The Church Tech Today Podcast with Kenny Jahng | AI for Church Leaders | Church Online

Episode Summary: In this solo episode, Kenny Jahng, founder of AIforChurchLeaders.com, confronts the five most common—and often unspoken—questions pastors have about artificial intelligence in ministry. He shares practical first steps for engaging with AI, explains why every church needs an AI policy, and offers biblical framing for approaching technology from the pulpit. Church leaders will walk away with actionable tips, encouragement for honest conversations, and resources to help their teams discern wise use of AI tools.In This Episode, You’ll Learn:How to begin using AI in ministry by tackling a real, low-stakes problem this weekWhy immediate, simple AI policies matter for churches already using these toolsWhat lines leaders should draw when using AI for sermon preparation to maintain integrityWays to biblically address AI from the pulpit and build your congregation’s digital discernmentWhich tasks are appropriate (and which are risky) for church staff to automate with AIThe importance of regular dialogue and shared frameworks among staff and volunteersWhere to find structured resources and courses tailored for ministry leaders engaging with AIKey Quotes:“Taking the first steps is going to help you figure out what the next steps are going to be.” — Kenny Jahng“Transparency builds trust every single time in every single direction.” — Kenny Jahng“You can use AI in the front end, but you yourself have to show up on the back end.” — Kenny Jahng“AI is a tool built by people who bear the image of a creative God.” — Kenny Jahng“The mission is about serving others. That is something that you need to keep central.” — Kenny JahngLinks & Resources Mentioned:https://aiforchurchleaders.comhttps://chatgpt4churchs.comhttps://aipolicysimplesimple.comhttps://www.FrontDoor.churchState of AI in the Church national survey reportAbout the Church Tech Today Podcast: The Church Tech Today Podcast helps pastors, church staff, and ministry leaders navigate the intersection of faith and technology with confidence. Hosted by Kenny Jahng and brought to you by www.FrontDoor.church.

Most churches have more data than they know what to do with. The CHMS is generating reports. The giving platform has a full dashboard. Planning Center is logging every volunteer shift. ...And usually, most of it is connected to a regular leadership habit.In this episode, Kenny Jahng, editor-in-chief at ChurchTechToday.com, breaks down a four-domain framework for what executive pastors and lead pastors should actually be tracking:Attendance and engagementGiving and stewardshipVolunteer and team healthDigital and outreachYou'll walk away with specific metrics to start watching, why most churches go blind on second-visit return rates, what a lapsed donor report tells you that a giving total never will, and a simple Monday morning habit that takes 15 minutes and keeps you ahead of every board meeting conversation.Data is not a scoreboard. These numbers represent real people. This episode is about how to read them that way.

Episode Summary: Join Kenny Jahng as he sits down with Niya Esperanza, a social media influencer with over a million followers, to explore her organic and impactful approach to sharing faith online. Niya shares her journey of leveraging platforms like TikTok to engage with younger audiences while working actively in youth ministry. Listen in for insights on how authenticity and community building on social media can be an effective ministry tool.In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Niya's unique approach to integrating faith into daily contentStrategies for engaging younger audiences on digital platforms Tips for churches to effectively use Instagram and TikTok The importance of authenticity and consistency in social media How to handle challenges and misconceptions about digital ministryKey Quotes: "People just want to see you. They want a good story." — Niya Esperanza "Social media should not just be a place where you're showing what you're doing, but who you are." — Niya Esperanza"Christians have an opportunity to come in and use social media differently in a way that stands out." — Niya EsperanzaLinks & Resources Mentioned: Niya’s Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@niyaesperanzaNiya’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niyaesperanzaNiya YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgNfji8YRPm7S91enqssO2wTalks with Trey (Niya’s brother): https://www.youtube.com/@talkswithtrey1510Niya’s Online Store: https://forallpeople.com/About the Church Tech Today Podcast: The Church Tech Today Podcast helps pastors, church staff, and ministry leaders navigate the intersection of faith and technology with confidence. Hosted by Kenny Jahng and brought to you by www.FrontDoor.church.

Today, we stand at a new “Napster moment,” but this time, it’s not limited to music. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are revolutionizing the media landscape in ways that could eclipse the Napster revolution. Vast datasets, including text, images, audio, and video, are being used to train AI models, producing content at an unparalleled scale and speed. The problem? Much of this content – essential for AI model training – is sourced without creators’ permission. This new phase of digital disruption raises critical ethical and legal questions about the future of IP in an AI-driven world. Let's dive in and talk about this critical moment in AI innovation.

