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LIVING RESEARCH PROJECT / LRP-085

AI and Pastoral Ministry — How Is Technology Changing Church Leadership?

“How is AI/technology changing pastoral ministry, and are Adventist churches adopting it at pace with broader Christianity?”

Substantive evidenceReviewed 3 March 2026Draft
EVIDENCE STRENGTH72/100

A review of the evidence, not a measure of whether a finding is true.

Explore the findings
aitechnologypastoral-ministrychurch-adoptioninnovationdigital-ministryNorth AmericaGlobal

Executive Summary

AI adoption in pastoral ministry has exploded: 91% of church leaders now support AI use and 61% of pastors use it weekly or daily — an 80% increase from 2024 to 2025. Primary uses include sermon preparation (64% of sermon-writing pastors use AI), administrative efficiency, and real-time translation (one multisite church reached 36 languages within two months). But a critical governance gap exists: only 6% of churches have formal AI policies despite 91% adoption. The tension between "...

Key findings

and 61% of pastors use it weekly or daily — an 80% increase from 2024 to 2025. Primary uses include sermon preparation (64% of sermon-writing pastors use AI), administrative efficiency, and real-time translation (one multisite church reached 36 languages within two months). But a critical governance gap exists: only 6% of churches have formal AI policies despite 91% adoption. The tension between "God can use AI" (77% of pastors agree) and congregational scepticism (only 28% of Christians feel hopeful about AI) creates a pastoral leadership challenge. No Adventist-specific AI adoption data exists, but the denomination's conservative culture, theological caution around technology, and decentralised governance suggest adoption may lag broader Christianity. This LRP maps the AI landscape and assesses Adventist readiness.

Broader Christian AI Adoption (2024-2025).

- Communication efficiency (40% cite this as primary reason).

Scheduling and volunteer management.

Newsletter and social media content drafting.

Website updates and maintenance.

Adventist Worldview

Contextual mission discernment

This LRP supports prayerful, evidence-informed action: discern the field, test responses humbly, and adapt for mission without compromising conviction.

Use this research as a stewardship aid, not as a replacement for Scripture, prayer, pastoral discernment, or local listening.

Editorial posture

Use this research as a stewardship aid for Adventist mission. God grows His church; data helps leaders understand where faithful response, care, and mission attention may be needed.

Adventist confidence
Medium
Theological risk
Not recorded
Ideological risk
Not recorded
Biblical / Adventist anchors
Research serves the church's worship, witness, discipleship, care, and stewardship under Scripture.
Methods may learn from public data and social science, but Scripture, Adventist doctrine, and mission set the interpretive boundaries.
Review gate: this LRP should be interpreted by an Adventist editor before it shapes public copy or high-stakes Mission Intelligence actions.

Cautions Before Applying

Use this LRP as a stewardship prompt, then test it against local data, pastoral knowledge, and the mission context.
Check for counter-evidence or local exceptions before turning this into policy.
This finding is graded medium confidence — worth testing against local data before it shapes a decision.

Applicability: Use when an entity shows strategic response pulse weakness or when this LRP's tags match the local diagnosis.

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