ChatGPT is an AI-powered chatbot that uses natural language processing to understand what you’re looking for and provide helpful responses. As I shared in part one of this series, there are several reasons why it’s essential for pastors and leaders to stay up-to-date with AI tools like ChatGPT.

1. AI Saves Time and Increases Efficiency

Using tools like ChatGPT can significantly increase productivity by saving YOU time and increasing the efficiency of your workflow. With AI, you can quickly get answers to questions without having to spend hours searching for the information yourself. ChatGPT can also help you automate tasks, such as scheduling appointments or sending reminders.

2. AI Improves Communication

As a pastor or leader, you likely communicate with a lot of different kinds of people, in a lot of different ways. ChatGPT can help improve communication by providing quick and accurate responses to questions, or reviewing something you have written to make sure you are communicating clearly. 

3. AI Makes Decision-Making Easier

Making important decisions can be challenging when you have limited time and resources. AI can help ease the decision-making process by providing relevant and reliable information. You can use ChatGPT to research a topic, gather opinions from others, or get advice on a particular issue. 

4. AI Adapts to Your Needs

One of the best things about ChatGPT is that it adapts to your specific preferences. You can customize your ChatGPT experience to suit your personal style. For example, did you know it’s not limited to only work-related tasks? Here are 5 prompts I’ve used in ChatGPT over the last month that returned results I loved:

1. Here are the ingredients I have in my house (insert ingredients), invent a recipe for me.
2. Invent a game I can play in the car with my 5-year-old son that involves cowboys, aliens, and road signs.
3. Write a bedtime story where my (insert child’s name) is a superhero.
4. Tell me riddle.
5. Here are the hobbies my wife and I share (insert hobbies), what is something we should try for a date night?

See? How fun (and time-saving) is this?!? 

Again, the possibilities are endless. And, just like any tool, the more you use ChatGPT the more you’ll learn to utilize all its facets and figure out how it can best work for YOU.

But, for now, I hope you dive in and love learning ChatGPT as much as I have. And if you need a little help to get started, check out this downloadable cheat sheet: 

Free Downloadable ChatGPT Cheat Sheet

The post How to AI in 2023: A Pastor’s Guide to ChatGPT appeared first on Ministry Architects.

Jump forward a couple months, and the situation is 100% different. By now, they have all heard of ChatGPT and other AI tools that are being rolled out almost daily. 

In our rapidly advancing world, the exponential growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an undeniable force shaping various industries. As pastors and leaders, I think it is important for us to consider how AI might impact our own roles and responsibilities.

I understand that the idea of using AI tools professionally may be a stretch for you, but I want to challenge you to go on a journey with me with an open mind. 

Understanding the Growth of AI

Before we dive into the specifics of AI’s potential role in pastoral work, let us briefly acknowledge the remarkable growth of AI in recent years. From self-driving cars to personalized virtual assistants, AI has revolutionized numerous sectors, making task completion more efficient and effective. And, yet, while AI offers immense possibilities for a variety of industries, it’s no secret that its use and implementation should be considered thoughtfully and with care.

There is a line...

As pastors and leaders, there are both spiritual and relational aspects of our job that we could outsource to AI tools. However, to do so would be a disservice to ourselves and the people we serve. For example, just because AI can write a sermon for us in under five minutes does not mean we should use the tool this way. Doing so removes sermon prep’s spiritual and relational components that make messages impactful and personable. 

So, while there are endless things AI tools can do for us, it is important to recognize that there is a line on what we should be using it for. 

That being said, what can AI do?

One way to view AI is as an administrative assistant, helping us streamline various tasks and enhance our overall effectiveness. Imagine having an AI-powered tool that can manage our schedules, analyze data for meaningful insights, and aid in sermon preparation. By delegating routine administrative duties to AI, we can free up valuable time and resources, allowing us to focus on deeper aspects of our ministry that require our unique human touch.

Embracing the Potential of AI

Let’s consider specific administrative tasks we do every week. Did you know AI can summarize articles, draft documents, analyze data, write reports, and manage schedules? Historically, these tasks have taken hours of my time, and yours, each week. But now, these can be completed in a fraction of the time. By letting AI attend to these tasks, we can focus on what truly matters. We can stay focused on nurturing relationships, guiding and supporting people in their spiritual journey, and building a vibrant community. It’s important to remember that technology, when used intentionally and thoughtfully, can enhance our work instead of replacing our calling. By using AI as a helpful assistant, we can navigate our responsibilities more strategically, ensuring that our impact as pastors continues to grow in this ever-changing world.

