Pulpit AI and the Future of Visuals in Church with Michael Whittle

Show Notes

Michael Whittle joins Conversation with Ministry Leaders to discuss his journey with Pulpit AI.

He worked in startups for 15 years in advertising and ad tech. However, his passion for ministry never faded. After planting a church in Los Angeles in 2015, he accidentally discovered the intersection of AI and church technology.

Pulpit AI exists to amplify local church pastors’ voices. The platform takes sermon content and transforms it into discipleship materials. These include devotionals, small group guides, and discussion questions. Moreover, the AI stays trained specifically on pastor sermons rather than external datasets. This approach ensures theological accuracy and maintains the pastor’s authentic voice.

The company began when Michael uploaded a podcast episode to an AI tool. He was amazed by the results. Next, he tested it with his pastor friend’s sermon. The outcome was so impressive that he immediately bought the domain and built a simple web app. When he tweeted about it in summer 2023, the post went viral overnight.

Today, users can upload various file formats including MP3s, videos, and PDFs. The platform automatically generates content and includes a chat feature for sermon coaching. Additionally, Whittle believes AI will revolutionize how pastors learn from their entire sermon libraries.

However, AI also presents new challenges for believers. Some of these require pastors to navigate complex theological and emotional territories that didn’t exist before.

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