How to Use AI to Prep Better Sermons

The Pastor’s Guide to Using Artificial Intelligence Without Selling Out or Cheating

Preaching is a sacred calling—as a pastor for over 20 years, I believe that with all my heart. I've preached thousands of sermons with just my Bible, and books. But I want to tell you why I've been using AI aggressively for the last 1-2 years. It's helped me prepare better sermons. My preaching is richer, deeper, and more interesting -- faster.

And in this post, I'll tell you how you can do exactly the same thing, without spending 2 years becoming an expert. In fact, I can get you there in just a few hours!

Why Pastors Are Turning to AI

Sermon preparation can often feel overwhelming.

Between counseling sessions, event planning, and family obligations, pastors are expected to craft biblically sound, theologically rich, emotionally engaging messages every single week—sometimes more than once.

Add to this the fact that the information age has exponentially increased the amount of available information? That's a recipe for frustration and overwhelm.

Consider this statistic: There are 66 million Youtube channels currently producing content. It would take you 30 days, 24 hours per day to watch all the content uploaded to Youtube in the last 60 seconds!

See what I mean about information overload? This is why pastors feel overwhelmed at times... and why some of us are turning to ChatGPT and other AI tools to help with brainstorming illustrations and more. Artificial intelligence is like a research assistant that's trained to cut through the clutter to find the right information.

This post is for you if you’ve ever found yourself...

• Struggling to find a fresh angle on a familiar passage

• Spending hours hunting for the right illustration

• Wondering if you’ll finish in time for Sunday

• Wishing for a research assistant who never sleeps

AI is not here to write your sermon for you. It’s not a substitute for prayer, study, or the Holy Spirit.

But it is a powerful tool—like a concordance, a whiteboard, or a great intern. And when used wisely, it can help you prep faster, preach deeper, and reach farther.

What AI Can—and Can’t—Do in Sermon Prep

Let's just recognize right up front that your instincts are right. If you feel some natural objection to using ChatGPT for sermon prep, you're not alone. There are genuinely some things that it simply can't do.

✅ What AI Can Do:

• Instantly brainstorm illustrations and outlines

• Summarize complex commentaries into plain language

• Generate custom discipleship content based on your sermon

• Help you break through writer’s block

• Save time on research and organization

• Create graphics, images, and social media posts

• Customize your content for age, reading level, or language

❌ What AI Can’t Do:

• Pray, listen, or seek God on your behalf

• Meditate on the Word

• Obey or walk by faith

• Feel conviction, compassion, or spiritual urgency

• Preach with authority from a heart on fire

• Replace the Holy Spirit’s guidance in sermon development

A Pastor-Tested Framework for Using AI in Sermon Prep

I’ve created a full course called “How Pastors Can Use AI for Sermon Prep—Without Selling Out or Cheating.” It walks you through exactly how to use AI ethically, faithfully, and effectively as a pastor.

Here’s what the course covers—and what you’ll learn.

Session 1: Why AI Can Be a Legitimate Tool for Sermon Prep

• The information age demands smarter tools—and you should stop feeling bad about that

• AI is like a concordance or commentary: a tool, not a teacher

• You are still responsible for rightly dividing the Word (2 Tim. 2:15)

• 7 Things AI can do really well in sermon prep

Session 2: Dangers and Ethical Pitfalls of Using AI

• AI can make you lazy if you’re not careful—but it can also boost your creativity

• 8 things AI CANNOT do for you in your ministry

• Don’t lose your theological edge or spiritual discernment

• Boundaries, not avoidance, are the key

Session 3: How to Brainstorm Sermon Illustrations with AI (Using The Sermon Illustrator)

• The Sermon Illustrator gives you 30+ illustrations in 30 seconds

• Categories include history, literature, science, quotes, sports, biblical parallels, etc

• I walk you through an actual over-the-shoulder tutorial

• Great for breaking out of your usual go-to stories

• Saves hours every week—and it’s free when you enroll in the course!

Session 4: How to Create Better Sermon Images With AI

• How to use the edit feature to maximum benefit

• Style tips: simplicity, emotion, consistency

• Prompting examples and best practices

• True story: I once accidentally created an AI image with... an extremely immodest figure in the background—don’t skip the image check!

  
  

Session 5: Using AI to Create Additional Content for Your Sermon

Most people forget your sermon by Wednesday—repetition matters. AI helps you turn one message into a week of content, just by pasting your notes, and using the right prompts.

I literally give you the prompts you need to cut and paste to create things like:

• Devotionals

• Coloring pages

• Family discussion guides

• One-minute social videos

• Group discussion questions

• Social graphics with Scripture

• Student ministry discussion points

• Printable kids’ activities

Session 6 (Bonus): How to Use AI for Biblical Study

• AI can speed up word studies, cross-references, and exegetical outlines

• I share a bunch of sample prompts you could use:

  • Word study of charis in Eph. 2:8

  • 3-point outline of 1 Peter 1:3–9

  • Compare translations of John 1:14

  • Thematic trace of “light in darkness” through Scripture

  • Inductive Bible study on Psalm 23

You still check for theological accuracy, but you save huge amounts of time. It can ve helpful even for preparing Sunday School or midweek classes.

10 Reasons Pastors Should Start Using AI for Sermon Prep

1. You’ll save hours every week: More time for people, prayer, and presence... or more time for relaxing with family if that's what would be healthiest for you and your children!

2. You’ll never be out of illustration ideas again: 17 categories × 2 examples = instant creativity boost.

3. You can break through writer’s block: AI gives you ideas when your brain hits pause. Let it help you rephrase and write at a lower grade reading level.

4. It’s like having a Bible nerd assistant… on call 24/7: Do word studies, get cross-references, compare translations—fast. This one alone will save you hours.

5. You’ll go deeper, not just faster: With the right prompts, AI reveals connections you might miss.

6. It’s built for small church pastors too: Bivocational? Solo? You now have a powerful prep team.

7. You can disciple beyond Sunday: Devotionals, kids’ guides, small group material—all generated fast.

8. It strengthens—not replaces—your spiritual calling: You still pray, preach, and pastor. But now with margin.

9. You’ll create more engaging visual sermons: Custom images in the tone and emotion you want.

10. It’s faithful, wise, and totally possible—starting now: This is the best time in history to steward technology for the Kingdom.

I've got a bunch more of these benefits of using AI for sermon prep if you want to learn more.

Try the Sermon Illustrator + Get the Course

If this has sparked your curiosity—or if you’re already hungry for margin in your week—here’s your next step:

🎓 Enroll in the course: How Pastors Can Use AI for Sermon Prep🎁 Includes FREE lifetime access to The Sermon Illustrator🛠️ Learn practical, faithful ways to use AI tools

💬 Hear real stories from pastors already using this💲 Just $27 (a fraction of what it’s worth)

👉 Click here to get started.

Whether you’re preaching to 30 or 3,000—AI can help you prep better sermons, faster… without selling out or cheating.