Generate sermon titles and outlines with subpoints
• Provide historical and cultural context for biblical passages
• Suggest illustrations and metaphors
• Create application points for different audiences
• Adapt content for various denominational traditions—Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Catholic, Anglican, and others Easy-Peasy.AI +3

Tools like Pulpit AI and Pastors.AI go further, transforming a single sermon into 20+ pieces of content: video clips with captions, discussion guides, devotionals, blog posts, social media content, and email newsletters. Dr Gavin Adams +3

How Clergy Are Actually Using AI for Sermons

The reality of AI use in ministry looks different from the dystopian fears or utopian promises. Pastor Naomi Sease Carriker of Messiah of the Mountains Lutheran Church in North Carolina experimented with ChatGPT during a busy week, generating a 900-word sermon in under 30 seconds. Her reaction: "Oh my God, this is really good"—but also "this feels wrong." She chose not to preach that AI sermon, though she now uses AI to help start drafts or write conclusions. Churchandai +2

This pattern repeats across denominations. Administrative tasks—newsletters, bulletins, email communications—see even higher AI adoption at 88% comfort levels among clergy. Exponential +2

A Taiwanese pastor who used ChatGPT for six months described his workflow: noting reflections during daily quiet time, then inputting these thoughts into ChatGPT to "synthesize these thoughts and help build out my sermon." Christianity Today He reports AI helps balance many pastoral responsibilities but emphasizes that AI-generated content misses "the context of the speaker and the congregation."

The Church of England's Institutional Engagement

The Church of England shows particularly high-level institutional engagement. Bishop Steven Croft of the Diocese of Oxford led a 2024 clergy conference with 280 clergy discussing AI, has invited young people to contribute perspectives on technology in ministry, and notes that ChatGPT "is already transforming search, the way children do their homework and possibly the way clergy prepare sermons." The General Synod has held debates on AI's impact on work and human dignity, with bishops participating in House of Lords AI committee meetings. The Church of England Premier Christianity

Episcopal priests Mercedes Clements and Peter Levenstrong co-host the "AI Church Toolkit" podcast, providing practical guidance for church leaders exploring AI's intersection with ministry. AI Church Toolkit

Yet no comprehensive statistics exist specifically for Anglican clergy adoption rates comparable to broader Protestant surveys—a significant gap in current research that reflects the early stage of systematic data collection across denominations.

The Theological Debate Dividing Religious Leaders

The theological arguments against AI sermon writing carry substantial weight among scholars and practitioners.

Arguments Against AI Sermon Writing

John Piper of Desiring God Ministries represents the strongly opposed camp, stating he's "appalled" at the thought of using AI for sermon writing. His argument centers on 1 Timothy 3:2, which requires elders to be "apt to teach" (didaktikos)—possessing the gift and ability to read Scripture, understand it, feel its emotions, and explain it clearly. Desiring God Using AI to write sermons, Piper argues, violates this fundamental calling by allowing pastors to bypass developing the teaching gift God requires of them. Desiring God

Brad East, theology professor at Abilene Christian University, advocates waiting "two generations" before adopting AI for sermons to understand its full systemic implications. In his Christianity Today essay "AI Has No Place in the Pulpit," he argues that "the drudgery is part of the point"—that struggling through sermon preparation is essential spiritual discipline. "I do not want pastors preaching sermons out of Scripture who themselves do not read or study Scripture," he writes, warning that what seems efficient now could prove catastrophic for pastoral formation across generations. Churchandai +2

Derek Schuurman of Calvin University warns that AI should never be "secondary to the supposed logic of AI" when "the guidance of the Holy Spirit should be our first port of call." Churchandai Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

John Dube of The Master's Seminary identifies four critical elements lost when using AI for sermons: worship (sermon preparation as encounter with God), sanctification (the transformative process of studying Scripture), service (using God-given gifts to serve Him), and state-of-the-art creativity (AI can only recombine existing data, not make genuinely new points). tms TMS Blog

Paul Hoffman, author of "AI Shepherds and Electric Sheep," asks the devastating question: "Does AI know the stories of your people? Do they know about the miscarriage? Do they know about the divorce? Do they know about the abuse? How can an algorithm comprehend lived human experience?" NPR +2

Cautiously Supportive Perspectives

Yet some theologians offer cautiously supportive perspectives. Derek Schuurman, while warning about AI's embedded worldview and biases, argues that technology represents humanity exercising the creation mandate of Genesis 1:26-28. "The capacity for 'artificial intelligence' is not something humans invented; it's something we discovered," he writes, suggesting AI is part of God's "very good" creation when "shaped by biblical norms of love and care." Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Logos Bible Software The question becomes not whether to use AI at all, but how to use it faithfully—as a tool for research and accessibility rather than replacement for pastoral calling.

