Korean Pastors Say AI Can Generate Sermons But 'Can't Convey a Life' at Preaching Conference

Korean pastors gathered at a conference on the future of preaching in the AI era with a pointed message: artificial intelligence may be able to generate polished sermons complete with structure, illustrations, and theological analysis, but it cannot embody lived faith, suffering, or spiritual encounter. The conference examined how AI tools are already being used by pastors worldwide for sermon research and outline generation, while drawing a bright line between the mechanics of sermon preparation and the irreducibly human — and spiritual — act of preaching. Speakers argued that the power of a sermon lies not in its rhetorical polish but in the preacher's testimony: a life shaped by suffering, joy, doubt, and encounter with the living God. The conference arrives as surveys show roughly one third of Christians trust AI spiritual advice as much as their pastor's, raising urgent questions about whether the church is preparing its people to distinguish between information and incarnation.