The sheer amount of technological advancements we witness every day in almost every field are staggering. While, from a Christian standpoint, some of these advancements may come with moral or ethical concerns, we are becoming increasingly aware of how it can be used to enrich ministry and benefit our church communities.

One of these tools – Artificial intelligence (AI) – can be viewed as an invaluable tool for pastors and church leaders rather than as something to replace either the importance and the power of the Word of God or the compassion and humanity of the people ministering that Word. Let’s explore three essential AI tools to help you enhance your ministry: image generation, research assistance and live translation.

Image Generation

AI image generation tools can help you create a specific scene based on a description, which helps your congregation visualise and memorise the truth being preached. They work using a text prompt: simply enter a description of the kind of image you want and the tool will generate a unique image. You can make adjustments to the initial result by entering more prompts, like shifting the mood or color scheme. AI image generation platforms, including MidJourney, DALL-E, and Stable Diffusion, are user-friendly and accessible to pastors who would like to use images to enrich their sermons.

Why use this in a sermon, Bible study or small group discussion? Let’s say your sermon this Sunday is centred on Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son. Imagine an accompanying image of a dusty, ragged, sobbing teenager returning home as his loving father runs to embrace him with open arms. Or maybe, we’re studying Ezekiel and the valley of dry bones, and we can visualise the sheer desolation and barrenness just before God brings the bones to life.

Images can play an important role in bringing Scripture to life in the mind and imagination of a listener. Take, for example, the hit TV show “The Chosen” – which certainly creates differing opinions within the Church at large. What is clear is that this show has given its audience the chance to imagine and visualise people, places, events, cultures and miracles described in the Bible in such detail as never before. This means that in 2025, a vast number of people – many for the first time – are engaging with, and committing to memory, elements of the Gospel thanks to images depicted on a TV show.

The Word of God will always be the foundation for sound teaching, preaching and indeed the bedrock of the Church itself. However, using images to illustrate a point doesn’t have to distract from this fact. They can be used to enrich your sermon or small group discussion. These can both drive the truth home in the short-term and stay in the minds of your congregation long after the service is over.

However, I’m sure you are aware from AI discussions on the news or online of the ethical considerations when using AI image generators. Some tools draw from copyrighted images as their source material, without giving proper attribution. Before using an AI-generated image in your sermon, make sure it doesn’t violate any copyrights. One way to verify is by doing a Google image search of the produced image, making sure there aren’t similar images in the results. It’s also important not to overuse images and distract from the actual teaching of the Word, which should remain the focus.

Research Assistance

As many pastors know, a message can be given so much depth by providing a passage of Scripture with additional historical or contextual information. A quick description of the culture or history of Ephesus could give your congregation additional context to Paul’s ministry and letter to the Ephesians. Likewise, providing different translations of the same passage of Scripture can help give the passage a greater depth of meaning.

A well-researched sermon provides your congregation with a richer experience. However, researching all these different commentaries, historical texts, and translations can be time-consuming, taking time away from studying the Word, prayer, and providing pastoral care.

This is where AI can be a helpful tool in streamlining this research process. AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Google Gemini can help you quickly gather information — from historical context to theological insights and translations. However, as with any information found online, it is not infallible and you will still need to double-check the information once it has been collated.

Live Translation

As you can probably imagine, this element is near and dear to our hearts at OneAccord. In our increasingly multicultural world, churches and pastors are working to create congregations that both reflect their local communities and create a welcoming environment where all can hear and receive the good news of the Gospel.

The goal is for everyone in our congregations to fully understand the message of the Gospel and grow in their faith. Language barriers can leave out those who don't speak the predominant language, some of whom might need fellowship more than most. This is why OneAccord is trained specifically for the church context with over 40 languages, so that these members of your church are served well with an accurate translation.

Another area that could potentially benefit from live translation is for those in our congregations that are deaf or hard-of-hearing. If your church does not have sign language interpreters, OneAccord provides live captions, allowing these members of our church to read along with the sermon.

Conclusion

AI tools like image generation, research assistance and live translation can enrich your ministry, making your messages more engaging, accessible, and well-informed.

Of course, some aspects of ministry shouldn’t be delegated to AI, such as seeking inspiration for a sermon, writing the sermon, connecting with or praying for your congregation or community. Instead, use these tools to save time on research and provide additional information and resources to your congregation.

AI can serve as an aide in crafting a sermon, but it cannot replace the the Holy Spirit, the inspiration of the Scripture or the pastoral compassion your congregation benefit from week in and week out. These tools are designed not to replace you as a pastor or church leader, but to assist and amplify the important work you already do for God’s people.