Getting Started with AI Tools

Using AI tools effectively is similar to using any other tool; it takes time and practice. I encourage you to sign up for a free Chat GPT account and see what it is capable of. Then, check out part two of this series, complete with a free step-by-step download.

Here are three prompts to get you started on your AI journey: 

1. “Write three tweets with relevant hashtags based on the following sermon.” Then copy and paste your sermon from the weekend into the box. 
2.  “Give me the most important three points the author makes in (insert book title)”
3. “Create a team building event that can be completed in (insert timeframe), using these items: (list items), that focuses on (insert team skill you want to work on).”

If you are already using ChatGPT and other AI tools, I would love to hear from you! And if you want to learn more about how I am using AI, don’t skip part two.

Check Out Part 2–
How to AI in 2023: A Pastor’s Guide to ChatGPT

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If you’ve heard or studied anything about the Enneagram, you already know the way you learn your type is to identify your core motivation. I use this analogy often when talking about Ministry Architects because if Ministry Architects, as an organization, has a core motivation, it’s sustainability. Sustainability is why we’re all about creating healthy systems and innovative change for the future of the church. We believe these two approaches will help sustain the church long into the future. 

It’s also why when a pastor friend of mine – who lives hundreds of miles away – called me up and asked if I would serve as an interim youth minister, I knew I could. Because? At the heart of the ask was the opportunity to create healthy systems and innovative change. . . for the future of this ministry. And, as a Ministry Architect, it’s what we’re all about!

So I said yes. I said yes to serving as a virtual youth minister, working from my home – a whole different time zone away – as students gathered, leaders connected, and the church met together, without me.

And if that doesn’t sound “right” to you – you’re not the first to look at me a bit funny. My friends and family did, too. Leading a youth ministry virtually is a very different idea. As someone who has served on church staffs for years, I deeply love and greatly value working directly with students, parents, volunteers, and – essentially – people, in person. But that wasn’t the ask.

The ask was for a specific purpose during a specific season: to serve this church during a time of transition so that it might assess what kind of leader to hire, long-term. And, since this is the kind of season ALL churches will enter one day, I thought I’d share 5 things you need to lead a youth ministry, virtually.

Note: the role described here is designed for when a church is meeting in-person but the staff leader is not. To learn about leading youth ministry virtually, check out this page of tech resources and these best-of-the-best links for youth ministry.

Thing #1: You Need People

For this to work, you need people who can be present. The role of a virtual youth minister is to handle the paperwork of the ministry (the prepping of games & lessons, the ordering of supplies, the organizing of the team, being liaison to the staff and board) while the peoplework of ministry is handled by the volunteer team. The role of the youth leaders is to carry out the plans and connect and care for the students.

Sustainability check: if you don’t have people willing to be present with / teach / care for your students when there’s a virtual youth minister, you don’t have people willing to be present with / teach / care for your students, period. There’s a difference between a congregation who says they value and want a youth ministry and a community that says it values and wants youth. A transition that requires a bit more buy-in from folks quickly reveals which kind of church a congregation is.

Thing #2: You Need A Plan

Youth ministers can be known for “flying by the seat of our pants” and coming up with plans the day of (or a half-hour before) we’re with students. As long as there’s a goofy question for an icebreaker, space to run and play a game, and a Bible to read from and ask, “What do you think?”, most any youth minister can fill at least an hour or two.

But, when you’re a virtual youth minister and you’re not there, people need that icebreaker, game, and lesson before the day they see students. For this role, I crafted a semester’s worth of lessons, games, and icebreakers before meeting with team members. By doing this, they not only knew exactly what they were saying yes to, they had time to get excited and were able to plan accordingly so they could engage fully.

Sustainability check: if programming plans are currently shared with volunteers on short notice, you’re running the risk of disengagement, burnout, and frustration from volunteer leaders. Giving teammates the opportunity to prepare and arrive ready to partner with you changes the way they see their roles and experience being valued, and that impacts the strength of your team. 

