Getting the most out of your Sunday sermons using AI tools
Resources & Research
“Priests put a lot of thought, energy and time into crafting their sermons…So artificial intelligence (AI) platforms are being increasingly used by clergy to get more out of sermons so, for example, they can reach a wider audience and engage parishioners during the week,” says St John’s Cathedral Resource Church reference group coordinator Angie Mooney
Priests put a lot of thought, energy and time into crafting their sermons. When priests preach on a Sunday, their sermon’s reach is generally limited to the people present.
So artificial intelligence (AI) platforms are being increasingly used by clergy to get more out of sermons so, for example, they can reach a wider audience and engage parishioners during the week.
Introduction to AI platforms
A range of AI tools can be accessed by clergy so their sermons can be re-purposed for parishioner and wider community benefit.
For example, using Sunday service video recordings and a tool called Descript:
- Short one-minute sermon video highlights can be created more easily, with enhanced audio and captions and then posted on social media.
- The audio can be transcribed by AI using Descript. Then ChatGPT can be used to create an interesting blog post (with headings and subheadings). An image generation tool like Midjourney can be used to create visually appealing images.
- Text can be translated into languages that are relevant for your congregation or wider community for your website and social media posts.
Why fresh and relevant content is important
By creating and posting “fresh” content regularly your parish website’s search engine optimisation (SEO) will improve. This is because search engine “web crawlers” and algorithms rank websites in search engine results more highly if they implement SEO-friendly tips. For example, if a person who has recently moved to your area types “churches north Brisbane” into a search engine like Google, one of the ways that a given church will get a high “ranking” is if the web crawler detects fresh and relevant content.
It’s also important for churches to upload fresh, relevant content to their websites because visitors to your site will likely be impressed by a website that is updated regularly — websites are key “doors” to your parish.
By posting sermon-related content (e.g. videos and blog entries) on your website and social media channels, a prospective parishioner can also gauge your parish’s theological leaning; what missional and justice spaces your church is engaged in; and, the quality of your preaching.
It’s also important from a user experience point of view for your website to look good.
AI platform uses
AI platforms, such as NotebookLM, can be used as a researching tool to compile information from Bible commentaries. It can synthesise large quantities of information and extract relevant portions. The research results that are generated can assist with sermon writing.
ChatGPT can also be used to study passages of text in Greek and Hebrew. Clergy can use AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to create reflection questions based on their sermon text.
Weekly Bible (or alternatively themed) studies can be created using ChatGPT and NotebookLM for group or personal reflection. NotebookLM also has a feature that automatically creates a realistic sounding podcast that could be used in a study group.
Copyright-free and easy-to-use image and iconography generation platforms, such as Midjourney, can be used to create relevant, specific images and graphics for:
- websites (e.g. when the sermon is published as text)
- social media graphics
- event promotion
- flyers
- WhatsApp group “posters”
- pew sheets and service PowerPoint slides.
Social media content
It’s also important for social media channels to have fresh, relevant, aesthetically pleasing and engaging content — algorithms “like” this kind of content.
Social media channels use algorithms to determine what will appear in your feed from the incredibly vast content pool.
It’s easy to create content — both images and text — using AI platforms.
Posts can also be planned and scheduled in advance.
How Resource Church St John’s Cathedral can assist
As well as assisting with other AI-related training, I can show parishes how to use AI to create content for regularly scheduled sermon-related social media. For example, parishes could implement a weekly plan that looks something like this weekly schedule:
- Sunday: Upload video of sermon to YouTube with reflection questions in the description.
- Monday: Upload sermon text to website with sub-headings and images. Post link to Facebook and Instagram with an engaging question to encourage comments.
- Tuesday: Gospel reflection posted on Facebook and Instagram: Post a link to the Gospel reading and add an image. Ask questions, such as: “How does the Gospel reading touch your life today?” and “What do you feel that the Gospel is calling you to do or be?” Respond to the “comments”.
- Wednesday: Post a vertical short-form video of a sermon snippet to Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or TikTok.
- Thursday: Choose an interesting Greek or Hebrew word from the readings and create a graphic explaining/defining it. Add a question and encourage people to comment.
- Friday: Post an image and text with the focus on social justice, advocacy, or evangelisation, with a call to action related to the sermon theme. Consider linking to a local outreach initiative.
- Saturday: Share an inspiring quote from the readings or sermon and create a graphic, along with a brief reflection. Encourage followers to share their thoughts in the comments.
Parish employees or volunteers can be engaged to help create the content from the sermon. This creates participation opportunities for community members in the parish, while also assisting parish clergy with their workload.
Editor’s note: If you are interested in attending a workshop or Zoom session in 2025 to find out what AI tools are available and how to use them in your parish, please email St John’s Cathedral Resource Church specialist Angie Mooney to register your interest. If you are using AI tools successfully, Angie would love to hear about your experiences.
Visit the St John’s Cathedral website for resources, including the downloadable step-by-step guide: “Homilies Beyond Sunday: Repurposing Sermons for Social Media”.
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