AI in the Church: How to Create Small Group Discussion Guides in Minutes

The Struggle with Small Group Content

If you’ve ever led a church or small group ministry, you know the challenge. Groups start strong, but over time they often run out of meaningful content. Instead of deep discussions, they drift into casual social gatherings.

And for pastors? Finding the time to write fresh discussion questions every week is nearly impossible when you’re already managing sermons, pastoral care, and administrative tasks.

Here’s the good news: AI can change that.

Using AI to Create Small Group Guides

AI tools like ChatGPT can generate discussion guides in less than five minutes — based on your own sermons and teaching style.

Here’s how it works:

1. Get a transcript or outline of your Sunday message (using free transcription tools or just your sermon notes).

2. Write a clear prompt telling the AI who it is, what to do, and the format you want. For example:

   “You are an executive-level pastor with 25 years of experience writing small group materials. Using this sermon transcript, create a guide with an icebreaker, Scripture, three discussion questions, and an application step.”

3. Drop in your transcript or outline and let the AI build the guide.

In seconds, you’ll have a resource ready for small group leaders. And because you can edit the output, it still carries your pastoral voice.

Adapting for Different Audiences

The real power of AI is flexibility. With just a quick adjustment, the same guide can be tailored for:

• Adult small groups – deeper theological discussion

• Youth groups – relevant examples like friendships, school, or sports

• Children’s classes – simple icebreakers and everyday illustrations

For example, an illustration about grace as breathing could shift to:

• Adults: “What everyday experiences remind you of God’s sustaining grace?”

• Youth: “What’s something like Wi-Fi or music that’s always around but easy to forget?”

• Kids: “Can you think of a time your mom or dad helped you without you even realizing it?”

This adaptability ensures that everyone in your church is processing the same message in age-appropriate ways.

A Quick Aside: Wesley AI

Tools like Wesley AI can go even further. Beyond discussion guides, Wesley AI acts as a church website chatbot that answers questions 24/7 about services, events, and even Wesleyan theology. It’s one example of how AI can reduce admin time so pastors can focus on shepherding people.

Faith + Technology: A Wesleyan Approach

Throughout history, the church has embraced new tools — from the printing press to radio, TV, and livestreaming. AI is no different. Like John Wesley’s encouragement to “do all the good you can, by all the means you can,” pastors today can use AI to spread truth, build community, and deepen discipleship.

Action Steps for Pastors

Ready to try this out? Here are some quick wins:

• This Sunday: Save your sermon outline and drop it into ChatGPT with the prompt above.

• Experiment with audiences: Ask the AI to adjust the guide for youth or children’s groups.

• Build a series: Batch all your sermons for the next month to create four weeks of content in advance.

• Download a resource: Try using pre-built AI prompts for pastors to get started even faster.

Closing Encouragement

Pastors, you don’t have to spend late nights writing small group guides. AI isn’t here to replace your ministry — it’s here to multiply your impact. By freeing up time and equipping leaders, you can get back to what matters most: being with people and guiding them toward Jesus.