How can a pastor possibly be everywhere at once, especially when their community needs them most? In this episode, hosts David Maples and Carly Green explore the delicate balance of using modern technology to extend a ministry's reach without losing the essential human touch.

Show Notes:

• [00:00:05] Welcome & Introduction to today's topic: Pastoral Care, AI, and Technology.
• [00:00:31] Carly Green introduces herself and provides a working definition of Pastoral Care.
• [00:01:17] A formal definition of Pastoral Care: "A form of support that addresses emotional, spiritual, and sometimes physical needs of an individual."
• [00:01:38] Carly gives practical examples of pastoral care, from hospital visits to being the first call during a personal crisis.
• [00:02:56] David discusses the common perception of a pastor's role and how the deep, human-touch elements of care are often overlooked by those outside of ministry leadership.
• [00:04:40] The unexpected and time-consuming nature of pastoral care. Carly explains that when a death occurs, a pastor must often clear their schedule for up to three days to be with the family.
• [00:05:12] The core mission: How can technology give pastors time back so they can focus on building relationships?
• [00:05:56] A critical point: How a church shows up for someone during a life crisis often determines if that person stays. A failure here can lead to people "church shopping."
• [00:07:03] David talks about the "goalpost" moments in life (marriage, birth, divorce, death) where faith and church support are most needed.
• [00:09:09] An analogy for the importance of human connection: you can't automate genuine care for your employees, and the same is true for your congregation.
• [00:09:50] Carly shares a powerful analogy: Not being there for your congregation is like an insurance company refusing to pay a claim after you've paid premiums for years.
• [00:13:20] What really fills up a pastor's day? A detailed breakdown of the dozens of administrative, leadership, and community tasks that compete for time.
• [00:15:59] The reality of ministry leadership: It's often the equivalent of working three full-time jobs at once.
• [00:17:36] Discussing the "Fivefold Ministry" (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd, Teacher) and how a solo pastor is often expected to be all five.
• [00:18:47] Practical ways AI can save a pastor time right now: sermon generation/outlining, communications (letters, social media), and preparing for difficult conversations.
• [00:20:30] The Multiplier Effect: Don't just save your own time. Empower your staff and volunteers with these tools to free up their time, creating more capacity for human-to-human ministry across the board.
• [00:25:17] The Ethical Imperative: Why you must be transparent with your church about using AI and never, ever let it replace genuine human empathy or discernment.
• [00:26:33] AI provides logical answers, but the Kingdom of God is often "upside down" and requires spiritual wisdom that a machine can't replicate.
• [00:27:35] A powerful use case: Using AI to analyze anonymized engagement data to flag people who might be pulling away from the church so you can reach out proactively.
• [00:29:57] Important legal and ethical considerations around data privacy, including GDPR.
• [00:34:05] The value of preparation: Using AI to think through potential scenarios before walking into a difficult pastoral situation, inspired by the book Never Split the Difference.
• [00:38:15] A personal story from Carly about leaning on God when ministry and family life collide.
• [00:43:31] Practical advice for starting with technology: Start small and "try it on like a new pair of shoes" to see what works for your unique ministry context.
• [00:45:46] A great idea: Use technology to create an anonymous survey asking your congregation what sermon topics they truly need to hear.
• [00:48:44] The opportunity in tragedy: Pastoral care allows us to see a side of God—as comforter—that we can only experience during life's most difficult moments.
• [00:51:25] Pastoral care for the pastor: The freed-up time isn't just for more work; it's also for personal rest and spiritual recharging, which allows you to serve from a place of overflow.
• [00:52:23] Next Episode Preview: Addressing the Critics: Technology, Faith, and Biblical Integrity.
• [00:53:45] Call to Action: The biggest thing you can do is share this podcast with others in ministry!