Purpose: Equip ministers to recognize their own assumptions about AI, develop healthy ministry practices, and accompany others through AI-related pastoral situations with curiosity, theological reflection, and compassion.

Part 1 – Knowing Yourself (50 minutes)

"What do I bring into the room?"

Goal Increase self-awareness around participants' own experiences, assumptions, hopes, fears, and use of AI.

Topics

• My personal AI story

• Excitement vs. anxiety

• Where AI shows up in my ministry

• What I hope AI can do

• What I fear AI might do

• How AI affects my identity as a minister

Activities

• AI autobiography

• Personal reflection

• Small group conversation

• AI values spectrum exercise ("Strongly Agree" to "Strongly Disagree")

Reflection Questions

• What emotions does AI evoke in me?

• Where am I tempted to overuse AI?

• Where am I tempted to reject it too quickly?

• What assumptions am I making?

Outcome Participants recognize that every pastoral encounter begins with their own biases and experiences.

Part 2 – Healthy Practices & Boundaries (60 minutes)

"How do I use AI faithfully?"

Goal Develop intentional habits for ministerial AI use.

Not rules—but discernment.

Topics

• Transparency

• Privacy

• Confidentiality

• Intellectual honesty

• Spiritual authenticity

• Dependence vs. assistance

• Human responsibility

Discussion Areas

AI in...

• sermon preparation

• pastoral letters

• Bible studies

• administration

• counseling preparation

• creative work

• strategic planning

Boundary Exercises

"What line would I not cross?"

Examples:

• Would I preach an AI-written sermon?

• Would I let AI answer pastoral emails?

• Would I upload counseling notes?

• Would I use AI in spiritual direction?

• Would I disclose AI use?

Small Group Work

Develop:

"My Personal AI Covenant"

Not shared publicly.

Simply: Here is how I intend to use AI faithfully.

Case Studies

Outcome Participants leave with intentional—not reactive—AI practices.

Part 3 – Pastoral Discernment (60 minutes)

"How do I care for someone whose AI experience is not my own?"

Goal. Practice remaining pastorally present without allowing one's own AI opinions to dominate.

Core Principle

Pastors care for people—not technologies.

Topics

• Listening before evaluating

• Separating behavior from deeper need

• Curiosity over judgment

• Theological reflection

• Referral when appropriate

Practice Cases

Small groups work through scenarios like:

• Falling in love with AI

• AI grief companion

• AI replacing prayer

• AI conspiracy beliefs

• AI-generated spiritual experiences

• AI dependency

• AI replacing community

Reflection Questions

What is happening beneath the technology?

What human longing is present?

What theological questions emerge?

How might my own feelings interfere?

What would compassionate accompaniment look like?

Outcome

Participants learn to stay grounded in pastoral identity rather than AI opinions.

Closing (10 minutes)

Invite participants to reflect:

What surprised me?

What challenged me?

What questions remain?

What is one practice I want to adopt?

What is one boundary I want to establish?

Learning Objectives

By the end of the workshop participants will:

• Recognize their own assumptions, hopes, and concerns regarding AI.

• Develop thoughtful and transparent practices for AI use in ministry.

• Reflect on appropriate personal and professional boundaries.

• Practice accompanying people experiencing AI-related pastoral concerns

  with curiosity and compassion.

• Use theological reflection to discern faithful responses rather than

  relying on fear or enthusiasm.

• Identify situations that call for collaboration with mental health,

  legal, or other professionals.

A Framework That Might Tie the Workshop Together

One way to give the workshop a memorable shape is to organize it around three questions:

1. What is happening in me? (Self-awareness)

2. What is happening in my ministry? (Practices and boundaries)

3. What is happening in the other person? *(Pastoral

   accompaniment)*

This progression mirrors a healthy pastoral process. Ministers first attend to their own formation, then examine their own practices, and only then turn outward to accompany others. It also echoes the rhythm of pastoral ministry itself: self-reflection, faithful action, and compassionate presence. That sequence keeps the focus on discernment rather than prescribing universal rules, which seems especially well suited to the emerging and rapidly changing landscape of AI in ministry.