Wondering Where to Start with AI? Start Here
We’ve developed a 6-session cohort to help you get started with including AI into your church ministry.
How it Works
This is a special cohort designed for executive pastors.
Once you sign up, we’ll send you everything you need to get started. We’ll meet once a month starting after Easter, with a limit of 10 churches.
Your Teachers
David Thorne
David works for Missional Marketing and has been researching the use of AI within the church context for the last year. He helped lead the team that has developed SermonSpark, an AI-powered tool to help pastors with their sermon prep process.
Katie Allred
Katie is a co-founder of the Church Communications Group on Facebook, a large and growing group of church communicators. She’s also the author of multiple books, including Church Communications: Methods and Marketing
AI for Churches 101 Cohort Details
Cohort Description:
This special cohort is built specifically for busy executive pastors, trying to understand and apply the constantly changing for of AI to their church ministries. Through hands-on learning with accessible AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude.ai, Ideogram.ai, and Canva, we’ll delve into practical applications for ministry, outreach, and personal reflection. We’ll also discuss the ethical considerations and theological implications of AI, equipping you with a thoughtful perspective on this rapidly evolving technology.
Cohort Objectives:
- Understand the basic concepts and terminology of AI.
- Develop a framework to discuss AI applications with your congregation.
- Explore the capabilities of key AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude.ai, Ideogram.ai, Bing, and Canva.
- Apply AI tools for ministry tasks like editing, image generation, and
- Develop critical thinking skills to analyze the ethical implications and theological questions related to AI.
- Foster open dialogue and collaboration within the church community about the role of AI in faith life.
Cohort Format:
- A blend of lectures, interactive activities, hands-on workshops, and group discussions.
- Each session will focus on a specific AI platform and its applications for churches.
- Participants will have ample time to experiment with the tools and explore their potential.
- We’ll meet once a month with a limit of 10 people per cohort.
Technology requirements:
Computer, access to the internet, willingness to sign up for multiple free platforms.
Meeting 1:
Welcome + Intro to AI
- Getting to know each other
- Share your AI story
- What is generative AI?
- Platform overview
Meeting 2:
Ethics + Responding to
Congregational Concerns
- Understanding ethical issues at play with AI.
- Developing a framework for the ethical use of AI.
- Understanding common congregant concerns regarding AI.
Meeting 3:
Prompt Engineering 101 +
Identifying Useful AI Tasks
- Understanding the basics of a quality prompt.
- Exploring personas.
- Discovering useful AI resources for common church tasks.
- Using AI for budgeting tasks
Meeting 4:
Intro to AI for Image Generation
- Exploring the available platforms.
- Understanding the limits of AI image generation.
- Learn how to create an effective prompt.
Meeting 5:
Intro to AI for Sermon Preparation
- Getting a sermon transcript
- Learning how to form your sermon prompt in Claude
- Best practices in sermon reach using AI
Meeting 6:
Wrap-up + Sharing Other Useful Platforms
- Creating AI sermon reels
- Replicating your voice + image
- Addressing other topics not yet discussed
