I noticed a young artist’s face drop as she watched the projected AI-generated animation playing at the front of the church. It was a quick, fun animation made as part of a children’s talk. Most people hadn’t noticed it was AI, but the subtle tells were clear to anyone familiar with image creation.
AI-generated images and videos are increasingly appearing in our social media feeds, in advertisements, education, publishing and media – and now, it seems, even in our churches. And while we discuss how much ChatGPT should shape sermons or Bible studies, the use of AI in the artwork and design we use is often overlooked. It makes sense – when budgets are tight and time short, it’s tempting to use a tool that can turn a prompt into an image in moments. But what do we lose when we are too quick to do this?
From the beginning, the Bible shows that God spoke all things into being (Gen. 1v1). As we come to know Him through Scripture, we see that He created not out of need or compulsion, but out of His own good pleasure and delight. In creation, God reveals His goodness, truth, and beauty – working with rhythm and order, colour and diversity, precision and design. Yet within His creation, He built in potential for growth and development, entrusting the task of cultivation to those made in His image.