Episode Description: In part 2 of this special Church Tech Today Podcast series, host Kenny Jahng brings back James Poulter, Jason Malec, and Nils Smith for an extended discussion from the AI & the Church Hackathon at Gloo HQ in Boulder, Colorado. Building on the lively debate from the last episode, the panel dives deeper into using AI for mental health, church thriving, and ethical implications. From AI’s role in suicide prevention to its potential to assist pastoral care, this episode is packed with thought-provoking insights. Key Topics Discussed: 1. AI in Mental Health and Suicide Prevention How AI can detect early signals of mental health struggles and act as a supportive tool in suicide prevention. 2. Ethical Boundaries of AI in High-Risk Situations Should AI be trusted with zero-margin-of-error scenarios like suicide counseling? The panel discusses where AI can assist versus where human intervention is irreplaceable. 3. AI as an Assistive Tool The role of AI as a pastoral care assistant—how it can aid pastors without replacing the essential human element of ministry. 4. Normalization of AI in Church Contexts How tools like AI note-takers and sentiment analysis are becoming part of everyday church administration and what that means for the future. Why You Should Listen: This episode continues the conversation on AI's impact on ministry, especially focusing on mental health and the ethical dilemmas surrounding its use in delicate situations. Gain deeper insight into how AI tools can assist in providing compassionate care, make administrative tasks easier, and help churches be better stewards of their resources. Whether you're already on board with AI or still hesitant, this episode provides perspectives that will help you make informed decisions about AI in your ministry. Noteworthy Question: Is AI capable of handling sensitive issues like suicide prevention, or should the human touch remain irreplaceable? Resources You Might Like: AI and the Church Hackathon // http://hackathon.gloo.us AI Note-Taking Tools (e.g., Fathom AI) // http://www.3monthsOfFathom.com Christian Aligned Large Language Model by Gloo // http://ai.gloo.us ChatGPTforChurches.com Subscribe and Share: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and share it with church leaders you know looking to better understand how to use AI for ministry and good.

Digital is a confusing concept, and many churches struggle to understand it, with most limiting their digital experience to streaming their church services and nothing more. In Jay's new book: Online Church Is Not The Answer, you’ll learn how to think strategically about digital strategy and how to best integrate digital ideas into your church that align with your ministry’s in-person objectives. The goal is to disciple more people and not just get an online audience. Readers of Jay's book will learn to cut through the hype and discern the most critical, high-level concepts and find practical ideas they can implement in their church. You’ll walk away with a vision and a pathway to take your church’s digital strategy to the next level and beyond just streaming a church service. Jay Kranda is the Online Community pastor at Saddleback Church. Jay was hired as one of the first online pastors in 2010, and is now one of the longest-running online pastors in the world. With over a decade of experience of figuring out what online church connected to a local church strategy looks like for his church, he has helped tens of thousands of other churches with his website, ebooks, podcasts, articles, and conference talks. Jay oversees a weekly crowd of thousands that attend Saddleback Church’s online experiences, offers Zoom discipleship classes monthly, has launched hundreds of online groups and in-person groups, and helps start house church expressions connected to their Online Community. RELATED LINKS: Jay's book: Online Church Is Not The Answer: https://amzn.to/3XgCy46 Jay's website: www.jaykranda.com Kenny Jahng on Instagram: www.instagram.com/kennyjahng Kenny Jahng on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@kennyjahng CTT's website: www.ChurchTechToday.com

Kenny Jahng, editor in chief of ChurchTechToday.com and founder of AIforChurchLeaders.com interviews Nick Skytland. Nick is part of the leadership team that's hosting the AI & the Church Hackathon in Boulder, CO on Sept 13-15, 2024. Gloo, a technology platform company whose mission is to “releasee the collective might of the faith ecosystem,” has announced its second annual AI & the Church Hackathon. This event aims to advance artificial intelligence-based technology in service of the faith community, with a focus on “Redemptive Technology.” The 2024 hackathon builds on the success of last year's event, which drew 41 teams and awarded $250,000 in cash prizes. RELATED LINKS: • www.gloo.us/hackathon • https://churchtechtoday.com/glo-ai-the-church-hackathon-2024 • https://www.linkedin.com/in/skytland • https://quiteuncommon.com

Today, Kenny Jahng sits down with Jeff Reed of TheChurch.Digital network. Jeff just published a book, VR and The Metaverse Church - and shares the unique opportunities that pastors have to reach people from all over the world with the Gospel message. It would also provide an opportunity to minister to those who might not ordinarily step foot in a physical church. If you’re looking for an innovative way to reach people for Christ, VR and the Metaverse Church may be worth exploring. Listen in on the conversation in today’s episode of the Church Online Podcast.