[Church name] Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence
Adopted by [the elders / the church council / the board] on [adoption date]. Reviewed each year in [review month]. Questions go to [contact name], [contact role], at [contact email].
1. Why we have this policy
- Every person is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Our worth, and the worth of the people we serve, does not depend on what a machine can do.
- We are called to put away falsehood and speak truthfully (Ephesians 4:25). How we use AI must be honest.
- We love our neighbors (Mark 12:31). That includes guarding what they tell us in confidence.
- AI is a tool. It may help us work. It does not preach, pastor, pray, prophesy, or carry spiritual authority.
2. Who and what this covers
- All staff, elders, deacons, and volunteers acting on behalf of [Church name].
- Any AI tool used for church work, including chat assistants, image and audio generators, transcription and translation services, and AI features built into software we already use.
- Church accounts and devices, and personal accounts or devices when they are used for church work.
3. Preaching and teaching
- Preachers and teachers may use AI for research, outlining, finding cross-references, checking grammar, and testing an illustration.
- The preacher studies the passage personally. AI output is a starting point to verify, never a finished word for the congregation.
- Every Scripture reference and quotation produced with AI help is opened and checked before it is taught.
- We do not present AI-generated text as a personal prayer, testimony, prophecy, or word from God.
- Disclosure: [Choose one: (a) we tell the congregation when AI drafted a substantial part of a sermon or lesson; (b) we disclose AI use on request and in this published policy; (c) describe your own practice]
4. Pastoral care and counseling
- We never enter information that identifies a person in pastoral care (names, situations, confessions, health, family details) into an AI tool.
- AI is not a counselor. We do not refer people to a chatbot in place of a pastor, counselor, or doctor.
- Anyone who expresses thoughts of self-harm, abuse, or danger is connected with a person right away: [pastoral care contact], a licensed professional, or emergency services (988 in the U.S.).
- Condolence notes, hospital visits, and care messages come from a person. AI may help with wording; a person writes and signs them.
5. Children and youth
- We do not upload photos, names, or information about minors to AI tools.
- We do not recommend AI companion or character chatbots to children or teenagers.
- When AI is used in children’s or youth teaching, parents are told how and why.
- We follow the age rules of each tool and applicable law.
6. Personal data and privacy
- We do not enter members’ names, contact details, prayer requests, giving records, or health information into AI tools, except in tools listed in section 9 that have a written data agreement.
- Where a tool allows it, we turn off the use of our data for training.
- Prayer requests are shared only with the people the requester has permitted.
- If personal data is entered by mistake, tell [data contact] the same day so it can be deleted and, if needed, the person informed.
7. Worship, communications, and media
- AI-generated images, audio, or video used in worship or church communications are labeled as AI-generated when a reasonable person could mistake them for real.
- We never create AI images, voices, or quotes of real people, including church members, without their permission.
- We respect copyright for lyrics, Scripture translations, and artwork, whether or not AI produced the output.
- A person reviews every AI-assisted post, email, or bulletin item before it goes out under the church’s name.
8. Administration and decisions about people
- AI may help draft documents, summarize meetings, and organize schedules.
- Decisions about people are made by people: hiring, discipline, membership, benevolence, and pastoral assignments.
- We do not use AI to screen, rank, or profile members, visitors, or applicants.
9. Approved tools
- Approved for general use: [tool, account owner].
- Approved for use with personal data (written data agreement in place): [tool, account owner, date of agreement].
- To request a new tool, ask [tool approver]. Approval considers what data the tool stores, whether it trains on our data, and who can see it.
10. Impersonation, voice cloning, and giving scams
Matthew 10:16 in the Lumin Translation: “Look, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” AI can copy a voice from a short clip posted online, and a fake account can borrow a pastor’s name and photo. These rules tell our people how the church does and does not ask for money, so a fake is easier to spot.
- Our pastors, staff, and volunteers will never ask anyone by text, email, direct message, or phone call to buy gift cards, wire money, send cryptocurrency, or share a password, bank detail, or verification code.
- Gifts to [Church name] are given only through [giving methods]. We never ask for a gift through a new link, a new account number, or someone’s personal account.
- We do not ask for money in a hurry or in secret. A real request from the church can wait while you check it.
- A familiar voice, name, or photo does not prove a message is real. To check one, do not reply or use any number or link it gives. Call the church office at [church office phone], a number you already know, or ask a pastor in person.
- Our official phone numbers, email addresses, and social media accounts are listed at [church website]. We tell the congregation before we add a new one.
- Report a suspected fake to the church office the same day, even if you did not answer it. We will warn the congregation and report the fake account to the platform it came from. No one who was fooled will be shamed.
- If you sent money or shared account details, call your bank or card issuer right away and report it to local police.
- We never use an AI copy of a leader’s voice or face to ask members for anything.
11. Accountability
- Each of us remains responsible for anything we publish, teach, or send, however it was drafted.
- Mistakes are corrected openly and quickly.
- This policy is reviewed each year in [review month] by [the elders / the church council / the board], in light of Scripture, our tradition’s teaching, and what we have learned.
- I have read and will follow this policy. Name: [ ] Role: [ ] Date: [ ]
Appendix: ready-to-paste text
Scam warning
For the bulletin, a slide, or an email. Run it again whenever a fake appears.
Watch for fake messages from “your pastor.” Scammers pretend to be church leaders. They send texts, emails, and even calls in a copied voice, asking for gift cards or a quick, quiet favor. [Church name] will never ask you by text, email, message, or phone to buy gift cards, wire money, send cryptocurrency, or share a password or code. We receive gifts only through [giving methods]. If you get a message like this, don’t reply or pay. Call the church office at [church office phone], and tell us so we can warn others.
How our church uses AI
For your website, on the about or staff page.
How [Church name] uses AI. Our staff and volunteers sometimes use AI tools for research, drafting, scheduling, and translation. A person reviews every AI-assisted post, email, and bulletin item before it goes out. We do not put pastoral care conversations or information about children into AI tools, and members’ personal information goes only into tools we have approved with a written data agreement. Our preachers study each passage themselves, and every verse an AI tool suggests is checked before it is taught. We never present AI-generated text as a prayer, testimony, prophecy, or word from God. Our AI policy was adopted by [the elders / the church council / the board] on [adoption date]. Questions go to [contact name] at [contact email].