Is AI 'Slop' Undermining Your Ministry?
An Appeal Against Mediocrity
Have you heard of Slop?
Growing up alongside high-speed Internet in the '90s, I can recall the rise of spam—a plethora of unwanted promotional media thrust into email inboxes at all hours of the day.
With AI, we see a new dawning of unwanted content… Slop.
Maybe you’ve seen it already. A post of a one-legged veteran standing next to a Korean flight attendant with Jesus embracing the duo from behind. And, of course, the veteran has a sign that says, “It’s my birthday… why won’t anyone share this?” The caption will read, “A perfect couple . . . don’t you agree? Scarlett Johannsen.” The comment section will be filled with suspect responses of “Amen” and emoji.
What’s happening? Why do these keep appearing in our feeds?
We’ve allowed our space to become sloppy.
There are untoward benefactors who are experimenting with our attention, feeding AI to determine what combination of words and phrases grab our attention the quickest. They automate those phrases into an image generator and then allow the affirmation cycle to generate a bias, often for veterans, amputees, Jesus, and flight attendants.
My fear is the response of the pastor at this moment. Will we see the fruit of maximizing the attention of the consumer? Or will we strive for greater excellence?
As we navigate this digital age, it's imperative to resist the temptation of mediocrity and strive for excellence rooted in scripture and informed by the realities of our online environment.
The Call to Excellence in Scripture
The Bible speaks extensively about the importance of wholehearted devotion and excellence in all we do.
"Whatever task you must do, work as if your soul depends on it, as for the Lord and not for humans, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ."
Colossians 3:23-24 (NRSVue)
This passage calls us to approach our work with dedication and integrity, a principle that applies equally to digital ministry.
I think of the artist Bezalel in the account of the Israelites building the Ark of the Covenant. God hand-picked someone with a passion for craft. And then Bezalel stepped into his role and worked with artisans from the community to craft something worthy of housing the Holy of Holies.
While I empathize with the plight of being noticed on the Internet, it simply cannot drive us toward a lackluster dwelling place for the Jesus we offer. What does it profit one to gain the whole Mr Beast subscriber base1 but lose their soul?
Relying heavily on, or worse, intentionally crafting manipulative AI-generated content can lead to a decline in quality and authenticity, resulting in what can be perceived as slop.
This trend not only diminishes the credibility of digital ministry but also fails to engage and nourish the spiritual lives of our audience. As pastors and digital ministers, we must prioritize creating meaningful and well-crafted content that truly resonates with our audience and glorifies God. Even better, we ought to utilize AI to connect Christian communities or spiritual practices better.
But, at a bare minimum, we should not add to the slop.
A Bleak Possibility: Dead Internet Theory
It’s also possible that these posts aren’t even really reaching the people we want to reach as the Church… that is to say, actual people.
The Dead Internet Theory posits that much of the content and engagement online is generated by bots rather than real human interaction. This theory, while controversial, underscores a significant challenge in digital ministry: the uncertainty of genuine engagement. Many digital ministers and churches strive for widespread reach, only to find that their perceived audience may not be as engaged (or real) as it appears.
The proliferation of AI-generated content and bot activity has led some to believe that nearly half of all internet traffic is non-human. This raises concerns about online interactions' authenticity and digital engagement metrics' reliability.
For pastors using AI, the Dead Internet Theory should serve as a sobering reminder that the appearance of digital success may be misleading. AI-generated content and bot interactions might inflate engagement metrics but do not represent genuine human connections. We are not effectively sharing the gospel message if we are not reaching real people.
The essence of ministry lies in authentic, meaningful engagement with individuals, something bots and AI cannot replicate. Therefore, digital ministers must prioritize creating high-quality, authentic content that resonates with real people rather than chasing artificially inflated numbers.
Strategies for Avoiding Mediocrity
1. Intentional Content Creation: Invest time and effort crafting Biblically sound, relevant, and engaging messages. Avoid the temptation to churn out content to have something to post.
2. Authentic Engagement: Focus on building genuine connections with your audience. Encourage meaningful conversations and provide opportunities for real-time interaction.
3. Continuous Learning: Stay informed about the latest trends and technologies in digital ministry, but use them as tools to enhance your message, not replace the need for thoughtful content creation.
4. Collaborative Efforts: Work with other digital ministers to share resources, ideas, and support. As noted, the internet allows collaborative efforts to enhance our ministry's quality and reach.
5. Scriptural Anchoring: Regularly revisit and reflect on scriptures that call for excellence in our work. Let these scriptures guide and inspire your digital ministry efforts.
6. Create a Covenant: In addition to an AI policy—often the clarion call of a major AI ministry influencer, Kenny Jahng—it might behoove those in the ministry to recall our covenant to the Great Commission. Consider creating a covenant in your leadership around the use of AI for the purpose of the gospel message.
7. The Yoke is Light: The Internet is always on and intimidating. You don’t have to have a daily content calendar. You don’t have to always respond to comments. You don’t have to go viral. Give yourself permission to be human online and not obsess over numbers to the point of creating ethical cheats by AI manipulation.
World 2-5 Complete
Using AI and digital platforms in ministry is not inherently problematic but must be done with intention and discernment. We must guard against the lure of mediocrity and strive for excellence in all we do. By anchoring our efforts in scripture, focusing on genuine engagement, and committing to high-quality content creation, we can honor God and effectively minister to our digital communities. May our digital offerings be pleasing to God and impactful to those we serve.
Q: Why did the pastor insist on having a Nintendo in the sanctuary?
A: They were hoping to see some Wii-vival.
This is a bit of a tongue-in-cheek nod to my friend Jim Keat’s post on content creation inspired by Mr Beast (which I enjoyed). By all means, do follow his directions and not the directions of the AI slop creation engine.