Episode Overview

Title: Repurpose, Reach, Renew: Unleashing AI for Your Church’s Mission with Kenny Jahng
Host: Rich Birch
Guest: Kenny Jahng
Podcast: UnSeminary Podcast
Release Date: January 22, 2025

This episode explores how church leaders can strategically embrace artificial intelligence to amplify their communication, expand their reach, and serve their communities more effectively. Rich Birch and AI advocate Kenny Jahng dig into the theological, practical, and global dimensions of AI, focusing on tools and tactics for sermon repurposing, digital translation, and online ministry engagement that endure beyond technological trends.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Developing a Theology of AI for the Church

• AI as a Redemptive Tool: Kenny emphasizes the need for church leaders to form a theology of technology, specifically AI:

  “Do you believe that there actually could be any divinity in the digital tools that we have in front of us today? Do you think God can use digital tools for his good and for his glory?” (05:08, Kenny Jahng)

• Technology Isn’t Inherently Good or Evil: Churches that accept past technologies (internet, smartphones, GPS) should consider how AI can also be redeemed for ministry.

2. What Is Generative AI & Why Does It Matter?

• Defining Generative AI:

  “The difference … is it is now able to actually create, generate, create new things.” (06:58, Kenny Jahng)
  Past AI handled computation; generative AI creates new outputs (text, audio, video, images).

• A Multi-Modal World: AI can now interpret and produce across different media types, offering fresh ministry opportunities.

3. AI Translation — A Game-Changer for Global & Local Outreach

• Instant, Authentic Multilingual Content:
  • AI enables instant translation and content adaptation across languages, including lip-synced voice and video cloning.
• Powerful, Practical Use Cases:
  • Missions:

    “Missionary organizations … are translating the Bible into the heart language of hundreds of other languages.”
    AI updates visual style and provides safe alternatives for persecuted regions. (10:09, Kenny Jahng)

  • Church Partnerships:

    “Imagine … you can actually translate your sermons into their native tongue and send those videos. … You actually start to disciple them in a much more meaningful way.” (12:07, Kenny Jahng)

• Adoption & Transparency:
  • AI translation enhances relationships without deceptive intent:

    “I think there’ll be high levels of adoption there.” (14:22, Rich Birch)

• Broader Implications:

  “Many communities are turning much more multi-ethnic, multilingual … if your church is serious about reaching your own zip code, you’re going to need to think about the populations that are not native English speakers…” (14:44, Kenny Jahng)

4. Repurposing Sermons: “Repurpose, Reach, Renew”

• The Problem: Sermons are typically published as long-form videos but most viewers abandon them after ~4 minutes (19:14).
• The Solution: Use AI tools (e.g., Sermon Shots) to:
  • Clip key moments
  • Create short-form video, summaries, FAQs, glossaries, and more
• Dramatically Expand Engagement:

  “There’s over 10 different types of short form content that should be on a given sermon page … it costs pennies and it also takes like less time than you would ever think.” (20:32, Kenny Jahng)

• Empowering Volunteers: This process can be managed by remote volunteers, multiplying the impact at minimal cost.

5. Practical Examples & Templates

• 10+ Forms of Repurposed Content:
  • FAQs generated from typical viewer questions (23:25)
  • Glossary of Christian terminology (23:54)
  • Discussion guides, devotional readings, quote images, blog articles, and short-form video clips (22:37, 29:45)
  • Summaries and Bible commentary (25:31)
• User-Centric Approach:

  “Shouldn’t we merchandise the page, as we say in business? … Ways to engage it in short form, ways in different angles … the whole point is to engage them so they ask more questions and … take whatever their next step is in their relationship with Jesus Christ.” (25:31, Kenny Jahng)

• Encouragement to Innovate:
  • “The number of people that might listen to the sermon that they've invested 5, 10, 15, 20 hours in is not limited to the people in the room … could be 10x, 100x, 1,000x the number of people.” (30:31, Kenny Jahng)

6. Resources Highlighted

• RepurposeYourSermon.com:
  • Practical community resource for AI-powered sermon repurposing
  • Includes templates and sample sermon-page outlines (29:45)
• Facebook Community: “AI for Church Leaders” – a group for sharing experiences and resources (29:45)
• Connect with Kenny Jahng:
  • Find Kenny on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and by Googling his name (33:20)
  • Kenny:

    “I want to learn from everybody. Right? We have to learn together. And so just hearing what’s working for you in your neck of the woods is a blessing to me.” (33:56, Kenny Jahng)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Theology of AI:

  “If you were able to say yes, God could use it to redeem our world, we could use it to become much more impactful heralds of the gospel. Then it just opens up this play, you know, sandbox that we can play in.”
  — Kenny Jahng (05:34)

• On Deep Fakes vs. Positive Use Cases:

  “Who can argue against using AI for that type of use?”
  — Kenny Jahng (12:07)

• The “English to English” Tool:

  “I want it to take my message, transcribe it to ChatGPT, make it much more logical, clearer, much more compelling, then make me say it in the video. So, that’s a better version of me. How about that?”
  — Kenny Jahng (16:12)

• Serving All Learners:

  “People are going to engage at different levels … there are going to be people that … just watch your four-quotes. … Some people might be so intrigued by all of that that they’ll sit and watch the 45-minute message. But we start with just the 45-minute message. Why is that?”
  — Rich Birch (26:26)

• The Real Opportunity:

  “The point of your sermon archive page should not be for them to actually play the whole video. The whole point is to engage them so they ask more questions and they take whatever their next step is in their relationship with Jesus Christ.”
  — Kenny Jahng (25:31)

• Empowering Churches of Every Size:

  “This makes it much more approachable for the average church. … I could find a small team, an AI team, a digirati who would say, ‘We’ll do this every week…’”
  — Rich Birch (28:08)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment / Topic | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:51 | Theological framing: Should Christians use AI? | | 06:44 | What is generative AI? | | 08:34 | Practical use cases: AI for translation in global mission & partnerships | | 14:44 | Multilingual ministry at home – demographic trends and AI | | 19:14 | Engagement crisis: sermons online & why short-form matters | | 20:32 | AI tools for repurposing sermons (ex: Sermon Shots) | | 22:37 | 10+ ways to repurpose sermons: FAQs, glossaries, more | | 29:45 | repurposeyoursermon.com resource & AI for Church Leaders community | | 32:47 | Kenny’s closing encouragement and mindset | | 33:20 | Kenny’s social media presence and invitation to connect |

Tone & Language

The episode is conversational, encouraging, and pragmatic, blending optimism for technological possibilities with a pastoral desire to serve better and reach further. Both Rich and Kenny use accessible language, relatable analogies, and practical examples rooted in real church life.

Summary Takeaway

AI is not a threat but a powerful ally for the church’s enduring mission. Churches of any size can—and should—harness AI for translation, content repurposing, and deeper digital engagement, starting with resources like repurposeyoursermon.com. The key is to shift mindset: see the website and digital tools as extensions of ministry, not just promotional signposts, and to engage every learner—across all platforms, languages, and attention spans.