As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into daily life, many people wrestle with questions about its long-term impact. What is the end goal? What will the world be like in five or ten years, or even fifty? Will we recognize ourselves? The current tension lies between excitement about what is possible and fear of taking things too far. No one knows the extent of how AI will impact the various sectors of society, and with that level of uncertainty, there is legitimate angst.
AI and the Church
How, then, is the church responding and navigating the upturn of reliance on AI?
Results from the Exponential NEXT 2026 survey on AI and the church reveal a growing acceptance of artificial intelligence. They report that “close to ninety-four percent of church leaders are actively engaging with or exploring AI in ministry.”1
Most ministry workers are grappling with how to leverage AI in day-to-day tasks like content creation, sermon preparation, and administrative work, while also seeking best practices for equipping their people in its ethical use. Nevertheless, a large percentage of church leaders still have serious concerns about “theological misalignment, replacement of human interactions, along with authenticity and transparency.”2
As church leaders struggle to discern, contextualize, and adapt in this new world of AI, other voices continue to push back. Critics sound the alarm, fearing that humanity will destroy itself and considering the role AI might play in the end-times debate.
Start with God
Ironically, when it comes to faith and technology, most research and discussions use technology as their starting point. My question for the church is, Why aren’t we starting with God?
Those who use AI tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Claude are familiar with an important step called “grounding.” Its purpose is to control output by setting parameters and “ground rules” for the AI tools to follow. For example, while researching a sermon on the doctrine of salvation, prompting the chatbot with a specific theological perspective will significantly affect the results and minimize inaccurate information.
One initial, yet needed, step that believers inadvertently skip during this process is a foundational grounding in Christ. Bypassing this step may lead to an erosion of our dependency on God. Yet, we can’t blame technology for this problem! We must look in the mirror, assess our priorities, and make adjustments.
Technology and Uncertainty
What does the idea of lessening our dependence on God stir within you? Maybe it triggers angst. Or maybe your thoughts have scattered down a thousand rabbit trails . . . Something unknown, uncertain, and far off can trigger a familiar, yet uncomfortable experience. For an earlier generation, the launch of the Internet and escalating uncertainty of Y2K did something similar. The chatter and questions set off fears of the world being dragged back a hundred years. More recently, when self-driving cars and smart glasses were announced, we faced anxiety about our privacy and safety.
Thankfully, all the anxious scenarios above failed to turn out as we imagined. Much of what’s been developed has turned out to serve as helpful tools, especially when placed in the hands of good people.
Artificial intelligence represents the latest technology that challenges our feeling of security and control. But AI, in all its permutations, does not change who God is or what he can do. AI does not have the power to be God. God is the cosmic creator of all things, including things created by his creation.
Four Reminders to Stay Grounded in God
So how can we remain grounded in God as our priority, without succumbing to fear and anxiety about our technological future?
1. We serve the King of Kings.
First, disciples of Jesus have a unique vantage point in this ever-evolving landscape, and it is cosmic in scope. The apostle Paul states, “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6).
Serving a cosmic king and seeing things from the reality of our cosmic vantage point can rewire all fear and anxiety about the future.
This vantage point is the heavenly throne where “God placed all things under [Jesus’] feet” (Ephesians 1:22). What if we approached the advancement of technology from this perspective? Not as those who are disengaged with our feet propped up, but as kingdom servants who are free in Christ to engage what is happening in culture. What if we powerfully remembered that we can bring discernment and solutions that invite others to start with God? Serving a cosmic king and seeing things from the reality of our cosmic vantage point can rewire all fear and anxiety about the future.
2. Our identity in Christ is secure.
Second, our identity in Christ has been declared and established. Every disciple of Jesus living in an AI-driven world is still called to live out their new identity—be holy, witnesses, branches that bear good fruit, image bearers, sons and daughters of King Jesus, and royal priests. No technological advancement can change this, so let us embrace it and encourage others to do the same.
3. God does not change.
Third, we must remember that God remains the one constant in a world that breaks rate-of-change records daily (compare Hebrews 13:8; Psalm 102:25–27). Our fruitless attempts to keep up are exhausting, and we must learn to anchor our lives in the reality that God remains all-satisfying and in control. We must trust that his Word never diminishes.
4. God is sovereign.
Finally, we must confidently rest in God’s sovereignty. Our starting point should always be that Christ “is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3).
God is still the most advanced, most intelligent, and most powerful being that exists. His majesty and might mean that he cannot be threatened or surprised by what humans develop. As our faith in God’s sovereignty goes up, our anxiety and angst can go down. Christ’s eternal reign is good news for those who are anxious and uncertain about where all of our technological advancements will lead.
No matter what humanity develops on this side of eternity, all things remain in subjection to Christ, as he remains committed to restoring and reconciling all things to himself. This is the real grounding we need. Let’s start there, before seeking out our next artificial alternative.
- “State of AI in the Church Survey,” Exponential NEXT, 2026, Exponential.org/ai-next.
↩︎ - State of AI in the Church. ↩︎
