For 40 years, Barna has been dedicated to serving the Church through our research and by sharing insights from pastors and ministry leaders. We believe in the power of learning from those on the frontlines, offering ideas that help you navigate a changing world and apply practical wisdom to your ministry.

We’ve partnered with a broad range of ministries, nonprofits and businesses—both faith-based and secular—to explore how they view and serve the Church. These leaders bring fresh perspectives and solutions that can inspire and equip church leaders in unique ways.

In this feature, we spotlight Subsplash, a company with whom we’ve been exploring the topic of innovation. Subsplash is at the forefront of developing digital tools to help churches share the gospel more effectively and operate more efficiently, and we wanted to share their story with you. At a time when Barna’s research highlights skepticism surrounding new technologies—particularly AI—our hope is to spark curiosity as you read about Subsplash’s journey. Their story offers valuable insights for cultivating an innovator’s mindset, equipping the Church to embrace technology as a tool for ministry in today’s world.

Churches aren’t often known for being early adopters, especially when it comes to technology. Recent Barna data, however, shows a willingness among church leaders to use AI–at least for help with administrative and marketing tasks. Nearly nine in 10 pastors (88%) say they’d be comfortable utilizing AI within the realm of “assisting in graphic design,” and over three-quarters (78%) are okay using the technology to “assist with marketing and marketing materials.” In the marketing-adjacent realm of church communication, nearly three in five pastors (58%) tell Barna they’re comfortable using AI to assist in communication.

When it comes to using AI for theological tasks, pastors are far more cautious. Only one in 10 pastors (12%) are comfortable using AI to write sermons—though two in five (43%) see its merits in sermon preparation and research, possibly due to the rise in generative AI tools that compile multiple sources of information into succinct lists.