Like many schools, we at Singapore Bible College have been dealing with issues surrounding ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence (AI). But in addition to the challenges (like plagiarism and cheating) and opportunities surrounding the educational processes, an added issue for seminaries is, “Can we ask ChatGPT to write sermons?”

What?! Can ChapGPT write sermons?! Yes, it can—and in most cases, quite well. ChatGPT may not ably write one from Nahum (as it may not have any sources on the prophetic book). But ask, “Write a three-point Reformed sermon on Jesus the Good Shepherd,” then the answer is yes, ChatGPT can indeed write a “good” sermon! In fact, when I asked ChatGPT to do this, it not only provided a three-point sermon, but also three subpoints for each point.

So, what issues underlie the answer to this question?

ChatGPT is incapable of truly new creations

First, it is important to understand that anything generated from ChatGPT—or any other AI program—does not create anything new. It only mimics whatever sources it draws from. Basically, AI takes all the sources it has been given, and calculates two things: (1) percentages of appearances of items and (2) relationships between items. Take composing music that sounds like J. S. Bach’s as an example: (1) AI will take all the works of Bach that it has been fed and calculate how many times Bach uses the notes A, A-flat, B, and so on—the percentage of appearance of each note; (2) Next, it will calculate, for instance, how often A follows C-sharp—the percentage of this relationship between notes. AI will use these probabilities to generate a pattern to compose something that mimics Bach. But unlike Bach himself, who was a genius in introducing staccatos of brilliance and innovation, AI’s creations would be “generic” Bach, based on the patterns of “old” Bach. In essence, AI is all about the statistics of past events.

Likewise, though ChatGPT can generate a sermon, even a sermon that may sound good, the product is only a regurgitation of whatever databases of past sermons it has been fed. As I asked for a Reformed perspective, it will draw from Reformed sources. But if I ask for a Lutheran sermon, it will draw from Lutheran sources. In short, ChatGPT will give you whatever answer you want to hear.

Users must also realize that AI’s sources are not limitless; sources are generally from the public domain and not up to the minute; ChatGPT-4 only draws from sources up till September 2021. Hence, ChatGPT-4 is unaware of articles on the Russian war on Ukraine or news after the COVID-19 pandemic. Of greater concern is that ChatGPT’s products only reflect the predominant culture, race, and gender of its human creators at the AI company OpenAI and the sources that generate those products. So, if the programmers only use extremist sources, the answers will skew toward an extremist interpretation. As ChatGPT also draws from uncurated sources like online forums and volunteer-run sites such as Wikipedia, it has been known to generate “fake news” and outright “hallucinations” as it cannot discern truth from falsehoods. Currently, it is unclear what the rules of curating sources are for ChatGPT.

Consequently, if one chooses to use AI programs, one must recognize that the products only mimic flawed and sinful humanity. This is why we must heed the apostle John’s warning to “not believe every spirit [read: AI], but test the spirits [AIs!] to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1 NIV).

As I reflect on what AI produces, I am reminded of Ecclesiastes 1:9, “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun” (KJV).

In contrast, only God can make new things (Rev 21:5). Only in Christ can humanity be recreated (2 Cor 5:17). Only the Holy Spirit can break old habits to free us from old patterns (Rom 7–8). Only divine inspiration into the human mind can result in new paradigms (see Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions or Daniel Boorstin’s The Creators: A History of Heroes of the Imagination).

ChatGPT is unable to receive the Holy Spirit

Of greater concern, using ChatGPT excludes the Holy Spirit’s work in human beings to evaluate with godly wisdom. Relying on ChatGPT limits the Holy Spirit’s work in the preacher to integrate the latest happenings in the church and world contemporaneously with God’s living Word to speak into the life of a particular congregation.

This is what John Stott in his book Between Two Worlds considers to be the primary role and responsibility of the preacher—to discern the application of Scripture through the lens of the biblical and the contemporary worlds. By relying wholly on ChatGPT, preachers remove themselves from being vessels for the work of the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel in a manner that people can understand and be convicted by.

ChatGPT can be a limited helper to human creativity

How then can we use ChatGPT to help us in our ministry and even in our spirituality? The strength of AI is that it can process massive amounts of data to help us see patterns more rapidly than human beings can. For example, if I ask ChatGPT to rewrite that Reformed sermon as Lutheran and Methodist sermons, the products can be very helpful to understand the impact of differing viewpoints on God, the Second Coming, and so on.

ChatGPT can also show us different styles. For example, I can ask ChatGPT to transcribe the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” into a minor key or in a jazz or heavy-metal style. AI can make a great tutor on the various forms of human creations.

As well, AI can make very able disciples, especially for rote tasks. Because AI is able to model patterns of behavior, it can predict fairly accurately how one might respond in a certain situation. AI may not know what to do in totally new situations, but given a situation similar to a past event, it will follow how we would respond.

Most importantly, AI should never be used to “aid” our relationship with God, nor assist in the task of listening to the Holy Spirit in ministry. Only humanity is created in God’s image (Gen 1:26–28) and only humanity can respond when “deep calls to deep” (Ps 42:7). AI is artificial, cold, and inanimate, mimicking authenticity, warmth, and life. As such, we must be wary not to make ChatGPT an idol. It is created, not the Creator, and not even a creator.

For Discussion

1. What is my purpose for using ChatGPT or other Al tools? Will they be a helpmate or will they subvert the role God has given me?
2. Considering Paul’s warning in 2 Timothy 3:16–4:5, what safeguards should I put in place when using AI tools to avoid being led astray?

To understand how AI works, watch this excellent (and entertaining) video entitled “Music for Martians” by Marco Nardelli: