10 Practical Ways to Use AI in Your Church

AI is here to stay. It's very much like the dawn of computer era in the 80s and 90s. Or the rise of the internet era in the 2000s. It's not going anywhere. It's only going to get better. It's only going to get more integrated into our lives.

AI has leveled the playing field for churches, providing access to professional-quality visuals without the need for specialized design skills or expensive software.

Unfortunately, some (just like in the early days of computers era) are afraid of AI. I understand the human response - being afraid of the unknown but this shouldn't be the case for us Christians. Many are already using the conveniences of AI for evil (like deepfakes, scams, virtual girlfriends, etc.) but we can use it for good.

In this blog post, I'll explore ten practical ways, along with tutorials and examples of how each of these AI tools can be utilized in church settings, providing actionable insights for church leaders, staff, and members.

1. Ideogram - (images🖼️)

Ideogram is arguably the best (new kid on the block). It's the best at generating a range of different styles with text. Craft personalized artistic content for any church event by transforming text into compelling images. Explore Ideogram

Tutorial (Ideogram)

1. Visit Ideogram: Go to ideogram.ai and sign up for an account.
2. Input Your Text: In the provided text box, enter the text or phrase you want to transform into an image.
3. Customize Settings: Ideogram offers various customization options. Make sure you turn on "Magic Prompt", then select your aspect ratio, and select a style (this isn't required though).
4. Generate Image: Click the "Generate" button, and Ideogram will create 4 unique images based on your text input and chosen settings.
5. Refine and Download: If needed, you can refine the image further by "remix" the image or changing settings, or inputting new text. Once satisfied, download the image for use in your church materials.

Church Application: Utilize Ideogram to create visually stunning artwork, logos, or graphics based on biblical verses, church mottos, or event themes. These personalized images can enhance the visual appeal of church bulletins, websites, or social media posts, making them more engaging and memorable. Ideogram is particularly amazing at generating text-based visuals, making it a valuable tool for creating typography-driven designs.

Insights: I'm excited about Ideogram's potential to streamline the design process for churches. See my tip for using Ideogram below.

Tip: When using IdeoGram (or any image generation AI tool), if you want to include text in your image, put it in quotes e.g. a poster for a church service with text "Easter Sunday", on the next line "Kids Bash", and on another line, "Westside Church". Also, be as detailed and specific as possible in your text descriptions to guide the image generation process effectively.

The image below is what I got when I used Ideogram to generate an image using the prompt above. Pay attention to the text in the second image - all perfect 😘

2. DALL·E by OpenAI - (images🖼️)

Create custom visual content for sermons, promotions, or events using high-quality images generated from text descriptions. Learn more

Tutorial (DALL·E)

1. Access Dalle-3: Visit the OpenAI DALL-E and sign up for an account (if you haven't already).
2. Describe Your Vision: In the input field, provide a detailed text description of the image you would like to generate. For example, "A stained glass window depicting in a modern minimalist style. Widescreen aspect ratio with vibrant colors and soft lighting."
3. Generate Images: Click the "Send Message" button or hit enter, and Dalle-3 will create multiple unique images based on your description.
4. Refine and Iterate: If you're not satisfied with the initial results, you can provide additional prompts or feedback to refine the images further.
5. Download and Use: Once you have an image you're happy with, download it and use it in your church materials, sermons, or promotions.

Church Application: Use Dalle-3 to create custom visuals for sermon illustrations, event posters, social media graphics, or even church merchandise designs. The ability to generate high-quality images from text descriptions opens up a world of creative possibilities for church communications and engagement.

Insights: As a Christian closely following AI advancements, I find Dalle-3 to be a game-changer for churches. It levels the playing field by providing access to professional-quality visuals without the need for specialized design skills or expensive software. This tool can help churches create more engaging and visually appealing content, making their message more captivating and memorable.

