More churches across the United States are embracing Artificial Intelligence as a tool to support their ministries, though pastors remain cautious about using it to craft their sermons, according to the latest data from the State of the Church Tech 2025 report.
The report, produced by Pushpay—an organization that provides payments and engagement solutions for faith-based and nonprofit sectors—was compiled in partnership with Engiven and Checkr. Data collection took place in February and involved about 8,000 church leaders nationwide.
The report indicates that AI use has increased by 80% across all church ministries, but predominantly for specific tasks rather than for creating spiritual content. “While adoption (of AI) has increased, leaders remain reluctant to rely on AI for pastoral content,” the report states.
Less than one quarter of AI users applied the tool for developing devotionals, sermons, or ideas for pastoral care. The majority of AI use cases revolve around content generation and editing of communication materials like emails, imagery, and social media posts.
Church leaders primarily utilize AI to improve operational efficiency, with the predominant use case being communication. The report highlights that “these patterns aren’t necessarily surprising,” noting that many church leaders began their service long before AI’s rise to prominence.
“Those called to lead in the Church — many of whom began serving long before AI rose to prominence — pursued their vocation out of [a] desire to lead through the Holy Spirit. As such, AI’s role in spiritual leadership is still being approached with trepidation.”
Despite this cautious approach, the report emphasizes that once the message is prepared, leaders are leveraging AI to disseminate it more broadly and efficiently.
Another significant finding from the report is that a substantial 86% of church leaders agree that technology enhances community connection within their congregations. Kenny Wyatt, the CEO of Pushpay, commented on the report, “This year’s State of Church Tech report offers more than just statistics and data — it’s a window into the evolving mindset of church leaders.”
“We see overwhelming consensus that technology plays a critical role in ministry, and I’m encouraged by the way churches are approaching it. More and more leaders view these tools as an avenue to enhance, not replace, the human relationships that are so central to the Church,” he added.