Vatican Guidance

The Vatican has issued nuanced guidance through its 2025 document "Antiqua et Nova," viewing AI as potentially serving "human progress and the common good" while warning against the "technocratic paradigm" that reduces humans to mere data points. Pope Francis emphasizes that "ultimate responsibility for decisions made using AI rests with the human decision-makers," and Father Philip Larrey of Pontifical Lateran University notes that "priests will be one of the last to be substituted by AI...People want to talk with a priest or a sister, they want the experience of the religious person that they can't get in an AI." USCCB +2

Denominational Positions

Most denominations have settled on general caution without specific prohibitions. The Southern Baptist Convention advises to "develop, maintain, regulate, and use these technologies with the utmost care and discernment, upholding the unique nature of humanity." NPR The LDS Church provides the most specific guidance: AI content "could be used with attribution," requiring transparency when artificial intelligence contributes to sermons. NPR +2

The Practical Benefits Clergy Are Discovering

Time Savings

Time savings represent the most tangible benefit. Pastors report 20-40% reductions in sermon preparation time, with some saving 10+ hours weekly. When churches typically spend 10+ hours turning sermons into supplementary content, AI tools reduce this to minutes. One Pulpit AI user testifies: "Pulpit AI has completely changed my weekend sermon workflow in a way that gives me back hours each week." Pulpitai

Research Capabilities

The research capabilities particularly impress users. AI can "comb through thousands of theological texts, historical documents, and contemporary writings in a matter of seconds," providing instant access to commentary synthesis, word studies, and cross-references that previously required hours in libraries. Exponential Small churches without extensive theological libraries suddenly gain access to scholarly resources previously available only to well-funded congregations or seminary-adjacent pastors. Tools offering Greek and Hebrew interlinear analysis help pastors understand original language nuances without extensive linguistic training. Sermonai

Overcoming Writer's Block

AI excels at overcoming the "blank page" problem that paralyzes many preachers. Rather than staring at an empty document on Saturday night, pastors receive instant outlines, illustration suggestions, and structural frameworks that jumpstart the creative process. Verble For administrative tasks—policy writing, newsletter composition, event communications—the benefits prove even more substantial, with 88% of clergy comfortable using AI for graphic design and 78% for marketing materials. barna +3

Content Multiplication

Content multiplication has emerged as a particularly valuable application. A single 30-minute sermon can generate:

• Video clips with captions optimized for social media
• Small group discussion guides with thoughtful questions
• Daily devotionals for the week ahead
• Blog posts with SEO optimization for broader reach
• Email newsletters connecting Sunday's message to mid-week discipleship
• Transcripts for hearing-impaired members Dr Gavin Adams +5

This extends sermon impact far beyond Sunday morning, addressing the reality that most congregants won't remember sermon details by Wednesday.

Pulpit AI's integration of Claude AI reduced operational costs by 80% overnight while increasing their customer base by 200% within three months, making professional-quality content creation accessible to churches that could never afford additional staff. For the average U.S. church with 100 members, one pastor, and limited budget, AI provides capabilities previously unavailable to smaller congregations. Anthropic CNN

The Serious Limitations and Risks

Spiritual and Theological Limitations

AI fundamentally lacks what makes preaching spiritually powerful. It cannot experience Holy Spirit guidance, feel genuine emotions, or undergo the spiritual transformation that should precede proclamation. Theologians consistently note that AI has no soul—a statement meant literally, not metaphorically. Desiring God It cannot worship, cannot be sanctified through Scripture study, cannot exercise spiritual gifts, and cannot experience divine calling. Arrows of Revival The Gospel Coalition These aren't temporary limitations that better technology will overcome; they're categorical differences between artificial intelligence and human personhood created in God's image.

