A weekly blog of Creative Ideas for Leading Worship
Using ChatGPT AI to Craft Prayers and Liturgy
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As a Methodist lay preacher with 18 years of experience, I’ve always been passionate about preparing worship services that speak deeply to our faith community.
Recently, I explored using artificial intelligence (AI) to generate prayers and liturgy for a service with ChatGPT.
In this post, I’ll share how I started with broad prompts based on all four lectionary readings and gradually refined my focus to just the readings from Acts and Luke.
I’ll also provide examples of the AI-assisted liturgy I used in the service and explore the advantages, challenges, and ethical questions that arise when using AI to prepare worship materials.
Refining the Focus: Acts and Luke
I began by prompting the AI with all four lectionary readings: passages from Isaiah, Psalms, Acts, and Luke.
However, I soon realised that while the insights were rich, the prayers and liturgy derived from using all four readings felt unfocused. They combined a variety of themes that, while important, didn’t mesh together well.
To create more focused liturgy, I refined my prompts to concentrate exclusively on Acts 8:14-17 and Luke 3:15-17, 21-22. These passages share a powerful narrative: John the Baptist’s passionate call to repentance and the transformative, affirming moment of Jesus’ baptism when the Holy Spirit descends.
This shift allowed the AI to generate texts that were more cohesive and relevant for the service’s key themes – renewal, empowerment, and a fresh start for the new year.
One refined prompt I used was:
“Based on Acts 8:14-17 and Luke 3:15-17, 21-22, write a responsive Call to Worship of 12 lines. Use The Message Bible translations of the texts.”
The resulting Call to Worship was vivid and engaging:
Call to Worship
The Spirit of God is here, moving among us.
We come, ready to receive, ready to be renewed.
John the Baptizer proclaimed,
“The One who comes will ignite the Kingdom life within you!”
We gather, longing for the refining fire of God’s love.
The heavens opened, and a voice declared,
“You are my beloved, chosen and marked by my love.”
We stand in awe, embraced by the Creator’s affirmation.
The apostles laid hands on the people, and the Spirit filled them with new life.
We come, eager for the Spirit’s power to renew and transform us.
God calls us by name, beloved and cherished, to walk this journey of faith.
We respond with open hearts, ready to follow and worship.
Let us celebrate the Spirit’s presence in us and among us!
With joy and thanksgiving, we lift our praise to God! Amen.
This output captured the essence of the scriptures – an urgent call for renewal and the comforting affirmation of God’s presence – making it especially suitable for our service as we looked forward to 2025.
Advantages of Using AI in Worship
My journey with AI revealed several key benefits:
1. Efficiency and Creativity
AI generates multiple drafts and variations in moments, freeing up valuable time. This allows worship leaders to explore diverse expressions of faith and refine them quickly – like having a brainstorming partner who’s always ready with new ideas.
2. Focused Thematic Output
By narrowing my prompts, the themes of the prayers were more consistent. Concentrating on the transformative messages of Acts and Luke enabled the AI to produce liturgy that got to the heart of the service – celebrating the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
3. Diverse Expression
The AI provided several different prayer formats when prompted, which I used throughout the service:
- Call to Worship
- Candle Lighting Liturgy
- Opening Prayer
- Prayer of Approach and Words of Assurance
- Offertory Prayer
- Intercessory Prayers
- Sending Forth/Benediction
4. Adaptability
Whether you prefer traditional language or contemporary phrasing, AI-generated texts can be tailored to your theological and cultural context. For example, I specified that the prayers should use inclusive language and avoid referring to God as male.
Disadvantages and Ethical Considerations
Despite the benefits, there are important challenges and ethical concerns to keep in mind:
1. Loss of Pastoral Nuance
AI-generated prayers might lack the personal, pastoral touch that comes from years of ministry experience. Prayers reflect lived experiences of faith, and there is a risk that AI-generated texts might seem impersonal or generic. Reviewing and adapting the prayers is essential to ensuring they reflect your unique voice.
2. Theological Depth
While AI can analyse vast amounts of data, it might not fully capture deep theological insights gained through study and reflection. Carefully vetting AI-generated prayers ensures they uphold our values and convey meaningful theology.
3. Transparency and Authorship
Using AI raises questions about authorship and authenticity. How do congregations perceive prayers that are AI-assisted? In the credits at the end of the Order of Service, I included:
“Material for this service was created by Philip Garside with the assistance of ChatGPT.”
This transparency acknowledges AI as a tool, not a replacement for human insight and inspiration.
4. Dependency Risks
Over-reliance on AI could reduce creativity and pastoral sensitivity. AI should complement, not replace, traditional methods of prayerful worship preparation.
Real-World Examples from the Service
Here are a couple more specific examples:
Offertory Prayer
Prompt:
"Based on Acts 8:14-17, write a short Offertory Prayer acknowledging God's gifts and our act of giving."
Output:
Generous God, You pour out Your Spirit upon us,
filling our lives with grace and abundance.
As we offer these gifts, we do so with grateful hearts,
acknowledging all that You have given us.
Bless this offering, that it may bring Your love and hope to those in need.
Use us and all we bring to further Your work in the world,
through the power of Your Spirit. Amen.
Sending Forth Benediction
Prompt:
"Based on Acts 8:14-17 and Luke 3:15-17, 21-22, create a 6-line non-responsive Benediction inspired by these texts, emphasizing God’s presence and our mission."
Output:
Go now, filled with the Spirit of God, who strengthens and renews you.
Carry the light of Christ into the world, sharing love and hope with all.
Walk in confidence, for you are called, beloved, and chosen by God.
Let your words and actions reflect the grace you have received.
May the Spirit guide your steps and empower your mission each day.
Go in peace to love and serve, for God is with you always. Amen.
Final Thoughts: Balancing Innovation and Tradition
The AI-assisted liturgy engaged the congregation as usual, with no noticeable difference in participation. However, AI should never replace the inspired, pastoral touch of human ministry.
By balancing innovation and tradition, we can use AI responsibly to enhance creativity while preserving the deep, personal connection of worship.
Why not try using AI-generated prayers in your service?
Then let me know how it went in the comments below!
Ngā mihi
Philip