Why I Will Not Be Using AI to Write My Sermons

I mentioned in my last post. I have many thoughts about AI in general and preaching in particular. Like most spaces where technology, theology, and morality converge, the terrain is complex, and everyone is navigating it differently. I also believe there are times when you should listen to the uncomfortable naggings from your gut, which is what I have been doing with AI.

Prone to being an "early adopter" of technology, I am also quick to see when the pitfalls far outweigh the possibilities, which can lead me to just as easily and as early adopt resistance — which is what I have done and urge you to do when it comes to using AI in your sermon creation process:

Resist the temptation.
For any part of the process.
Don't do it.
Just say no.

To be clear, I have used AI for some things. We all use AI in our lives in various forms, often without even realizing it: spellcheck, autocorrect, grammar check, etc. I have goofed around with ChatGPT to see what it is like. I use AI on videos to fix eye contact issues, (a little weird), and I have found AI helpful in summarizing meetings, but I have even stopped doing that.

Probably the most I use any AI is when I am writing. Autocorrect does me dirty all the time; spellcheck has probably made me dumber; and when I use Grammarly, I only make choices about clarity and never about content. And, TBH, aren't we all glad I use these tools? Can imagine you didn't if I? 😆

I can honestly say that I have never used AI for creative or generative endeavors: sermons, keynotes, posts, books, articles, liturgies, rap battles, love songs, sonnets, haikus, limericks, or telenovela scripts 😄

"But, Bruce, no part of the process: the research, the outline, none of it?"

Nope. And here is why. I deeply believe the sermon writing process is a craft that requires time and tenderness. From first read to the closing "amen," it is a give-and-take, back-and-forth: a conversation between the Spirit, the preacher, the community, and the world. We wrestle with the text, sometimes for a moment and sometimes for much longer; we watch and listen for how and where the Spirit is moving, or not moving; we seek out the places where there is convergence between the Spirit, the community, and the world; and then we embody creative and courageous ways to proclaim the Word in ways we hope it will most effectively be received. Every time we go through the process, we get better and better at mining the depths of our understanding of God's intentions for us as proclaimers of the Word and for the communities we are called to serve.

When we insert AI into any of those steps, we take away vital parts of the process, we cheapen the craft, and we make murky the revealing of God's hopes and intentions for us all.

For instance, if you ask ChatGPT, "Create an outline based on Hercules 4:20," you forfeit the discerning discipline of wrestling with scripture until the Spirit speaks to you. Sure, you may quickly get an outline that may sound good, but what you have done is hand over entire structure-making to an algorithm that has no context for your community, no understanding of your theological perspective, and thus has no nuanced understanding of how to interpret Scripture in light of how to pastor the community to which you have been called.

More importantly, even if you refine the AI outline and tell ChatGPT, "Make it sound like I went to seminary and paid attention," whatever is regurgitated comes from someone else's work, because, remember, nothing AI gives you is original. Think about it, if you ask AI to interpret scripture, who the hell knows whose interpretation it is drawing from? It could be from someone whose worldview you would never want amplified, OR you could be ripping words from someone (like me) whose writings have been scraped, and they will never be compensated for their work.

"Okay fine, Bruce, but what if I just use AI just to do my research?"

Well, first, that's not really AI, but that proves my point. Just as you would not blindly trust the internet to diagnose and treat that pesky groin rash — I hope 😬 — when Googling, "Is Book of Hercules in the Old or New Testament?" do you trust just anything the internet tells you, or do you only trust information written by those who deserve to be trusted?* Why would this be any different from any other part of the sermon writing process? Remember, even Google gives an AI disclaimer...

Using AI for Biblical research is like trusting the first page of search results, except there is zero transparency or ability to find out where the information comes from. Have we decided that AI is somehow a trustworthy exegeter of the Bible? I am sure most of us have not, because we instinctively know that it is not. My point is this: the same kind of care and disciplined sourcing you put into the research and study should be put into all other aspects of the process.

"Okay, Bruce, preachers are always using other people's work in sermons. What about that? Gotcha."

While I am not a big quoter of other people, some of the best preachers I know (s/o: our family pastor, Jenna at Seventh Avenue Presbyterian Church) can weave other people's words into their sermons in ways that bring scripture to life in amazing ways. They use other people's words to add depth and texture to the text and to expand our experience of the divine through others' worldviews and experiences. When preachers do this, they give the originators credit, often offering context for the words, giving the quote even more power and impact.

So here's the thing: if you are going to use AI in your sermon, I think you should do the same thing, give attribution to AI. I am serious. If you are going to use the words ChatGPT gives you, it seems only honest to credit the source with a disclaimer: "25% of this sermon was written using ChatGPT." This would, at a minimum, be an honest attribution because, since nothing that AI generates is original or new, you really didn't write it. Sure, you are still using someone else's work, but at least you are not claiming it as your own.

I know this may come off more than a bit "shamey," and maybe it is personal because I know my work has been used to train AI and is probably being used without my knowledge, but if it makes you feel squirmy, maybe that's something to listen to. Remember that "gut" thing I mentioned at the beginning. That's what I am talking about.

Okay, there you go. I hope this was helpful in a sea of thought pieces that are flooding the interwebs these days. I have more thoughts on AI, including the idea of inevitability, the environmental impacts, etc., but I'll save those for another day.

In the meantime, please know that I do not envy those of you who faithfully step into "the pulpit" each week, whether you are feeling it or not. Given the cruel and despairing state of the world, the weight of proclaiming a word of hope is heavy and vital if we are to keep working collectively towards a new day. The craft has never been an easy calling or task. Still, the preaching moment today, in whatever form or structure it may take for you, is demanding discipline, authenticity, and courage, all of which AI cannot offer any of us.

Trust yourselves.
Trust the Spirit.
God has called you.
Trust that calling.

Peace,

*Over the years and over multiple moves, I have trimmed my collection of Bible commentaries and resources that I use for sermon prep. Here are the commentaries and Bible translations currently on my shelf.