Season 11 opens with returning guest Drew Dickens for a state-of-the-union on AI and the church. Four months since the IC Conference ("forty years in AI time"), Drew catches Doug up on the summer of new models, the scramble around AI policy, and why survey numbers on pastor AI usage range from 10% to 78% (hint: we haven't defined what "using AI" even means).From there, the conversation moves to what matters most for church leaders: the shift from generative to agentic AI, the sobering reality that counseling and spiritual formation remain the #1 use of AI worldwide, and what it means that congregants are taking their 3 a.m. existential crises to a chatbot. Drew shares practical steps (survey your people, talk about it from the pulpit, build an AI policy for your church and your families) alongside a real caution about "frictionless faith": when AI removes the friction, it may also remove the very thing that forms us.In this episode:<ul><li>Drew's takeaways from the IC Conference: efficiency excitement from XPs, quiet fear from senior pastors</li><li>The summer of new models: Claude Fable 5, ChatGPT 5.6, Opus V, Gemini 3.6, DeepSeek 4</li><li>Why fewer than 10% of churches have an AI policy (and how to start one)</li><li>Which conversations belong to AI, and which belong at the kitchen table</li><li>Counseling, companionship, and spiritual formation: still 70-75% of AI use</li><li>How pastors should preach when AI is discipling their people</li><li>Agentic AI explained: your team of 20 admins that never calls in sick</li><li>"Frictionless faith" and the spiritual risks of taking humanity out of the loop</li><li>Why Anthropic is hiring philosophers and inviting spiritual leaders to Silicon Valley</li></ul>Timestamps:(00:00) Welcome back: Season 11 kickoff (00:25) IC 3.0 and the Radical Alignment Assessment (01:16) Drew's takeaways from the IC Conference (03:24) The summer of new models (05:45) AI policy, rogue models, and data centers (07:17) Beyond admin: how churches are using AI (09:59) Less than 10% of churches have an AI policy (11:02) Kitchen table vs. AI conversations (11:42) The #1 use of AI: counseling and spiritual formation (13:35) The 3 a.m. crisis: how pastors should respond (15:30) Will AI change the ecclesiology of the church? (16:45) Talk about it: surveys, forums, and sermon series (17:48) What is agentic AI? (19:43) Predictions on agentic adoption (21:50) Frictionless faith and spiritual risk (24:26) Philosophy, AI labs, and what's left for humans (26:54) Leading without fear + closing call to actionResources:<ul><li>Take the Radical Alignment Assessment: https://alignmychurch.com</li><li>Drew Dickens' AI & Spirituality podcast (weekly, on Substack): <a href="https://drewdickens.com">https://drewdickens.com</a></li></ul>

Season 11 opens with returning guest Drew Dickens for a state-of-the-union on AI and the church. Four months since the IC Conference ("forty years in AI time"), Drew catches Doug up on the summer of new models, the scramble around AI policy, and why survey numbers on pastor AI usage range from 10% to 78% (hint: we haven't defined what "using AI" even means). From there, the conversation moves to what matters most for church leaders: the shift from generative to agentic AI, the sobering reality that counseling and spiritual formation remain the #1 use of AI worldwide, and what it means that congregants are taking their 3 a.m. existential crises to a chatbot. Drew shares practical steps (survey your people, talk about it from the pulpit, build an AI policy for your church and your families) alongside a real caution about "frictionless faith": when AI removes the friction, it may also remove the very thing that forms us. In this episode:Drew's takeaways from the IC Conference: efficiency excitement from XPs, quiet fear from senior pastorsThe summer of new models: Claude Fable 5, ChatGPT 5.6, Opus V, Gemini 3.6, DeepSeek 4Why fewer than 10% of churches have an AI policy (and how to start one)Which conversations belong to AI, and which belong at the kitchen tableCounseling, companionship, and spiritual formation: still 70-75% of AI useHow pastors should preach when AI is discipling their peopleAgentic AI explained: your team of 20 admins that never calls in sick"Frictionless faith" and the spiritual risks of taking humanity out of the loopWhy Anthropic is hiring philosophers and inviting spiritual leaders to Silicon ValleyTimestamps: (00:00) Welcome back: Season 11 kickoff (00:25) IC 3.0 and the Radical Alignment Assessment (01:16) Drew's takeaways from the IC Conference (03:24) The summer of new models (05:45) AI policy, rogue models, and data centers (07:17) Beyond admin: how churches are using AI (09:59) Less than 10% of churches have an AI policy (11:02) Kitchen table vs. AI conversations (11:42) The #1 use of AI: counseling and spiritual formation (13:35) The 3 a.m. crisis: how pastors should respond (15:30) Will AI change the ecclesiology of the church? (16:45) Talk about it: surveys, forums, and sermon series (17:48) What is agentic AI? (19:43) Predictions on agentic adoption (21:50) Frictionless faith and spiritual risk (24:26) Philosophy, AI labs, and what's left for humans (26:54) Leading without fear + closing call to action Resources:Take the Radical Alignment Assessment: https://alignmychurch.comDrew Dickens' AI & Spirituality podcast (weekly, on Substack): https://drewdickens.com