3. Leonardo AI - (images🖼️ & video🎥)

Enhance creative projects and visual storytelling with top-tier images and art. Discover Leonardo AI

Tutorial (Leonardo AI)

1. Visit Leonardo AI: Go to leonardo.ai and create an account.
2. Choose Generation Mode: Leonardo AI offers both "Image Generation" and "Motion". Select the mode that best suits your needs.
3. Input Your Prompt: For "Image Generation" provide a detailed description of the image you want to generate (or upload an existing image as a starting point). Once the image is generated, you can use it as a starting point for "Motion" mode by clicking "Image2Motion" on the generated image.
4. Customize Settings: Adjust settings like model, image size, style, and quality to achieve your desired results.
5. Generate and Refine: Click the "Generate" button, and Leonardo AI will create an image based on your input. You can then refine the image further by providing additional prompts or feedback.
6. Download and Use: Once you're satisfied with the image/video, download it and incorporate it into your church projects or materials.

Church Application: Leverage Leonardo AI to create high-quality visuals for sermon illustrations, church event promotions, or even church website designs. The ability to generate images from text or manipulate existing images opens up a wide range of creative possibilities for churches.

Insights: I understand the importance of engaging visuals in capturing the attention of our congregations for announcements of events, etc. Leonardo AI helps make professional-quality visuals more accessible to churches without a big production budget.

4. Pikalabs - (video🎥)

Generate engaging short videos from texts or images, perfect for animations that captivate church audiences. Visit Pikalabs

Tutorial (Pikalabs)

1. Sign Up for Pikalabs: Visit pika.art and create an account.
2. Choose Generation Mode: Pikalabs offers two modes: "Text to Video" and "Image to Video." Select the mode that aligns with your needs.
3. Input Your Prompt: For "Text to Video," provide a detailed description of the video you want to generate. For "Image to Video," upload an existing image as a starting point.
4. Customize Settings: Adjust settings like video length, style, and resolution to suit your preferences.
5. Generate Video: Click the "Generate" button, and Pikalabs will create a short video based on your input.
6. Refine and Download: If needed, you can refine the video further by providing additional prompts or feedback. Once satisfied, download the video for use in your church presentations or social media channels.

Church Application: Utilize Pikalabs to create engaging short videos for sermon introductions, event promotions, or even animated Bible stories. These captivating videos can help capture the attention of your congregation and enhance the overall worship experience.

Insights: So many ways to use Pikalabs in church. Sunday school teachers can also use Pikalabs to create animated Bible stories for kids, making the teachings more accessible and memorable.

5. Runwayml gen2 - (images🖼️ & video🎥)

This is a suite of tools that aims to be your one stop shop for all things generative AI. Generate images, videos, edit images, add sounds to video, animate videos, change a video from real life to cartoons, etc. Runwayml Gen-2 offers soooo many creative possibilities for churches.

Bring creative visions to life with this versatile AI system for generating novel videos from text, images, or clips. Check out Runwayml Gen-2

Tutorial (as a whole for Runwayml Gen-2)

1. Visit Runwayml: Go to runwayml.com and create an account (if you haven't already).
2. Choose Input Type: Select the input type/style that best suits your needs e.g. "Text/Image to Video," "Image to Video," "Video to Video," "Remove Background," etc.
3. Provide Input: For text input, provide a detailed description of the video you want to generate. For image or video clip input, upload the respective file(s).
4. Customize Settings: Adjust settings like video length, style, and resolution to achieve your desired results.
5. Generate Video: Click the "Generate" button, and Runwayml Gen-2 will create a novel video based on your input.
6. Refine and Download: If needed, you can refine the video further by providing additional prompts or feedback. Once satisfied, download the video for use in your church presentations or social media channels.

Church Application: Leverage Runwayml Gen-2 to create unique and engaging videos for sermon illustrations, event promotions, or even animated Bible stories. The ability to generate videos from text, images, or clips opens up a world of creative possibilities for churches to enhance their multimedia content.

