The AI Reality Check Every Ministry Leader Needs to Hear

What if your organization is already using AI technology but doesn’t have a strategy for it? According to Gareth Russell, CEO of Jersey Road communications agency, this describes the majority of Christian organizations today. In his candid assessment: “A lot of organizations are scrambling in the dark a little bit.”

In this revealing podcast interview from the Global Missional AI conference, Russell shares critical insights about how artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping how people discover and perceive ministries—and why most organizations are unprepared for this transformation.

The 61% Rule That Changes Everything About Your Content Strategy

Here’s a striking reality that should reshape how every Christian organization thinks about content creation: 61% of AI-generated responses about organizational trust and values come directly from editorial sources—the very content that ministries create themselves.

This means what you publish today directly feeds the large language models that people are increasingly turning to for information about your organization. As Russell explains:

“The old adage is that reputation is not what you say about yourself, but what other people say about you. Actually, AI is changing that to some degree, because if the large language models are going to become the main platform in which people get information about your organization, then actually what you say about yourself feeds the LLM.”

Translation: Your content strategy just became your reputation strategy.

From Crisis Management to AI-Powered Reputation Building

Unlike traditional search engines where rankings constantly fluctuate, AI models “bake in” knowledge as they’re trained and updated. This creates both opportunity and risk for Christian organizations:

The Opportunity:

• High-quality content and thoughtful crisis responses become permanent assets
• Positive stories and thought leadership articles gain lasting influence
• Authentic organizational messaging reaches wider audiences through AI platforms

The Risk:

• Poor crisis management responses get embedded in AI training data
• Lack of quality content means AI systems have little positive information to share
• Competitors with better content strategies dominate AI-driven conversations

The Generational Shift That’s Reshaping Ministry Communications

Russell reveals a surprising trend that challenges conventional wisdom about Christian organizations and younger audiences:

90% of his clients request help engaging “younger audiences”—but usually mean people younger than 75.

This demographic shift presents unique opportunities:

• 50-60 year olds are more loyal than younger demographics
• They’re more likely to have disposable income
• They often share stronger values alignment with Christian organizations

But Russell also tracks a remarkable spiritual revival among genuinely young people:

• 2 million more people have returned to church in the UK over six years
• Studies show revival around Christianity, particularly among men and younger generations
• 66% of Americans now report personal commitment to Jesus
• Silicon Valley’s transformation: Christianity “used to be outlawed” but is “now the new religion”

Why the Spiritual Hunger Revolution Benefits Christian Organizations

Russell identifies a fundamental shift driving renewed interest in Christianity:

“About 20 years ago, Barna did a study that found about 92% of Americans believed that the answers to life could be found from within. That has been found to fail… So people have realized that has failed. They’re now looking for something outside of themselves.”

The failure of radical individualism has created unprecedented openness to spiritual solutions:

• Suicide rates are up
• Mental health has plummeted
• Loneliness has reached pandemic levels
• Post-modernism and rampant individualism have proven dissatisfying

This cultural moment presents Christian organizations with their greatest opportunity in decades—but only if they’re prepared to communicate authentically in an AI-driven landscape.

The AI Strategy Framework: Moving Beyond “Scrambling in the Dark”

Russell outlines a practical approach for Christian organizations developing AI strategies:

1. Start with Strategic Objectives, Not Technology

Common Mistake: Knowing you need a Facebook page but not knowing what to do with it. Better Approach: Begin with your organizational goals, then determine how AI tools can serve those objectives.

2. Understand Your Audience Before Choosing Platforms

Russell emphasizes: “Don’t start with the messaging, start with the audience.”

Key Questions:

• What platforms is your audience actually using?
• What are their pain points and fears?
• How have their behaviors changed since COVID, political upheaval, and economic uncertainty?
• What communication channels do they trust?

3. Values-Based Platform Selection

Critical principle: Use your organizational values as a filter for strategic decisions.

Russell shares how his agency fired their highest-paying client for racist behavior:

“The point of having values is not to have something pretty that’s framed on a wall. The point of having values is to have a filter through which you make strategic decisions.”

