I speak on artificial intelligence for pastors, church leaders, and ministry volunteers. My perspective comes from 15 years in rural ministry and from building MinistryPlace.net, where I have watched small churches try to figure out what to do with AI tools that their members are already using.
The questions small churches are asking about AI are real and they deserve honest, grounded answers that take both the theology and the practical reality of ministry seriously.
Speaking Topics: AI for Ministry and Small Churches
A Theology of AI: What the Bible Actually Says About Technology, Work, and Human Dignity
Before a church can make good decisions about AI, it needs a theological framework for thinking about technology. This session builds that framework from Scripture – not from fear, not from uncritical enthusiasm, but from a serious engagement with what the Bible says about work, creativity, human dignity, and the tools we make.
- What Scripture says about human creativity and image-bearing
- How to think about AI-generated content theologically
- Why “AI is just a tool” is both true and insufficient
- How to lead your congregation through AI questions with wisdom
- Practical biblical framework for technology decisions in the local church
Related resource: A Theology of AI for Small Church Pastors at MinistryPlace.net
AI Enablement for Ministry: Saving Time Without Losing Your Voice
Bi-vocational pastors and volunteer ministry leaders are already using AI to save time on sermon prep, communications, and administrative work. This session is about doing that well – using AI as a tool that serves the ministry rather than replacing the pastor’s voice and presence.
- Where AI genuinely saves time in ministry (and where it does not)
- How to use AI for sermon research without losing your own voice
- AI tools for children’s ministry, youth ministry, and volunteer training
- How to communicate AI use honestly with your congregation
- Practical starting points for bi-vocational pastors with limited time
Related resource: AI for Small Church Children’s Ministry at MinistryPlace.net
AI Safety and Data Privacy for Small Churches
Small churches handle sensitive information – counseling notes, financial records, member contact data, prayer requests. When church staff use AI tools, that information can end up in places the church never intended. This session covers what churches need to know to protect their members.
- What happens to member data when you use AI tools
- Which AI tools are safe for church use and which are not
- How to build a simple AI policy for your church staff and volunteers
- Copyright and AI: what churches need to know about AI-generated content
- How to talk to your congregation about AI and privacy
Related resources: AI and Data Privacy in the Small Church and AI and Copyright: What Every Church Needs to Know at MinistryPlace.net
AI Governance for Church Leaders: Making Decisions Your Congregation Can Trust
Church leaders are being asked to make decisions about AI without much guidance. This session gives pastors and church boards a practical governance framework – not a policy document, but a way of thinking and deciding that reflects the church’s values and protects its people.
- How to involve your congregation in AI decisions without creating division
- What a church AI policy actually needs to cover
- How to evaluate AI tools against your church’s values
- When to say no to AI and how to explain that decision
- How rural and small churches can lead on this issue rather than just react
Why This Perspective Is Different
I have preached in small rural churches for 25 years and spent nearly 30 years working in IT. That combination is unusual, and it shapes how I talk about AI in ministry contexts.
The AI conversations I bring to ministry settings are grounded in both theological seriousness and practical IT knowledge. I understand what the tools actually do, what the risks actually are, and what small churches with limited staff and no IT department actually need to hear.
My ministry AI work draws on the resources at MinistryPlace.net, built specifically for the 80 percent of American churches with fewer than 100 in attendance.
Book This Session
These sessions are available as keynotes, workshops, and breakout sessions for ministry conferences, denominational gatherings, pastor training events, and church leadership retreats. See the Speaking page for full topic list and booking information, or download the Press Kit.
Also see: AI Speaking for Business and MSPs