--- title: "Texas Pastor Defends Using ChatGPT to Write “Shotgun Sermon”" description: "Fire and Brimstone Everything's bigger in Texas — including, it seems, the artificial intelligence boosting. In an interview with Austin's KXAN local broadcaster, Pastor Jay Cooper of the city's Violet Crown City Church discussed using ChatGPT to help him write a sermon he delivered this past Sunday. \"ChatGPT kicked out about a 15-minute service, like a […]" date: "2023-09-19" modified: "2023-09-19" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/texas-pastor-chatgpt-sermon" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "OpenAI" tags: - "chatbot" - "chatgpt" - "religion" - "the digest" --- # Texas Pastor Defends Using ChatGPT to Write “Shotgun Sermon” ![A pastor in Austin used ChatGPT to write a sermon as he grapples with whether robots can be used to channel God.]() *\Image: Violet Crown City Church via YouTube\* ## Fire and Brimstone Everything's bigger in Texas — including, it seems, the enthusiasm for artificial intelligence. In an interview with [Austin-based broadcaster *KXAN*](), pastor Jay Cooper of the city's Violet Crown City Church discussed using ChatGPT to help him write a sermon he delivered this past Sunday. "ChatGPT kicked out about a 15-minute service, like a shotgun sermon, an outline," Cooper said before admitting that it was "very clear" that "a human element is still needed." "I had to fill out the service with additional prompts," the pastor continued, "and add a couple prompts to the sermon to kind of beef it up." However, reviews of the delivered sermon remained reserved. One of the church's members told the local *NBC* affiliate that although he was still able to get something out of the service, the AI-written sermon lacked the emotive and expressive qualities of one written by a human. "I’m not sure that AI can actually express the emotions of love and kindness and empathy," the parishioner said. "I think that we must practice love and express that. Not only feel it, but we must express it." ## Protest Too Much The Texan churchgoer's sentiments echoed comments made by some attendees of a Protestant convention in Germany earlier this year who were [subjected to a ChatGPT-written sermon]() — though in that case, the sermon was not only written by bots, but also delivered by them as well. As the [*Associated Press* reported]() in June, four AI avatars with expressionless faces and monotonous voices delivered a sermon about "leaving the past behind, focusing on the challenges of the present, overcoming fear of death, and never losing trust in Jesus Christ." Though folks who attended the sermon, which was held at a convention in Feurth, Germany, said it could have been worse, the robotic preachers had "no heart and no soul." Back in Texas, Cooper seemingly agreed with the German churchgoers when noting that the "human touch is critical in life and in ministry" — which was why, he said, he edited the AI's work. All the same, the pastor posited an interesting question: "Can a prayer written by artificial intelligence, in some way, communicate truth? Can you experience God through that?" As for right now, it seems that it can't — but with [AI applications becoming rapidly more common](), it may not stay that way for long. **More on AI:** [*Actor Stephen Fry Furious After AI Rips Off His Voice Without Permission*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()