Insights: See my insights for Pikalabs above.

6. Microsoft/Google Video Tools - (video🎥)

Maximize digital resources with advanced tools for sermon clipping and multimedia enhancement. Learn about Video Indexer or Google Cloud Video

Tutorial (Video Indexer by Microsoft Azure)

1. Sign Up for Azure: Visit azure.microsoft.com and create an Azure account (if you haven't already).
2. Access Video Indexer: Search for "Video Indexer" in the Azure portal and create a new resource.
3. Upload Videos: Upload your church sermon videos or multimedia content to Video Indexer.
4. Indexing and Processing: Video Indexer will automatically index and process your videos, generating transcripts, closed captions, and other valuable metadata.
5. Explore Features: Utilize Video Indexer's features, such as searching transcripts, creating clips, extracting insights, and enhancing accessibility with closed captions.
6. Download or Embed: Download the processed videos or embed them on your church website or platforms for easy access and sharing.

Church Application: Use Video Indexer to create searchable and accessible sermon archives, generate shareable clips for social media, and enhance the overall viewing experience with closed captions and transcripts. This can help make your church's multimedia content more engaging and inclusive for your congregation.

Insights: As a Christian with a family, I understand the importance of making church resources accessible to all members of the congregation, regardless of their abilities or circumstances. Tools like Video Indexer by Microsoft Azure can play a crucial role in enhancing the accessibility of church multimedia content, ensuring that everyone can fully engage with and benefit from the teachings and messages shared by the church.

Tutorial (Google Cloud Video)

1. Sign Up for Google Cloud: Visit cloud.google.com and create a Google Cloud account (if you haven't already).
2. Enable Video Intelligence API: In the Google Cloud Console, enable the Video Intelligence API for your project.
3. Upload Videos: Upload your church sermon videos or multimedia content to a Google Cloud Storage bucket.
4. Analyze Videos: Use the Video Intelligence API to analyze your videos, generating transcripts, labels, and other valuable metadata.
5. Explore Features: Utilize the Video Intelligence API's features, such as searching transcripts, creating clips, and extracting insights from your videos.
6. Integrate and Share: Integrate the processed videos and metadata into your church website, apps, or platforms for easy access and sharing with your congregation.

Church Application: Leverage Google Cloud Video to create searchable and accessible sermon archives, generate shareable clips for social media, and enhance the overall viewing experience with transcripts and metadata. This can help make your church's multimedia content more engaging and inclusive for your congregation.

Insights: As a writer and creator, I'm passionate about storytelling and presenting information in an engaging and accessible way. Tools like Google Cloud Video Intelligence offer churches powerful capabilities to enhance their multimedia content, making it more searchable, shareable, and inclusive. By leveraging features like transcription, captioning, and metadata extraction, churches can ensure that their message reaches a wider audience and resonates with individuals across various backgrounds and abilities.

7. Descript - (Audio🔊 & video🎥)

Transcribe and edit sermon recordings or church podcasts with advanced AI-powered tools for audio processing. Explore Descript Descript can automatically transcribe your sermon recordings or church podcasts, making it easier to edit and share the content. It even automatically removes filler words and stutters, making the final product more polished and professional - as easy as editing a Word document.

Tutorial (Descript)

1. Sign Up for Descript: Visit descript.com and create an account.
2. Upload Audio: Upload your sermon recordings, church podcasts, or other audio content
3. Transcribe and Edit: Descript will automatically transcribe the audio and provide a text-based editor for easy editing. Descript can automatically add captions to your videos, making them more accessible to a wider audience.
4. Enhance Audio: Use Descript's AI-powered tools to remove filler words, stutters, and background noise, making the audio more polished and professional.
5. Review and Share: Once you're satisfied with the edited audio, you can easily share it with your congregation through your church website, social media, or podcast platforms.