Contextual Limitations

The contextual limitations prove equally significant. AI operates, as one professor notes, "in the realm of a hypothetical audience. There's no particularity to what it produces and, thus, no 'for you'-ness to it." CNN +2 Every effective sermon requires intimate knowledge of the specific congregation—their current struggles, recent losses, shared joys, unspoken anxieties. AI cannot know about the miscarriage a couple suffered last month, the teenager struggling with depression, the family facing foreclosure, or the widow still grieving her husband. NPR This congregational knowledge, built through hospital visits and counseling sessions and shared meals, provides the essential context that makes general biblical truth speak powerfully to specific human need.

Technical Reliability Issues

Technical reliability remains a persistent problem. AI has "the tendency to make things up"—fabricating biblical references, inventing historical facts, and confidently asserting theological claims that don't withstand scrutiny. Multiple sources report AI-generated sermons containing wrong biblical context, incorrect cross-references, and fabricated quotations from theologians. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Backstory Preaching SermonOutline.AI explicitly warns that "nobody can 100% trust AI to deliver accurate quotations or historical claims." Sermonoutline CNN Every AI output requires careful verification, ironically sometimes taking more time than researching manually would have required.

Quality and Authenticity Issues

The quality issues extend beyond accuracy to authenticity. Analysis of AI-generated sermons reveals overuse of clichés ("let us" appearing repeatedly), vague generic language ("one of the most beloved tales"), and emotional distance that feels "eerie" to congregants. Patheos The content is "factually correct but something deeper missing," as one Lutheran pastor described. CNN characterized AI sermon output as having "something missing"—lacking warmth, soul, and the ineffable quality that makes preaching powerful. Homileticsonline Homileticsonline Rabbi Joshua Franklin, who experimented with an AI-generated sermon in 2022, concluded it lacked personal anecdotes, vulnerability, and the capacity to "actually feel emotion" or "show genuine love." CNN

Systemic Biases

Systemic biases embedded in training data create additional concerns. AI reflects the racist and sexist biases built into internet algorithms, potentially amplifying problematic theology without human oversight. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship +2 One theology professor found an AI sermon on Genesis 1:1 used exclusively male pronouns for God and contained "pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps theology" that was "incredibly problematic...and just plain wrong." Patheos Derek Schuurman warns that chatbots are "trained with a particular worldview" leading to "latent persuasion" over time—a subtle but dangerous influence on theological perspective. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

Erosion of Pastoral Skills

The erosion of pastoral skills represents a long-term threat. Father Philip Larrey warns: "We become dependent on the software, and we become lazy. We no longer think things out for ourselves, we turn to the machine." USCCB The concern extends beyond current pastors to future generations: What happens to pastors trained under those unable to write their own sermons? Brad East describes this as a "declining trajectory of talent, prayerful conviction, and pastoral care across the generations" that "would be catastrophic for God's Church." The Gospel Coalition NPR

The Effectiveness Question: Do AI Sermons Actually Work?

Experimental AI Worship Services

Experimental AI worship services provide the most dramatic test cases. In June 2023, theologian Jonas Simmerlein created an entirely AI-generated service at St. Paul's Church in Fürth, Germany, as part of the Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag. Over 300 people attended the 40-minute service, which featured four avatars (two male, two female) on screen above the altar delivering ChatGPT-written prayers, sermons, and blessings, with AI-composed music. Premier Christian News +3

Reception was deeply mixed. Some attendees videotaped enthusiastically, intrigued by the technological achievement. Others criticized the experience intensely: "There was no heart and no soul. The avatars showed no emotions at all, had no body language and were talking so fast and monotonously." TheJournal.ie

Congregational Responses

Rev. Dwight Lee Wolter of Congregational Church of Patchogue conducted an entire AI-generated service in July 2024, pre-announcing it to the congregation. Good attendance reflected curiosity, and he reported "It truly went very well"—the congregation "left more pleased than they were prepared to be." United Church of Christ Yet the experiment was conducted as a one-time demonstration, not adopted as regular practice. Rabbi Joshua Franklin's AI sermon at the Jewish Center of the Hamptons in December 2022 generated "murmurs and scattered applause" when revealed, with the rabbi himself admitting terror: "You're clapping, but I'm terrified!" CNN

Quality Assessments

Quality assessments by preaching experts show AI produces structurally sound, grammatically correct, biblically focused content that's "easy to follow" with "appropriate historical/cultural context." The verdict typically lands at: "I've heard better sermons, for sure. But I've heard far worse ones, too." backstorypreaching AI establishes a baseline of competence—organized, clear, theologically orthodox—but rarely achieves excellence. The weaknesses include story recaps that are too long, vague and generic language with excessive clichés, little sensory detail or compelling storytelling, generic and emotionally distant tone, and content written for the page rather than for spoken delivery.

