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Artificial Intelligence Integrating into Ministry

Ready or not, artificial intelligence in ministry is here to stay.

“Today, Christians, people of faith, are questioning a lot of those tools and wondering what’s behind it,” said Brad Hill, chief solutions officer for the controversial company Gloo, which provides technology solutions for Christian organizations. “What’s behind it is a database of information collected from every corner of the internet. These large-language models are the fuel that power these amazing technologies. But sometimes the information is of questionable quality.”

The new Christian-Aligned Large Language Model (CALLM) developed by Gloo aims to restore trust in AI for those who want to harness the power of AI for Christian ministry. It uses carefully selected and curated sources to build its database, addressing growing concerns about AI’s role in faith communities.

“We created CALLM with the hope that it would drive people back to these faith-based pieces of content, the most powerful content sets in the world, and ultimately help people become all that they were created to be,” said Steele Billings, managing partner for Gloo Ventures and AI.

The goal is to serve the Christian community with an AI tool that has the potential and ability to address faith-based questions and matters of a spiritual nature. Christian publishers and content producers are partnering with Gloo to make CALLM a valuable resource for pastors, seminary students and Christians who want to use AI to explore faith-based issues and topics, as churches increasingly adopt AI technologies.

However, not all religious leaders embrace AI’s role in ministry. Church of England bishops have warned against using AI to write sermons, stating it fails to “convey the preacher’s faith or integrity.” Pastor Jack Hibbs has cautioned against potential spiritual dangers, warning that humans “run the risk of being overtaken” by artificial intelligence. Critics point to deeper theological concerns, as some argue that AI in religious settings raises fundamental questions about human agency and divine authority. A recent survey revealed that 68 percent of Americans don’t believe AI could enhance spiritual practices, highlighting the widespread skepticism about AI’s role in faith communities.

Still, AI continues rapidly moving into the church space.

“Partners that have participated include Ligonier, which is R. C. Sproul’s ministry,” Billings said. “All of these publishers represent organizations who are saying, we are all about helping Gloo figure out how do we come together and take a unified approach to this thing called artificial intelligence, because we do believe it’s going to be a big deal. We believe we have a massive opportunity here.”

Gloo continues to face criticism for its controversial data mining efforts. According to The Wall Street Journal, the company mines online data to identify people who might be receptive to evangelizing and church outreach. This practice has raised privacy concerns, particularly because Gloo analyzes Americans’ personal data and online activities to help churches target potential new members.

Some have raised concerns that the practice takes advantage of those privately seeking online counseling or advice for addiction, divorce or parenting issues.

–Alan Goforth

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