Church Application Use Descript to transcribe and edit sermon recordings, church podcasts, or other audio content. The AI-powered transcription and editing tools can help streamline the process of creating high-quality audio content for your congregation, making it more accessible and engaging.

Insights Many churches are embracing digital platforms to share their teachings and messages with a wider audience - in podcast formats. Other churches have actual podcasts. There's no easier tool for editing audio content than Descript. It's like editing a Word document. It's a game-changer for churches looking to do more with their audio content.

8. Synthesia - (Audio🔊 & video🎥)

Synthesia is an AI-powered video creation platform that allows you to create AI-generated video content for church announcements, event promotions, etc. Discover Synthesia Synthesia provides pre-built AI characters, voice characters, templates, etc. to help you create engaging video content for your church. You can even provide your own image to use as the AI character.

Tutorial (Synthesia)

1. Sign Up for Synthesia: Visit synthesia.io and create an account.
2. Choose a Template or Start from Scratch: Select a pre-built template or start from scratch to create your video content.
3. Customize Characters and Voice: Choose from a variety of AI characters and voice options to personalize your video content.
4. Input Text or Script: Provide the text or script for your video, including any specific instructions or visual elements you want to include.
5. Generate Video: Synthesia will use AI to generate a video based on your input, incorporating the chosen characters, voice, and visual elements.
6. Review and Download: Once the video is generated, review it to ensure it meets your expectations, then download it for use in your church.

Church Application: I think I mentioned this above 😉

Insights: Be careful with this one. This may or may not be appreciated by your church members - so maybe use on a website/app vs on a sunday service. Also, some of their inbuilt characters are becoming popular and might be recognized by your congregation.

9. ElevenLabs - (Audio🔊)

ElevenLabs is an AI-powered text to speech platform that can convert written content into natural-sounding audio. Explore ElevenLabs - They're the industry leader in natural-sounding text to speech with hundreds of voices in multiple languages. This is huge if you have a multilingual congregation. Also, the fact that you can upload a clip of your pastor's voice, and have it converted to another language in his voice is huge.

Tutorial (ElevenLabs)

1. Sign Up for ElevenLabs: Visit eleven-labs.com and create an account.
2. Input Text: Provide the text you want to convert to audio, including any specific instructions for voice, tone, or language.
3. Choose Voice and Language: Select from a variety of voices and languages to personalize the audio output. Or upload a clip of your pastor's voice to have it create an AI version of his voice to use.
4. Generate Audio: ElevenLabs will use AI to generate natural-sounding audio based on your input, incorporating the chosen voice and language.
5. Review and Download: Once the audio is generated, review it to ensure it meets your expectations, then download it for use in your church.

Church Application: Use ElevenLabs to convert written content, such as sermons, Bible passages, or announcements, into natural-sounding audio. This can enhance the accessibility of your church's content, making it easier for members to engage with the teachings and messages shared. It's also a great tool for creating multilingual audio content for a multi-lingual congregation.

Insights: As a member of a multicultural church community, I understand the importance of making our services accessible to individuals who don't speak English. Tools like ElevenLabs can play a crucial role in breaking down language barriers. And depending on how technical you want to get, this can be done in near real-time using their API - but you'll need software developers like me to help with that! 💻😉

10. Wordly or Polyglossia - (Audio🔊🌐)

Make church services more accessible to a diverse audience with high-quality audio transcription and translation services. Discover Wordly or Polyglossia

Tutorial (Wordly)

1. Sign Up for Wordly: Visit wordly.ai and create an account.
2. Upload Audio or Video Files: Upload your church's sermon audio or video files to Wordly's platform.
3. Select Languages: Choose the source language and the target languages you want to translate to.
4. Transcribe and Translate: Wordly will use advanced AI techniques to transcribe the audio and translate the transcripts into the selected languages.
5. Review and Download: Review the transcripts and translations, making any necessary corrections or adjustments.
6. Integrate and Share: Integrate the transcripts and translations into your church website, apps, or platforms, and share them with your multilingual congregation, making your services more accessible and inclusive.

