A new study from the Barna Group reveals a striking shift inside the modern Church: nearly one-third of practicing American Christians now say spiritual advice from artificial intelligence is just as trustworthy as counsel from a pastor. Among Gen Z and millennials, that number climbs close to 40 percent. Even more telling, four in ten Christians report using AI to assist with prayer, Bible study, or spiritual growth. Meanwhile, over 40 percent of Protestant pastors admit they are using AI for sermon and study preparation, yet only a small fraction feel equipped to teach their congregations how to navigate the technology biblically.

This is not merely a technological story — it is a discipleship story. The shepherd’s voice is being supplemented, and in some cases replaced, by algorithms. Scripture reminds us that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Pastors are called to “shepherd the flock of God” (1 Peter 5:2), not outsource discernment to machine-generated counsel. While AI can organize information, it cannot carry the anointing of the Holy Spirit, exercise pastoral accountability, or rightly divide the Word through spiritual discernment. Data can mimic wisdom. It cannot replace it.

SOURCE: CP