For every technological advancement in ministry—giving online, referring to a Bible app, watching a streaming service, receiving text updates from your church—there are seeming pros and cons, champions and nay-sayers, benefits and costs. It can be difficult to navigate what congregants need, what your ministry’s strengths and resources are and what strong discipleship requires.

It’s important to ask questions about these developments—and Barna has been busy doing just that, often in partnership with Gloo.

The social distancing era of the pandemic only accelerated an already emerging trend of digital transformation within faith communities. Today, Christians recognize the importance of leveraging digital tools for ministry, and many feel churches could benefit from embracing tech in more advanced ways.

Ongoing Barna research conducted in partnership with Gloo reveals a strong majority of Christians say churches could benefit from tools like online giving (75%) and a digital resource hub (74%), as well as better social media outreach (70%) and digital communication strategies (68%).

Pastors show a degree of openness to more technological integration, including the use of AI. Just over half (54%) agree at least somewhat that AI could positively contribute to church outreach and community service efforts, and two in five (42%) feel their church could benefit from incorporating AI technology into church strategy. Still, this confidence is tempered by significant uncertainty. Data shows pastors don’t think their congregants are very open to AI integration, nor have a grasp on the ethical implications of AI.

The research points to a critical need for churches to not only implement digital strategies but also to build trust, provide education and create meaningful digital experiences that resonate with congregants.

While there’s broad recognition of the need for digital transformation in the Church, a significant gap remains between aspiration and implementation. Churches will need to carefully navigate AI integration, prioritize digital literacy (a recent Barna study showed that U.S. adults may not be aware how often they use AI in their daily lives) and maintain the human aspects of their mission to successfully adapt this evolving technology.

This shift goes beyond merely adopting new tools and represents a broader understanding of how churches can remain relevant and accessible in an increasingly digital world.

This release is part of Barna and Gloo’s ongoing State of the Church initiative. More Trends and stories related to technology and the Church can be found exclusively on Barna Access Plus.