Broader Impact on Religiosity

Research on broader AI impact on religiosity adds concerning context. A 2024 study in Chicago Booth Review found that countries with high robot adoption saw 3% declines in religiosity per decade, and people in AI-heavy jobs were 45% less likely to believe in God. Chicago Booth Review While correlation doesn't prove causation, it suggests that increased exposure to artificial intelligence may correlate with weakening religious commitment—an ironic outcome if churches embrace AI to extend their reach.

Survey data reveals the fundamental ambivalence. While 77% of pastors agree God can work through AI, 89% believe AI will impact relational quality in ministry, with 56% saying that impact will be negative. barna Barna Group The tension between efficiency and authenticity remains unresolved. Only 6% of clergy feel comfortable using AI as a counseling tool—recognizing that some pastoral functions cannot be automated regardless of technical sophistication. Barna Group

Best Practices for Clergy Considering AI

If you choose to use AI for sermon preparation, treat it as a research assistant, never as a replacement. The most successful practitioners maintain strict boundaries. They begin with personal prayer and Bible study before consulting AI, conduct initial exegesis independently to develop their own understanding, use AI for research and brainstorming rather than content generation, develop the sermon in their own voice with AI-assisted materials, heavily edit to add personal stories and congregational context, verify all facts, quotations, and theological claims against trusted sources, and practice delivery to ensure natural, authentic tone. Ai-for-churches

Acceptable Use Cases

The acceptable use cases where AI adds genuine value include research compilation (gathering commentaries, finding related passages, locating historical context), brainstorming sermon titles, topics, themes, and illustration ideas, word studies using Greek and Hebrew analysis tools, outline testing by having AI generate summaries to check clarity, editing assistance for grammar, style, and readability, and content multiplication—transforming completed sermons into discussion guides, devotionals, and social media content. Exponential +2 Administrative tasks like newsletters and communications see appropriately high AI adoption. Missional Marketing

Prohibited Uses

The prohibited uses where broad consensus exists include generating entire sermons without significant pastoral input, replacing prayer and personal Bible study with AI shortcuts, using AI for pastoral care or counseling, preaching AI content without disclosure when its contribution was substantial, and bypassing the spiritual disciplines essential to pastoral formation.

Transparency

Transparency proves critical for maintaining trust. While opinions vary on when disclosure is necessary, most ethicists recommend transparency when directly copying or pasting AI-generated content, when AI significantly shaped sermon structure or arguments, whenever congregation or leadership raises questions, and generally erring on the side of openness to maintain credibility. Backstory Preaching The LDS Church's requirement for attribution represents the most explicit guidance: if AI contributed meaningfully, acknowledge it. NPR +2

Effective Prompting

Effective prompting dramatically improves results. Vague inputs produce vague outputs. Provide specific details about your congregation, theological tradition, desired tone, and intended message. Include context about audience demographics and needs. Use personas ("As a Bible scholar trained in Reformed theology addressing a predominantly elderly congregation...") to shape AI responses. CNN Iterate and refine rather than accepting first outputs. ChurchTrac The quality of AI assistance correlates directly with the sophistication of your requests.

Join Learning Communities

Join learning communities to accelerate skill development. The AI for Church Leaders Facebook Group has over 6,000 members sharing experiences and best practices. Organizations like ChatGPTforChurches.com and AIforChurchLeaders.com offer workshops specifically designed for ministry contexts. Exponential NEXT conferences bring together church leaders exploring AI implementation. Exponential The learning curve spans 3-6 months to develop genuine proficiency, and solo experimentation proves far less effective than community learning.

