Cleveland's Reach City Church is part of religious chatbot revolution
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Cleveland's Reach City Church is part of a new digital awakening unfolding in American churches where pastors are turning to AI to reach worshippers, personalize sermons, and power chatbots that resemble God.
Why it matters: AI is helping some churches stay relevant in the face of shrinking staff, empty pews and growing online audiences. But the practice raises new questions about who — or what — is guiding the flock.
- New AI-powered apps allow you to "text with Jesus" or "talk to the Bible," giving the impression you are communicating with a deity or angel.
- Other apps can create personalized prayers, let you confess your sins or offer religious advice on life's decisions.
State of play: Reach City Church (5300 St. Clair Ave.) uses a tool called "Pastors.AI," which clips and repurposes sermons and offers a chatbot to answer questions about the material.
What they're saying: Reach did not respond to an emailed request for comment, but the bot itself told Axios that popular questions by users included:
- How to get involved in church ministries
- Questions about the church's core beliefs
- Inquiries about bible study and interpretation
- Questions about inclusion and how the church supports people with different backgrounds and needs
The fine print: The chatbot denied that any users believed they were speaking directly with Jesus Christ or another divine entity.
- "The chatbot is an AI-powered assistant designed to provide information and support based on the teachings and beliefs of Reach City Church," it said.
Zoom out: The U.S. could see an unprecedented 15,000 churches shut their doors this year as a record number of Americans (29%) now are identifying as religiously unaffiliated.
- Megachurches are consolidating the remaining faithful, but even the most charismatic pastors struggle to offer private counseling with such large congregations.
"Every church or house of worship is a business. There are absolutely opportunities to generate AI bots to evangelize," Rev. Chris Hope, founder of the Boston-based Hope Group, told Axios.