Leading a Bible study group is a beautiful calling, but it can also feel like juggling flaming swords while riding a unicycle. Between preparing lessons, coordinating schedules, sending reminders, reaching out to absentees, encouraging newcomers to return, and making sure everyone’s spiritual cup is full (and their coffee cups too), it’s a lot. But guess what? You’ve got a secret weapon now: Artificial Intelligence.

Yep, A.I. isn’t just for techies and sci-fi movies like Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning, where an A.I. bad guy (“the Entity”) has plans to take over every nuclear stockpile in the world. People are wondering if A.I. is going to turn into Skynet (if you don’t get the reference, just Google it!). The answer is no, but A.I. is here to stay, and it’s already evolving as people interact with it.

In addition to all that A.I. is accomplishing and learning, it is here to help Bible study leaders like you thrive with less stress and more joy. Every technology has its downside, so we should seek to use A.I. to its full ability as we lead God’s people to interact with the biblical text each week.

How can A.I. help you, you ask? I’m glad you did! Here are five practical time-saving ways A.I. can help you teach and administrate your group like a seasoned shepherd using a digital rod and staff:

1. Lesson Planning on Holy Spirit Steroids

Ever stared at your Bible and thought, “Where do I even start this week?” A.I. can help you brainstorm lesson themes, generate discussion questions, and even summarize complex theological concepts in plain English (or Greek, if you’re feeling up to the challenge). It can also generate commentary for you to study and share with your group members as you guide the Bible study. Just type in your passage—say, Romans 8—and ask for a summary, key themes, or application points. Boom! Instant clarity. It’s like having a seminary professor in your pocket, minus the tuition.

I do not recommend using A.I. to replace your current curriculum, especially if it’s been created and curated by a company like Lifeway Christian Resources. It’s one thing to generate “one-off” Bible study lessons. It’s an entirely different thing to generate a detailed scope and sequence of studies based on key Bible passages, a scope and sequence that may last for years. The scope and sequence work ensures that all genres of Scripture are studied over time, and that key themes are not repeated too frequently. Scope and sequence planning leads to balance so that people get the entire counsel of God. When we are left to our own devices, we will camp out on our favorite theological tenet, or a favorite person or theme from the Bible. This can degenerate into “majoring on the minutia,” rather than cutting up the Word of God into manageable, bite-size chunks that our group members can more easily digest.

A.I. is a great tool to help you get “unstuck” when you’re preparing and studying a passage you’re going to teach to your group. We’ve all been there – you know, staring at a sheet of paper or a blank computer screen as we polish our lesson plan for next week. A little help from A.I. can be just the nudge you need to get you moving in the right direction.

2. Prayer Requests? Meet Your “Digital Deacon”

Keeping track of prayer requests can be a full-time job. A.I. tools can help you organize and remember who asked for what, when, and why. You can even use voice-to-text features to log requests on the go. Some apps will remind you to follow up (“Hey, did you check in on Bob’s surgery?”), making you look like the most thoughtful leader ever. Bonus: You’ll never forget Aunt Martha’s cat’s flossing again.

3. Automated Encouragement (a.k.a. Holy Spirit Texts)

Want to send out midweek encouragements or Scripture texts but always forget? A.I. can schedule and personalize messages for your group. You can write one message and let the bot sprinkle in names, verses, or even emojis (because nothing says “God loves you” like a well-placed 🙌). It’s like having a digital Barnabas—always ready to encourage.

4. Scheduling Without the Headaches

Trying to find a time that works for everyone is like herding cats—blindfolded. A.I.-powered scheduling tools can analyze everyone’s availability and suggest the best meeting times. No more endless email chains or passive-aggressive “I guess I can make it work” replies. Just harmony, peace, and maybe even snacks.

5. Creative Content for the Win

Need a catchy title for your next Bible study (or series of Bible studies)? Want to create a flyer, social media post, or even a handout? A.I. can help you design, write, and polish content faster than you can say “John 3:16.” Whether you’re planning a retreat or just want to spice up your weekly email (or get summaries of longer ones), A.I. is your creative sidekick who does not demand equal billing. It’s happy to do its work in the background so you can focus on relationships with your group’s members and guests.

Final Thoughts: A.I. + Jesus + You = Dynamic Trio

Now, let’s be clear—A.I. isn’t a replacement for the Holy Spirit, your Bible, you, or your calling. But it is a fantastic tool to help you steward your time, energy, and creativity more effectively. Think of it as the loaves and fishes of the digital age: you bring what you have, and A.I. helps multiply it.

So go ahead, Bible study leader — embrace the tech, lean into the Spirit, and lead your group with joy, wisdom, and maybe just a little help from your friendly neighborhood algorithm.

If you are currently using A.I. as a Bible study group leader, share what you’re doing so we can learn from you! Let’s all work smarter, not harder.