Warning Signs You're Using AI Poorly

These warning signs indicate crossing the line from tool to crutch—from AI enhancing your ministry to replacing core pastoral functions. If you recognize multiple warning signs, consider taking an AI break for your next sermon, preparing entirely manually to reset your practice, seeking accountability by sharing concerns with a trusted colleague or mentor, auditing your actual time distribution across prayer, study, AI use, and personal writing, and requesting honest feedback from congregants about recent sermon quality and authenticity.

The Future of AI and Preaching

AI will become increasingly integrated into ministry over the next five years. The trajectory from 8.7% support in 2023 to 91% support in 2025 suggests continued rapid adoption. Technology providers predict AI will be "built into everything we use" by late 2025, with specialized church management tools, predictive pastoral care analytics, automated giving insights, real-time sermon translation into dozens of languages, and AI-composed worship music aligned with sermon themes becoming standard rather than experimental. Exponential

The Generational Shift

The generational shift appears inevitable. Gen Z Christians show 57% desire for pastoral guidance on using AI in personal communication, compared to 36% of Boomers. Barna Group Younger clergy express more comfort with AI tools, having grown up with sophisticated technology. Within a decade, refusing to use AI in any capacity may seem as dated as refusing email or websites—technologies churches eventually adopted despite initial resistance.

Multiple Possible Futures

Yet the adoption isn't predetermined to follow any particular path. The church's response to AI will shape whether it enhances or diminishes faithful ministry. Some predict AI sermons and worship becoming standard, with the first "AI celebrity preacher" emerging with superior knowledge and engagement analytics. Sermon Outline Ideas Others warn this represents a "swan song for the church," comparing it to Jurassic Park: "Just because we can doesn't mean we should." A more hopeful vision suggests that when anyone can generate generic sermons, handcrafted preaching becomes "infinitely more precious"—the same way artisanal goods gained value in the age of mass production. The Gospel Coalition

The technological capabilities will only improve. Language models are evolving rapidly, with quality gaps expected to narrow significantly. Specialized church AI tools trained exclusively on theological texts and vetted sermon libraries will outperform general-purpose chatbots. Integration with church management systems will enable AI assistants with comprehensive knowledge of congregational context. The technical limitations will shrink; the theological and spiritual limitations will remain.

The Question Behind the Question

"Can you use AI to write a sermon?" has a straightforward answer: yes, technically you can. AI tools exist with the sophistication to generate complete sermons in seconds. But the more important question is "Should you?"—and if so, how?

The research reveals that this isn't primarily a technological question but a theological one about the nature of preaching, pastoral calling, and the role of the Holy Spirit in ministry.

The overwhelming consensus among thoughtful clergy and theologians across traditions holds that AI should assist human preachers, not replace them. The sweet spot lies in using AI for research, brainstorming, and administrative efficiency—the 43% of clergy who see merits in sermon preparation and research without using AI to write complete sermons. NPR +2

This approach preserves the irreplaceable human elements: spiritual formation through wrestling with Scripture, intimate knowledge of congregational needs, authentic personal testimony, Spirit-led proclamation, and the pastoral credibility that comes from a life lived faithfully before the congregation.

Trevin Wax articulates the challenge and calling: "In an age of artificial minds, the church's call is to lean ever more deeply into the one thing AI can never replicate: a human heart set aflame by God's Spirit with the truth of God's Word." The Gospel Coalition The Gospel Coalition The technology offers genuine benefits—efficiency, accessibility, extended reach—but cannot provide what matters most in preaching. The pastor who spends Saturday night in prayer, wrestling with Scripture, considering the widow's grief and the teenager's doubt, bringing both divine Word and human heart to Sunday morning—that pastor cannot be replaced by any algorithm, no matter how sophisticated.

The choice before the church isn't whether to use AI but how to use it faithfully. Used well, as research assistant and administrative support, AI can free pastors for more time in prayer, pastoral care, and spiritual formation. Used poorly, as replacement for study and substitute for calling, it threatens the very foundation of pastoral ministry. Churchandai Ai-for-churches The decision requires wisdom, discernment, and ongoing conversation—exactly the kind of theological reflection that AI cannot provide but human communities of faith excel at when they commit to thinking carefully together about what faithfulness demands in new circumstances.