5 AI Tools Every Church Should Be Using Right Now

Artificial intelligence isn’t just knocking on the doors of the church; it’s already in the sanctuary.

Church leaders everywhere are beginning to realize that AI isn’t some futuristic trend—it’s today’s ministry multiplier. From video editing to teaching biblical truths to enhancing communication with church members, AI tools are transforming how churches serve, share, and steward their time. AI is already influencing the daily lives of church leaders and members, shaping routines and the way ministry happens.

But with so many tools out there, which ones are actually useful? Which are affordable? Which align with the mission of the church?

We’ve cut through the noise and rounded up five powerful, practical, and (mostly) free tools that every church should consider using right now. Whether you’re leading a congregation of 50 or 5,000, these church AI tools can help you do more ministry with less stress. As AI continues to shape both church and broader culture, it’s crucial for churches to engage with these changes wisely and thoughtfully.

Let’s dive in.

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

1. Sora (Image + Video Generation)

Let’s start with a tool that’s going to change everything—literally what your congregation sees.

Sora is a cutting-edge image and video generation tool from OpenAI. Sora gives you the ability to create AI-generated visuals simply by typing a sentence. Imagine this: You type, “A pastor preaching at sunset on a hillside,” and within seconds, you’ve got a cinematic video clip or high-quality images ready to use.

Sora’s ability to generate both images and video clips from text prompts means you can easily create high-quality images for sermon illustrations and engaging video clips for social media or event promotion. Sora is currently available in preview mode, allowing users to test its features at no cost.

What used to take a full creative team and expensive gear can now happen in seconds with one prompt.

How Churches Can Use It:

• Create short, captioned clips of Bible verses for Instagram or TikTok.
• Generate sermon backgrounds or slide graphics in your church service.
• Design story-driven visuals for your children’s ministry or youth nights.

Churches can use Sora to bring biblical teachings to life in a visual format that grabs attention. You can use the free tier to experiment, and the results are often more engaging than stock photos or templates.

Of course, these visuals should always be paired with spiritual discernment. AI can make things look real—but it’s up to church leaders to ensure they feel authentic and reflect the heart of the message.

2. Descript (Audio + Video Editing)

Ever wish you could snap your fingers and turn your full-length sermon into short, engaging social media clips? Descript makes that almost possible.

Descript offers advanced speech-to-text and text-to-speech capabilities, allowing you to transcribe spoken language and generate realistic speech from text. You can upload audio or video files to Descript for editing and processing, making it easy to work with your existing media.

If you need to reach a broader audience, Descript also supports the translation of audio or video content into multiple languages. Its writing tools are perfect for editing sermon notes or podcast scripts, streamlining your content creation process.

This tool uses conversational AI to edit video like a Word document. You can cut filler words, highlight key messages, and even create automatic captions with just a few clicks.

Descript is one of the most valuable free tools on the market (with a generous free tier and affordable plans) for churches looking to maximize their content output without burning out their media team.

How Churches Can Use It:

• Clip your sermon into short YouTube chapters or Reels.
• Turn podcast recordings into polished, shareable videos.
• Add captions to sermon highlights, making content accessible and scroll-stopping.

With Descript, churches can be more consistent in their digital outreach and reach church members during the week—not just on Sundays.

3. Google AI Studio (Text + Chatbot Creation)

If you’ve never heard of Google AI Studio, it’s time to get acquainted.

This tool provides a conversational interface for building chat-based experiences—meaning your church could create a virtual assistant that answers FAQs, provides daily devotionals, or helps newcomers get plugged in. Users can easily access Google AI Studio and its features, making it simple to start building and deploying AI solutions.

And the best part? It runs on Google Cloud and offers free credits to get started.

Think of it as your digital welcome team, always on, always helpful—users can interact with the chatbot for information and support, engaging church members through chat functionality without overworking your staff.

How Churches Can Use It:

• Set up a chatbot on your website to answer service times, ministries, or prayer requests.
• Create AI-generated devotionals or weekly encouragement texts.
• Automate first-time guest follow-up and next steps using natural-sounding conversations.

Using church AI tools like this doesn’t replace real ministry—it enhances it. It frees up time for human intelligence to focus on what really matters: people.

