The Questions AI Is Forcing Church Leaders to Ask

by Brian Rutherford

Growing up, my uncle owned and ran a small engine repair shop. I loved being there and learning about how things worked.

I don't know how old I was, but my eyes were not that far above the work bench and I was asking my uncle question after question about what he was doing.

He looked down and said, "You ask a lot of questions."

It's my first memory of understanding my Enneagram 5 pattern, and perhaps my greatest contribution to the world. I have a knack for asking the question behind the questions others are asking.

So naturally, when I started thinking about AI, I didn't ask, "Is it good or bad?" Instead, I asked: "What does AI reveal about our longings and cravings as humans?"

We crave non-judgmental presence.

When you ask an AI a question, any question, it doesn't flinch. It doesn't say, "You shouldn't ask that." There's no side eye, no weird face, no sermon about why you should already know the answer.

It treats your question with honor and respect.

Think about what that reveals: we're starving for a place where our questions are welcome. Where curiosity isn't met with judgment.

This is exactly what Jesus did. When the disciples asked him, "Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" (John 9:2), Jesus didn't shame them for asking the wrong question. He honored their search for understanding by offering something more complex than they expected.

Jesus didn't dismiss the question. He honored it.

So ask yourself: Is your church a place where questions are welcomed, or where they're subtly discouraged? And are you, as a leader, okay with honoring people's questions by simply saying, "That's a great question. I'm not sure."

We crave wisdom that's accessible.

AI taps into a vast array of information and delivers it conversationally. It doesn't make you feel stupid for not knowing something. It doesn't gatekeep knowledge behind credentials.

It meets you where you are.

This reveals something deeper: we want insight. We want to grow. We want wisdom available to us, not locked behind barriers.

Are the pathways to spiritual growth and understanding clear and accessible to everyone in your church, regardless of background or biblical literacy?

We crave 24/7 availability.

AI is there at 1 AM when you're struggling. It doesn't sleep. It doesn't have boundaries. It's present in the moment you need presence.

Here's what that reveals: loneliness is real. And we'll reach for whatever's available when we're desperate for someone to care.

How is your church encouraging and equipping people to live in genuine community, connection that goes beyond formal programming and weekend services?

Here's the thing: I'm often annoyed with myself about the questions I ask. Many times I don't know the answers. So I'm not handing you a diagnosis or a solution.

What I'm asking is that you sit with these questions. Talk about them with your team. Let them marinate over a few leadership meetings. Don't try to solve them in one 30-minute meeting—that's how we miss what they're really trying to teach us.

The best questions don't give you answers. They change how you see things.

As you wrestle with this stuff, trust that God's Spirit will guide you toward clarity. He's generous that way.

And if you missed our podcast with Drew Dickens about AI, I would highly recommend checking it out.