Season 11 opens with returning guest Drew Dickens for a state-of-the-union on AI and the church. Four months since the IC Conference ("forty years in AI time"), Drew catches Doug up on the summer of new models, the scramble around AI policy, and why survey numbers on pastor AI usage range from 10% to 78% (hint: we haven't defined what "using AI" even means).From there, the conversation moves to what matters most for church leaders: the shift from generative to agentic AI, the sobering reality that counseling and spiritual formation remain the #1 use of AI worldwide, and what it means that congregants are taking their 3 a.m. existential crises to a chatbot. Drew shares practical steps (survey your people, talk about it from the pulpit, build an AI policy for your church and your families) alongside a real caution about "frictionless faith": when AI removes the friction, it may also remove the very thing that forms us.In this episode:<ul><li>Drew's takeaways from the IC Conference: efficiency excitement from XPs, quiet fear from senior pastors</li><li>The summer of new models: Claude Fable 5, ChatGPT 5.6, Opus V, Gemini 3.6, DeepSeek 4</li><li>Why fewer than 10% of churches have an AI policy (and how to start one)</li><li>Which conversations belong to AI, and which belong at the kitchen table</li><li>Counseling, companionship, and spiritual formation: still 70-75% of AI use</li><li>How pastors should preach when AI is discipling their people</li><li>Agentic AI explained: your team of 20 admins that never calls in sick</li><li>"Frictionless faith" and the spiritual risks of taking humanity out of the loop</li><li>Why Anthropic is hiring philosophers and inviting spiritual leaders to Silicon Valley</li></ul>Timestamps:(00:00) Welcome back: Season 11 kickoff (00:25) IC 3.0 and the Radical Alignment Assessment (01:16) Drew's takeaways from the IC Conference (03:24) The summer of new models (05:45) AI policy, rogue models, and data centers (07:17) Beyond admin: how churches are using AI (09:59) Less than 10% of churches have an AI policy (11:02) Kitchen table vs. AI conversations (11:42) The #1 use of AI: counseling and spiritual formation (13:35) The 3 a.m. crisis: how pastors should respond (15:30) Will AI change the ecclesiology of the church? (16:45) Talk about it: surveys, forums, and sermon series (17:48) What is agentic AI? (19:43) Predictions on agentic adoption (21:50) Frictionless faith and spiritual risk (24:26) Philosophy, AI labs, and what's left for humans (26:54) Leading without fear + closing call to actionResources:<ul><li>Take the Radical Alignment Assessment: https://alignmychurch.com</li><li>Drew Dickens' AI &amp; Spirituality podcast (weekly, on Substack): <a href="https://drewdickens.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://drewdickens.com</a></li></ul>

The State of AI in the Church, with Drew Dickens

2020 was a disruptive year, and it is not easy to pastor and lead in a post-COVID reality. But there is hope, and it’s not found in the next “silver bullet” strategy – it’s found in going back to the fundamentals that we find in Scripture. In this episode, you’ll get to know Intentional Churches co-founders, Doug Parks and Bart Rendel, hear their heart for the Church, and get a high-level introduction to ChurchOS. NEXT STEPS <ul> <li>Check out our book, Intentional Churches, wherever you buy your books</li> <li>Visit intentionalchurches.com to get free resources and learn more about how we can partner with your church</li> <li>Stay connected by subscribing to our monthly resource newsletter at intentionalchurches.com/blog</li> <li>Learn more about the Activate Experience at churchosonline.com</li> </ul>

2020 was a disruptive year, and it is not easy to pastor and lead in a post-COVID reality. But there is hope, and it’s not found in the next “silver bullet” strategy – it’s found in going back to the fundamentals that we find in Scripture. In this episode, you’ll get to know Intentional Churches co-founders, Doug Parks and Bart Rendel, hear their heart for the Church, and get a high-level introduction to ChurchOS. NEXT STEPS Check out our book, Intentional Churches, wherever you buy your books Visit intentionalchurches.com to get free resources and learn more about how we can partner with your church Stay connected by subscribing to our monthly resource newsletter at intentionalchurches.com/blog Learn more about the Activate Experience at churchosonline.com

2020 was a disruptive year, and it is not easy to pastor and lead in a post-COVID reality. But there is hope, and it’s not found in the next “silver bullet” strategy –&nbsp;it’s found in going back to the fundamentals that we find in Scripture. In this episode, you’ll get to know Intentional Churches co-founders, Doug Parks and Bart Rendel, hear their heart for the Church, and get a high-level introduction to ChurchOS. NEXT STEPS <ul> <li>Check out our book, Intentional Churches, wherever you buy your books</li> <li>Visit intentionalchurches.com to get free resources and learn more about how we can partner with your church</li> <li>Stay connected by subscribing to our monthly resource newsletter at intentionalchurches.com/blog</li> <li>Learn more about the Activate Experience at churchosonline.com</li> </ul>

E01: More Is Possible for Your Church

Church Leader, shift your focus from mere institutional insights to individual transformation. Be intentional. Join hosts Doug Parks (CEO and Co-Founder of Intentional Churches) and Erin Johnston (Co-Executive Pastor of Canyon Ridge Christian Church) as they share weekly thought-provoking discussions and actionable takeaways that will resource you to help your people encounter Jesus. Take the step toward authentic discipleship of your congregation so you can mobilize the ninety-nine to reach the one.

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