4. Canva AI (Magic Write + Magic Design)

Chances are, your church is already using Canva for design. But what many don’t realize is that Canva’s new AI features can save you hours every single week. Here’s a brief description: Canva AI offers tools like Magic Write and Magic Design to help generate creative ideas for church communications, streamline content creation, and enhance your visual materials.

Magic Write helps generate content—like newsletter copy, event descriptions, or social media captions—while also assisting in brainstorming and refining your ideas.

Magic Design can instantly turn a rough idea into a full graphic layout, with your brand colors, fonts, and logo already applied. You can also use Canva AI to create visuals for church websites, making your digital presence more engaging and professional.

And yes, Canva offers a free plan for churches on a budget to get started.

How Churches Can Use It:

• Design sermon slides and church communications without needing a pro designer.
• Generate captions for social media clips or email subject lines in seconds.
• Use Magic Write to create outlines for Bible study guides or event plans.

These AI tools allow churches to keep their messaging consistent and professional without burning out volunteers or spending hours in front of a screen.

5. Pictory (Video Highlight Creator)

Churches are sitting on a goldmine of content—but most of it goes unused after the Sunday service.

That’s where Pictory comes in. Users can upload their sermon videos to this AI tool, which then turns long-form video content into short, polished clips complete with captions, transitions, and music.

If you’ve ever thought, “We should be doing more with our sermon videos,” Pictory can generate engaging social media posts from your uploaded video content, making it easy to share highlights across platforms like TikTok, Reels, and Shorts.

How Churches Can Use It:

• Repurpose Sunday messages into 30-second social media devotionals.
• Auto-create highlight reels from baptisms, mission trips, or youth events.
• Generate Instagram-ready posts that drive engagement and conversation.

And yes, Pictory offers a free trial and affordable pricing for ongoing use.

With tools like this, churches can keep their message in front of their audience throughout the week—without adding to the workload.

Bonus Tip: Adopting Artificial Intelligence

Here’s the thing—every tool on this list is powerful. But church leaders should never forget: technology should serve the church, not shape it. The ethical use of AI tools is essential in church settings, requiring clear guidelines and policies to ensure responsible implementation.

AI tools can amplify your reach, but they should never replace the Holy Spirit, human intelligence, and the relational foundation of ministry. Technology should support genuine connection and faith, not replace them.

If you’re just starting out, pick one of these tools. Test it. Learn it. See how it fits your team’s rhythm. Use free tools, free credits, and trial plans to explore before you commit.

Then ask:

• Does this help us love people better?
• Does this save time so we can spend more of it in ministry?
• Does this support our biblical teachings and values?

All technology adoption should be grounded in faith and ethical principles, ensuring it strengthens spiritual authenticity and community connection.

Because AI is not a silver bullet. It’s a tool. And like any tool, it depends on how it’s used.

What Does This Mean for the Church?

We’re entering a new age of ministry.

Not just digital church. Not just online sermons. But a hybrid world where AI models work alongside pastors, volunteers, and staff to share the Gospel more creatively than ever before.

Imagine:

• Every message automatically summarized into key messages and social media clips.
• Every church service supported by visually rich, AI-generated slides.
• Every member followed up with personalized, thoughtful communication—even if your staff is small.
• AI tools analyzing attendance trends to help inform ministry decisions and strategies.

This isn’t the future. It’s now.

The churches that lean in—while staying grounded—will not only keep up… they’ll lead.

Keeping Ministry Human

Artificial intelligence has the power to enhance the work of the church—but it should never become the work of the church.

The mission hasn’t changed: Love God. Love people. Make disciples.

Let AI tools help you do that with more excellence, consistency, and creativity. But never let them replace the heart of ministry, the power of prayer, or the wisdom of the Word.

Use these tools with spiritual discernment, not blind excitement. When using AI tools in ministry, always prioritize data privacy to protect sensitive information and maintain trust within your community.

Let AI be your assistant—but let Jesus lead.

More Resources on Church AI

• The Shocking Truth About AI in the Church
• The Ethics of AI in Ministry: What Every Pastor Needs to Know
• The AI Church Controversy That’s Breaking the Internet Right Now
• 5 Ways AI Can Make You A Better Preacher
• We Asked AI to Design Church Graphics… The Results Shocked Us

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