Thing #3: You Need Passion

Why does everyone love the youth minister? 

• “Because she’s so fun!” 
• “Because he always shows up.” 
• “Because I always know I’m listened to.”

Having a dedicated staff member focused solely on connecting with students and supporting the youth ministry means there’s at least one person in your church who will know the teens. This leader will have a window into understanding current issues happening in students’ daily lives and be able to advocate from a space of what students actually need based on their real life stories, not a general guess from a distant adult.

Essentially, with a staff person, you have passion present for this people group. With a virtual staffer? The passion must come from someone else. Because you definitely still need it. It takes energy to play the games, not just show up and share rules. It takes an invested interest in what a kid is saying to pivot small group conversations when the questions aren’t the right ones for the night. And it takes a commitment to be present week after week so that students experience consistency and can build trust with the church. 

Sustainability check: it’s no secret that youth group is just one of many options for students, not a guarantee in their week. Approaching planning with passion – and not just a copy + paste approach – increases the odds students will choose church because they’re experiencing something worth showing up for week after week. If you want help assessing this checkpoint further, check out  3 Questions To Ask Before Planning Your Next Youth Ministry Event by lead consultant Anthony Prince.

Thing #4: You Need to be okay with Not Perfect

Anyone else struggle with control issues? I like to think when I’m in the room, I’m able to help (read: control) more. I’m able to be the one who steps in when a student is struggling or change up a teaching if a different need arises than what fits the original plan. But virtual youth ministers aren’t in the room. Which means, I have no control over what happens once I deliver a plan, order the supplies, and provide the best details I can to the team.

And that’s okay. It has to be. In fact, it should be okay whether you or I are in the room or not. 

The best advice I’ve ever received when serving in ministry is, “prepare well and love ‘em to Jesus.” To leave Jesus out of this work and think it all hinges upon our presence and perfect plans is awfully arrogant. The team members in the room? They can do this. The lesson you prepared? It might not be the lesson they need. The student who is struggling? They may have struggled whether you were there or not. Students, families, and volunteers don’t need perfect – they just need plenty of support.

The apostle Paul was one of the best to show us that letters from prison can impact discipleship just as much as showing up, face-to-face. His guidance from afar guided in-person leaders and still shapes the church today. So learn to be okay if you’re not there and plans don’t go according to plan. And teach your team this okayness, too. 

Sustainability check: if week after week, your ministry team is encountering the same frustrations or the same student is struggling to engage, these are opportunities to see what kind of additional support the ministry needs – and you can provide. Beyond regular team meetings, be sure to leave room for outside-the-box options when the plan in place isn’t working. If you’re stuck in doing things just one way, that limits the reach, longevity, and impact of the ministry.

Thing #5: You Need Purpose

Working remotely in ministry is not for everyone. This type of role requires the skills of organization, time management, clear communication, and detail-oriented preparation. It’s important to remember: everything you’re doing as a virtual youth minister, you’d be doing if you weren’t virtual! An in-person staff member preps lessons, coordinates teams, organizes supplies, meets with leadership, plans programming, etc. They’re just on church grounds when they do it. 

By being a virtual youth minister, you’re still answering the call of being a disciple who helps make disciples. You’re equipping others with tools to reach and teach students rather than being the direct voice youth hear. You’re using your time to prep and plan so that they can use their time to connect and care. It’s a different piece of the Kingdom-building work we get to be about – but it’s still a piece. And it has purpose.  

Sustainability check: paperwork doesn’t make much sense without peoplework. They go together – and need to. Be sure to build in people time for your heart, too. When you connect in conversation with the church you’re serving, be sure to ask questions about students, families, and others in the community. Don’t just make business calls. Your heart needs more buy-in than just “how’d it go” if this role is to be sustainable. Hear stories, learn names, and be sure you’re present, too, in your own local community.

The post 5 Things You Need to Lead <br>a Youth Ministry Virtually appeared first on Ministry Architects.

Maybe, if it really is just a “season” (a season with a DATE!), you should wait. There are absolutely seasons where that is true. However, if this “season” feels like every single Monday is bringing some new crisis to deal with, or some new fire to put out, or even just the same, exhausting rhythm you can’t seem to break, I’d like to tell you…

Why now is the time to take the leap into Church Consulting:

You have a BIG vision… But there are some BIG challenges.

