Hi. Well, if you were not aware, we’re all using artificial intelligence (AI) now. No, you say? Just do a Google search for anything, and AI stands ready to cut in. I see it in many web services, customer service bots, online subscriptions, and my Bible study.
Is it weird that I use it for Bible study? After all, an AI study assistant is included in my software (it pulls research from the software resource library).1
But this shouldn’t surprise you. According to Barna Group research released with Gloo in February 2026 as part of their State of the Church initiative2, roughly four in ten practicing Christians say AI has helped them with prayer, Bible study, or spiritual growth.
According to the same report, nearly one in three U.S. adults–with the figure rising to two in five among Gen Z and Millennials—say spiritual advice from AI is as trustworthy as advice from a pastor. Wait. What? How are we supposed to think about that?
I think there is a problem understanding what everyone means by phrases like, “AI has helped them,” and “spiritual advice from AI.” A respondent may interpret those ideas to mean one thing, and the reader might interpret them to mean another.
So, is it OK to ask AI for help with prayer, Bible Study, and spiritual growth? Not surprisingly, the answers likely depend on what “help” means. Are there good and bad ways to ask AI for help? I guess I already tipped my hand when I said I use it for Bible study. And I’m not alone. The same report says about four in ten pastors (41%) report using AI for Bible study. Again, an awful lot rides on the meaning of “using AI” in that sentence, because I think there are good ways and, well, not so good ways to use it.
Starting A Conversation
I want to use this article to start a conversation with you. I’m hoping for comments that might lead to ministry ideas and possibly another article. Let me give you a couple more stats, then leave you with some questions.
From the Barna report, one-third of practicing Christians (31%) say they want guidance from pastors on how to navigate AI. At the same time, only a small minority of pastors (12%) report feeling comfortable teaching on AI.
Questions for you. I really hope you’ll comment.
(feel free to reply to any of these in the comments or directly at news@ericpuff.com)
How do you use AI? (Research? Advice? Tasks? Conversations? Assistant? Coding? Other?)
Is it OK to use AI for help with prayer, Bible study, and spiritual growth? In what ways?
Is spiritual advice from AI as trustworthy as advice from a pastor or other spiritual counselor?
What are some risks or limitations to using AI for spiritual things?
Barna Group and Gloo. “AI Is Becoming a Spiritual Authority in Americans’ Lives, New Research Reveals.” Press release, February 19, 2026. Gloo. https://gloo.com/press/releases/ai-is-becoming-a-spiritual-authority-in-americans-lives-new-research-reveals.