Church Application: By leveraging Wordly's transcription and translation services, you can make your church services more accessible to a diverse audience, breaking down language barriers and ensuring that your message reaches every member of your congregation, regardless of their native language.

Insights: As an active member of a multicultural church community, I understand the importance of making our services accessible to individuals from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Tools like Wordly and Polyglossia can play a crucial role in breaking down language barriers and fostering a more inclusive environment within our churches.

By providing high-quality transcriptions and translations, these services ensure that every member of the congregation can fully engage with and understand the sermons, messages, and teachings shared during our services. This not only enhances the overall worship experience but also promotes a sense of belonging and unity within our diverse community.

Tutorial (Polyglossia)

1. Sign Up for Polyglossia: Visit polyglossia.io and create an account.
2. Upload Audio or Video Files: Upload your church's sermon audio or video files to Polyglossia's platform.
3. Select Languages: Choose the source language and the target languages you want to translate to.
4. Transcribe and Translate: Polyglossia will use advanced AI techniques to transcribe the audio and translate the transcripts into the selected languages.
5. Review and Download: Review the transcripts and translations, making any necessary corrections or adjustments.
6. Integrate and Share: Integrate the transcripts and translations into your church website, apps, or platforms, and share them with your multilingual congregation, making your services more accessible and inclusive.

Church Application: By leveraging Polyglossia's transcription and translation services, you can make your church services more accessible to a diverse audience, breaking down language barriers and ensuring that your message reaches every member of your congregation, regardless of their native language.

Insights: As someone who values inclusivity and accessibility, I believe that tools like Polyglossia can play a vital role in creating a more welcoming and inclusive environment within our churches. By providing high-quality translations, we can ensure that individuals from diverse linguistic backgrounds can fully participate in our services, fostering a sense of belonging and community.

Furthermore, these tools can be particularly valuable for outreach efforts, enabling churches to share their message and teachings with communities that may have been previously inaccessible due to language barriers. By breaking down these barriers, we can extend the reach of our ministry and connect with a wider audience, ultimately fulfilling our mission of spreading the Good News to all nations.

Video Captioning Tools - (Audio🔊 & video🎥)

Assuming Descript doesn't meet your needs, heres some more options. Automate video captioning to enhance the accessibility of church sermons, ensuring they can be understood by as wide an audience as possible. Learn about OpusClip, Magisto, Adobe Premiere Pro, Web Captioner

Bonus Tools 🎁

Claude (Anthropic)

Claude is an AI assistant created by Anthropic that can assist with a wide range of tasks, including writing, analysis, coding, and question answering. The biggest/most important feature to most Claude users is that it has a 200k context window, meaning it can process bigger chunks of text than other AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini, etc. Learn more.

Lumen5

Lumen5 is a video creation platform that utilizes AI to transform written content into engaging videos. Churches can leverage Lumen5 to create captivating video summaries of sermons, event promotions, or even animated Bible stories. By simply uploading text or providing a blog post or article URL, Lumen5's AI algorithms generate visually appealing videos complete with images, animations, and background music.

Frequently Asked Questions about using AI in Church Settings

1. What is AI and how can it benefit my church? AI, or Artificial Intelligence, refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines. It can benefit your church by automating mundane tasks, enhancing creative projects, and making church services more accessible and engaging for your congregation.

2. Is using AI in church settings ethical? Yes, when used responsibly, AI can be a tool for good, enhancing how we connect, learn, and engage with each other in a church setting. Like any technology, the ethical implications depend on its use case.

3. Can AI replace the human touch in church activities? AI is not meant to replace the human touch but to augment and enhance our ability to serve and engage with our congregation. It takes over repetitive tasks, allowing church staff and volunteers to focus on more personal interactions.

4. How can AI help in creating visuals for church events? AI tools like DALL·E and Ideogram can generate high-quality images or artworks based on text descriptions, making it easier to produce professional-quality visuals for sermons, promotions, and events without the need for specialized design skills.

5. Can AI technology help in sermon preparation? Yes, AI can assist in sermon preparation by providing research assistance, generating illustrative materials, and even suggesting sermon outlines based on biblical texts or themes.

6. How does AI enhance accessibility in church services? AI-powered tools like video captioners and translation services can make church services more accessible to people with hearing impairments or those who speak different languages, ensuring everyone can participate in worship.

7. Are there AI tools for video production in church settings? Yes, tools like Pikalabs and Runwayml gen2 allow churches to generate engaging short videos or animations from texts or images, perfect for sermon illustrations or announcements.

8. How can churches use AI for administrative tasks? AI integrations through platforms like Zapier or Integromat can automate administrative tasks such as email notifications, database updates, and scheduling, streamlining church operations.

9. What are the costs associated with using AI tools in a church? Costs can vary widely depending on the tool and the extent of its use. Many AI tools offer free tiers or nonprofit discounts, making them accessible for churches with varying budget sizes.

10. How can AI tools be integrated into existing church workflows? AI tools often offer easy integration with existing platforms through APIs or built-in integrations, allowing them to complement and enhance current church workflows without significant overhauls.

11. Can AI help in enhancing the worship experience? Yes, AI can enhance the worship experience by creating engaging visuals, facilitating live translations, or even customizing music and soundscapes for worship settings.

12. How secure are AI tools for church use? Most reputable AI tools prioritize security and data protection. However, it's important to review each tool's privacy policy and ensure data is handled according to your church's standards and regulations.

13. Can AI tools be used for church outreach and evangelism? Absolutely. AI can extend the reach of church ministries through social media automation, personalized email campaigns, and even chatbots that engage potential visitors with information about church services and events.

14. How can volunteers with no technical background use AI tools? Many AI tools are designed with user-friendly interfaces and provide extensive documentation and tutorials to assist users, regardless of their technical background.

15. How do AI tools handle translations for multicultural congregations? AI translation tools like Wordly or Polyglossia provide high-quality audio transcription and translation services, making sermons and church materials accessible in multiple languages.

16. Can AI contribute to church music and worship arts? AI can assist in composing music, generating song lyrics, and even creating visual arts for worship, offering new ways to enhance the creativity of worship arts in the church.

17. What are the limitations of using AI in church settings? While AI offers many benefits, it cannot replace the deep personal connections, pastoral care, and spiritual guidance provided by human interactions within the church community.

18. How can churches stay informed about the latest AI tools and trends? Churches can stay informed by subscribing to tech and church leadership blogs, attending conferences focused on technology in ministry, and participating in online forums or social media groups dedicated to church technology.

19. Can AI tools help in personalized communication with church members? Yes, AI can help personalize communication through data analysis, enabling churches to send targeted emails, social media messages, or notifications that resonate with individual members' interests or needs.

20. How can churches ensure they are using AI in a way that aligns with their values? Churches should carefully select AI tools that respect privacy and ethical standards, involve church leadership in decision-making processes, and ensure that the use of AI supports the church's mission and values.

Videos

Even More Related Resources

• 4 Benefits of Integrating AI Technology into Church Leadership - Explore the advantages of integrating AI technology into church leadership and practical applications.
• AI for Church Leaders - Access training and resources on using AI for ministry, including practical tools and techniques.
• AI and the Church: How should we proceed? - Discusses the impact of AI on churches, including tools to enhance ministry and community engagement.
• AI: 5 Things Church Leaders Need to Understand About the Ultimate Disruptor - Learn about the implications of AI for church leaders and the importance of ethical use.
• 6 Healthy Ways to Use AI for Evangelism - Discover ethical ways to leverage AI for evangelism in your church.