God put a mission in you. He put drive and passion, and He put opportunity. You didn’t come to this place, this moment, by accident. That dream that lives in your heart is important, and it’s His dream, too. Maybe you have felt that calling. Maybe you’ve even done some great vision planning. But now, you’re looking up at all the mole hills that have piled on to make mountains and you’re tired. Maybe you’ve started to doubt. Maybe you’re even starting to wonder if you got the message wrong…

DON’T STOP!

That incredible, God-sized vision for God’s church that lives in you is possible. You just need a plan, and you might need someone to help carry the load. 

That’s where church consulting comes in. 

You’ve got heavy arms. 

We’ve got a strong back.

You were gaining ground before… But now you’re STUCK.

I don’t believe that you’re the type of leader who longs for the glory days. You don’t live there any more. But maybe you do remember a time, maybe even a time as recently as February 2020, when your church was gaining ground. Maybe your worship center was filling up every Sunday with energy and momentum. With worship and worshippers. And you were SO excited to see what God was about to do.

And then it stopped.

Maybe it slammed on the breaks like a Covid-19 lbs. freight train. Or maybe it drained like an air mattress while you were sleeping. But somehow, it stopped. Whether you’ve tried everything and you’re out of ideas, or you are flat on the ground at a complete loss – church consulting can help. You don’t have to do this alone and empty handed. We can walk beside you and give you the tools you need to move forward.

You’re not sure how to MOVE FORWARD.

There is this moment, just as you are making progress on a big goal, where the fog clears. In that second – the possibilities are infinite. You can do it. You can create any change. Then suddenly, as the possibilities spread themselves into countless paths in front of you… you realize that you have no idea which path is the right one. 

You can accomplish anything! 

But you cannot accomplish everything.

And, sometimes, that paralyzing thought stops us in our tracks. Yes, we seek wisdom. We seek God’s discernment. But there are so many GOOD options. Knowing which is the BEST can feel impossible. Church consultants want to listen. We believe that your church has a very specific offering to give to the Kingdom of God. You have a very specific set of strengths and gifts. And you and your church have a very particular, very beautiful, calling. We just want to help you reach it.

When all is said and done, you want to GROW both YOUR church and THE Church.

It feels like at every ministry conference in the last decade, someone, somewhere, has said that “healthy things grow.” And they are right. Growth can be a wonderful diagnostic for health. You probably have a “size” your church is reaching for. We’ve helped churches of every size– From small to large, micro to mega. And we can help you reach your growth goals. 

But I would also encourage you that daisies grow to around 3 feet while sunflowers grow up to 14 feet. When you are judging the health of the two, you compare the leaves, not just the stems. 

There are so many great metrics for measuring the health of your church. We want to help you grow healthier in all of them.

Church consulting can bring about those God-sized changes you’re dreaming of–
Start with a Free 30-Minute Coaching Call

Not sure you’re ready to make the leap all at once?

Hiring a church consultant can be a big step. Because of that, we understand that there are many factors to consider. But if you feel like you landed on this page for a reason, and if you want to take action on those things that have felt inactionable for a while, we want to help.

Talk to us about getting a rolling start with 6-months of ministry coaching!

We’ll help you prioritize the changes YOU want to see in your ministry, help you find and utilize the resources needed to pursue them, and get you the information you need to decide if a 12+ month church consulting package is right for you.

Email info@ministryarchitects.com and take the first step toward the ministry you want!

Brandi Kirkland serves as a staff consultant, search recruiter, and SEO specialist for Ministry Architects. Church systems and strategy are her very favorite thing. She’s led ministry in both single-site and multi-site churches, and believes that each church has its own, unique offering that it brings to the cause of Christ. You can connect with Brandi here.

The post Church Consulting: Why Now is the Time for Big Vision appeared first on Ministry Architects.

Check out episode 23, Building Ministry with Slow Change: “Trust the Process” featuring Mark DeVries. From his beginning as a part-time youth ministry consultant to now having worked with almost 800 congregations, Mark has realized one thing: slow and sustainable change leads to successful ministry. But what is ‘sustainable change’ and how can churches achieve it? Mark uses his extensive background as a youth minister and ministry consultant to give us a glimpse into creating successful ministries of ANY type

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77pjBNt48g4[/embedyt]

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