Why I Started Using ChatGPT to Help With Sermon Prep

A pastor’s story of burnout, breakthrough, and a better way to prepare sermons

A few months ago, I asked a simple question in an email to pastors:

“What’s your biggest frustration with sermon prep?”

And the replies came in fast. Way faster than I expected. Here are some screenshots:

Pastors poured out their hearts:

• “I spend so much time chasing illustrations that I run out of time to think.”

• “I’m preaching three times a week and I’m exhausted.”

• “I want to be faithful to the Word—but I’m constantly behind.”

  
  

And the truth is… I didn’t just read those words.I felt them. Because I’ve been there.

Stuck on the Treadmill of Sermon Prep

For over 20 years, I’ve been preaching almost every week, usually 2-3 times per week.

And I love it! But over time, sermon prep can begin to feel like a treadmill I couldn’t get off of.

I’d sit down with my Bible and notes—and I’d just get stuck. My outlines started feeling flat. I’d spend hours hunting for a decent illustration, and come up with nothing that felt right. And don’t even get me started on the time I wanted to create follow-up content—family devotionals, discussion questions, small group material—but just didn’t have anything left in the tank.

Ministry was still good. But I was stretched thin. I wasn’t looking for an escape. I was just looking for a better way to do what I was already called to do.

Then I Tried Something Crazy

One day, I decided to try something I never thought I would:

I opened up ChatGPT. Honestly, I was skeptical. Isn’t this cheating? Would this compromise the integrity of my sermon? Isn’t this just another shortcut for people who don’t want to do the work?

But I gave it a shot. Carefully. Prayerfully. And what I discovered completely changed my perspective.

What Happened Next Changed Everything

I didn’t use AI to write my sermon.

I used it to support the process.

I asked it for 10 illustrations about grace from different categories—history, psychology, literature. I asked it to help outline a passage using Greek paragraph structure. I asked it to create a small group guide based on my sermon notes, tailored for teens.

And it did all of that… in seconds!

Suddenly, I had time to think deeper. Time to pray longer. Time to meet with people I usually have to postpone.

As it turned out, AI didn’t replace my calling. It gave me room to walk in it more fully.

That’s When I Built The Sermon Illustrator

I realized that one of the most powerful parts of this tool was its ability to brainstorm illustrations—so I built something to make that easier for pastors like you.

I created a custom GPT tool called The Sermon Illustrator.It gives you 30 sermon illustrations in 30 seconds, across 17 unique categories. You just type your passage or theme, and it gets to work.

I shared it with a few friends, and the response was immediate.

One guy saw the images it generated and asked, “Can I get 30 minutes of your time to explain how you’re doing this?”

Another pastor I’ve never met mentioned it on Karl Vaters’ podcast and called it

“The best free tool small church pastors should be using.”

That’s when I knew—this wasn’t just for me.

I Created a Full Course to Show You Everything

So I sat down and recorded everything I’ve learned. Every prompt. Every shortcut. Every guardrail. And I called the course: How Pastors Can Use AI for Sermon Prep—Without Selling Out or Cheating.

It includes:

• Free lifetime access to The Sermon Illustrator

• Step-by-step guides on brainstorming, study, illustrations, visuals, and more

• Ethical and spiritual principles to make sure AI stays a tool, not a crutch

• Real prompts. Real walkthroughs. Real results.

Here’s Why I’m Sharing This

I didn’t start using AI because I wanted to cut corners.I started using it because I was tired of running out of time for the things that matter most—prayer, people, and preaching with power.

If you’re a pastor who’s feeling the pressure…If you’re tired of sermon prep stealing time from the rest of your ministry…If you want to preach with clarity, depth, and freshness again…

I want to invite you to see how this works for yourself:

👉 Click here to learn more and get access to the course.

This isn’t a gimmick. It’s a pastor-built, pastor-tested framework to help you use AI wisely and faithfully.

Here's a video of me talking more about it on Youtube:

Because the Gospel deserves your best—and so does your time!