Application for AI: Assess which AI platforms align with your values before investing time and resources.

The Content Strategy That Feeds AI Systems

With AI systems increasingly becoming the first point of contact between organizations and potential supporters, Russell recommends focusing on:

High-Impact Content Types:

• Positive news stories about organizational impact
• Thought leadership articles on issues that matter to society
• Authentic crisis responses that demonstrate values in action
• Personal journey narratives that showcase transformation and purpose

Quality over Quantity: Since AI systems learn from editorial content, fewer high-quality pieces often outperform frequent low-quality posts.

Avoiding the Social Media Mistakes in the AI Era

Russell warns against repeating past technology adoption errors:

Previous Social Media Mistakes:

• Treating platforms as mere announcement channels
• Copy-pasting identical content across different platforms
• Starting with technology instead of strategy
• Focusing on being present rather than being effective

AI-Era Best Practices:

• Research platform-specific algorithms and user expectations
• Align AI tool usage with organizational strategy
• Prioritize authentic, values-driven content
• Understand that different AI platforms serve different purposes

The Church’s Surprising AI Advantage

Contrary to stereotypes about churches being slow to adopt technology, Russell observes that Christian organizations are closer to the cutting edge of AI development than they’ve been with previous technologies:

“I’m not saying that the church is at the absolute pinnacle of development of AI, but it’s pretty close to it, and it’s far closer than it has been to previous development.”

Contributing Factors:

• Generous Christian donors investing in AI development
• Clear missional purposes driving innovation
• Global reach creating demand for scalable solutions
• Bible translation breakthroughs demonstrating AI’s kingdom potential

Practical Next Steps for Ministry Leaders

Immediate Actions:

1. Conduct an AI audit: What AI tools is your organization already using (email marketing, website chat, social media scheduling)?
2. Test AI responses: Search for your organization across 5-6 AI platforms to understand current perceptions
3. Assess content gaps: What positive stories and thought leadership could better represent your mission?

Strategic Planning:

1. Define your AI policy: What are your guidelines for staff AI usage?
2. Identify audience shifts: How have your supporters’ behaviors and communication preferences changed?
3. Values alignment check: Do the AI platforms you’re considering align with your organizational values?

Long-term Investment:

1. Content strategy overhaul: Plan content specifically designed to train AI systems positively
2. Staff education: Prepare your team for AI-integrated workflows
3. Platform diversification: Avoid over-dependence on any single AI system or communication channel

The Authenticity Imperative in an AI World

Russell emphasizes that despite technological advancement, authenticity remains paramount:

“Whilst there’s this major change with AI driving a lot of it, there are also societal changes where Gen Z particularly, are looking for transparency and authenticity… If you’re looking to manipulate something, then people are still going to see through that.”

Key principle: Use AI to amplify authentic organizational values, not to create artificial personas.

Why This Conversation Matters Now

As AI systems become the primary way people discover and evaluate organizations, Christian ministries face a critical window of opportunity. Those who develop thoughtful AI strategies now will shape how their organizations are perceived for years to come.

The question isn’t whether AI will impact your ministry—it already has. The question is whether you’ll develop an intentional strategy or continue “scrambling in the dark.”

Watch the Full Interview

Don’t miss Gareth Russell’s complete analysis of AI strategy for Christian organizations. His practical insights, real-world examples, and honest assessment of current challenges provide essential guidance for any ministry leader navigating the AI revolution.

Discover how to build an AI strategy that serves your mission and amplifies your authentic impact.

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Gareth Russell serves as CEO of Jersey Road, a communications agency specializing in helping Christian organizations navigate reputational management. His insights are based on extensive work with ministries across the US, UK, and Australia, combined with ongoing research into AI’s impact on organizational communications.

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Keywords: AI strategy, Christian organizations, ministry communications, artificial intelligence, large language models, church technology, digital ministry, organizational reputation, faith-based marketing, AI policy, ministry leadership, Christian AI adoption, digital transformation, AI content strategy