Texas Pastor Warns of Idolatry Amid Increase Usage of Idolatry Among Christians

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A Texas pastor is warning against the danger of idolatry as a growing number of Christians are turning to AI for spiritual guidance.

A recent report earlier this year showed that the use of AI has increased by 80% across all ministries in churches. Additionally, Christians have been using The Text With Jesus app, powered by OpenAI's ChatGPT and developed by Catloaf Software, to talk with an AI version of Christ, the apostles, additional biblical characters, as well as a counselor.

"The interactivity that AI brings will feel more like a personal deity that seems all-knowing. When a company tries to sell you on texting with Jesus, I believe we have walked into dangerous, perhaps idolatrous waters," Pastor Ray Miller of First Baptist Church in Abilene, Texas, told The Christian Post.

He recalled how AI was making an impact on others while he was a professor at Belmont University, a private Christian College in Tennessee.

"I started noticing my students using AI to get answers to difficult questions. It became sort of a running joke in the class. As I have reflected further and become more conversant with AI, what I have noticed is that AI tailors its answers to something you will like. When you use it to replace a religious community, for instance, you get the comfort but maybe not the conviction," Miller explained.

The pastor also expressed concern regarding the exploitation of AI by “bad actors."

"I also have a concern that AI will be used deceptively by bad actors who wish to exploit church people (promises of conversations with Jesus or Martin Luther or whomever). Often, people turn to AI because they do not have another human being or pastor or priest to turn to, and it becomes convenient. With discernment and care, I believe we can develop some best practices when it comes to AI usage for churches and use for faith in general," he said.

Miller contended that AI should be used as just a tool, not as a substitute for God.

"We are living in the midst of a technological revolution unseen in human history since the advent of the printing press. That technological shift had profound implications for faith, as the Bible was finally placed in the hands of the people.

"As we begin to sift through what AI will do to us as humans, the Church will have to help answer the question: what does it mean to be human, to be made in God's image in an age of digital AI?"

The increase of AI has also been seen among pastors as a new survey found that nearly two-thirds of pastors use AI tools in sermon preparation, The Christian Post reported. Meanwhile, 61% report using AI weekly or daily, up from 43% in 2024.

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Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.