Shé Langley shares five practical AI and automation tools churches can use to reduce burnout, improve communication and support ministry, while grounding technology use in ethical, pastoral and climate justice values.
Shé Langley directs event planning and manages digital marketing for Mennonite Church USA. She is also the founder of Rank Lift, a digital marketing agency specializing in web design and search engine optimization.
I live in a few different worlds.
On any given day, I might be working on convention planning for MC USA, optimizing a church website, helping a ministry team streamline communication or building automations that quietly make life easier for pastors and volunteers. I sit at the intersection of church, digital strategy and people who are doing way too much with way too little time.
So, when churches ask me about AI and automation, I want to be clear: These tools are not about replacing people, pastoral care or discernment. They are about reducing friction so ministry leaders can spend more time doing what actually matters.
Here are five tools I consistently recommend, not because they are trendy, but because I use them myself in real ministry and church-adjacent work.
1. ChatGPT
My thought partner, writing assistant and sanity checker
I use ChatGPT daily but not as a shortcut for thinking. I use it as a collaborator. I talk through ideas, outline content, clarify messy thoughts and pressure-test messaging before it ever goes public.
In church contexts, I have used ChatGPT to:
- Draft first passes of announcements and emails.
- Help reword language, so it is clearer and more welcoming.
- Summarize long transcripts or meeting notes.
- Brainstorm sermon series titles or discussion questions.
- Translate internal church language into language newcomers can understand.
The key is how you use it. I never ask ChatGPT to replace prayer, pastoral discernment or theological reflection. I use it to support clarity, consistency and accessibility. Think of it as a really fast assistant who still needs a human editor and a Holy Spirit check.
2. OpusClip
Turning one sermon into many touchpoints
Most churches are sitting on a goldmine of content they are not fully using.
OpusClip uses AI to take long-form video, such as sermons or teachings, and identify moments that work well as short clips. What used to take hours of scrubbing through video now takes minutes.
I use OpusClip to:
- Create sermon clips for social media.
- Highlight strong teaching moments without rewatching the entire service.
- Build a library of short-form content that can be scheduled over time.
For churches with limited staff or volunteers, this is a game changer. It helps sermons travel further than Sunday morning without adding more to someone’s plate.
The tool does not replace discernment. You still choose what gets shared. It just removes the technical barrier that keeps so many churches from even starting.
3. Canva
From Adobe loyalist to Canva realist
To be honest, I used to be an Adobe-only person.
But Canva has changed the game, especially for churches and nonprofits. It has made good design more accessible without requiring a design degree or expensive software.
What really won me over is how much Canva keeps leveling up.
I use Canva for:
- Sermon slides and announcement graphics.
- Social media templates that volunteers can use.
- Print pieces for events and ministry initiatives.
- Collaborative design that provides multiple people with access.
Canva’s AI tools now help with resizing designs, generating layouts and improving visual consistency. That means fewer bottlenecks and less dependence on one overworked creative person.
4. Otter.ai
Meeting notes without the headache
If you have ever left a meeting thinking, “Wait, what did we decide?” this one is for you.
Otter.ai records meetings and creates searchable summaries and transcripts. I use it for staff meetings, planning calls and collaborative sessions where a lot of information is flying around.
In ministry contexts, Otter helps:
- Capture decisions without relying on one person’s notes.
- Share summaries with people who cannot attend.
- Reduce misunderstandings and follow-up confusion.
It does not replace listening or presence. It simply ensures that important information does not disappear once the meeting ends.
5. Make.com
Quiet automations that save hours
This is the tool that many churches do not know about, but it is the one that makes the biggest long-term difference.
Make.com allows you to automate workflows between tools. I use it behind the scenes to reduce manual work that drains staff and volunteers.
Examples of how I use it:
- Automatically building spreadsheets from online form submissions.
- Sending notifications to ministry leaders when new information comes in.
- Triggering email sequences for new members or registrations.
- Keeping data consistent across platforms without duplicate entry.
When systems work quietly in the background, people have more capacity to show up fully in ministry.
A word on using AI ethically, thoughtfully and morally
I am very intentional about how I use AI in church and ministry settings.
I do not use AI to fabricate stories, write content without accountability, or replace relational work. I do not ask it to speak for communities without listening to real people. I do not outsource discernment.
AI is a tool, not a voice. Used thoughtfully, it can help churches communicate more clearly, steward time better and reduce burnout. Used carelessly, it can flatten nuance and create distance.
The goal is not efficiency for efficiency’s sake. The goal is to remove unnecessary friction, so people can focus on faith, formation and community.
Before closing, it is important to also name the complex relationship between AI and climate justice. MC USA has long affirmed that care for creation is a faithful response to God’s love and a matter of justice for communities most harmed by environmental degradation. AI systems, along with the data centers and manufacturing industries that support them, carry real environmental costs in energy, water and resource use. Without careful governance, these technologies can deepen ecological harm and economic inequality. As churches explore AI, we are called into familiar discernment: not only “Does this make ministry easier?” but “At what cost, and to whom?” Faithful use of AI holds its benefits alongside its footprint, advocates for more sustainable practices and remains rooted in a theology that prioritizes people and planet over convenience.
Final thoughts
Churches do not need to chase every new tool. They need tools that serve their mission.
These five have earned my trust because they meet real needs, respect human leadership and make ministry more sustainable. If even one of them helps your church communicate more clearly or breathe a little easier, it is worth exploring.
And if you ever find yourself staring at a blinking cursor thinking, “There has to be an easier way,” trust me — there’s probably an AI/automation tool for that!