Artificial intelligence (AI) is crashing into the church.
Should pastors, church workers and Christians in general use it? Is it a phenomenally positive tool, or does it pose a serious threat to humanity and to the church?

These are just two of the pressing questions facing us today. But, first, what are we even talking about when we say “artificial intelligence”? Most people think of ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or any of the other popular large language models (LLMs)/ chatbots. These bots are the “Hungry, Hungry Hippos™” of the computer programming world. Their creators have essentially placed these hungry hippos in a box filled with mind-bogglingly large amounts of text (books and articles), images (artwork and photos) and videos. These serve as “food” for the bot. The bot devours everything in the box and then regurgitates it in intelligible sentences (or images) according to the rules of probability.

When discussing whether Christians should use AI, we need to specify which type of AI we’re considering. Beyond LLMs, AI is also being used in medical research and diagnosis, security and surveillance, warfare, data processing, customer service, process automation and supply chain optimization, marketing and content creation, image and music generation, financial fraud detection, autonomous vehicles and more. This brief article, then, will be limited to the popular LLMs/chatbots most people interact with regularly. Its goal is to encourage wisdom and initiate a conversation that needs to be taken up across our church body.

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Communion Statement 
We believe that in the Lord’s Supper, Christ’s physical body and blood are present in the bread and wine (1 Cor. 11:23-25). We also believe receiving the Lord’s Supper is an act of church fellowship. Scripture cautions that those who receive without recognizing Christ’s body and blood will bring judgment upon themselves (1 Cor. 11:27-29). Therefore, out of love to our guests, we invite to our altar to receive the Lord’s Supper those who are baptized, confirmed, repentant members of Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod congregations or sister congregations. If you are visiting us today from another Christian denomination, we welcome you to come to the altar to receive a baptismal blessing. Please signify by crossing your arms over your chest upon kneeling. 

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Calling All Pro Life Lutherans
PENNSYLVANIA MARCH FOR LIFE HARRISBURG, PA | SEPTEMBER 23, 2024
Gather with pro-life Lutherans prior to the 2024 March for Life Pennsylvania at The Hilton in Harrisburg, One N. 2nd St. in Harrisburg to be encouraged and take a stand for mothers, fathers, and their children born and unborn. A full breakfast, free of charge, (graciously provided by a grant from the English District of the LCMS) will be served from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Speakers Scott Licht of Lutherans for Life, and Maria Gallager from the PA Pro-Life Federation will briefly address us. We will walk together to the Capitol steps for the 11:00 AM Rally and 12:00 PM March.

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There’s an app for that!
Guide your time in God’s Word with the latest apps from Concordia Publishing House.
• InPrayer (Play Store) (Apple Store)
• The Lutheran Bible Study (Play Store) (Apple Store)
• Check out additional apps on LCMS.org

Each service at Zion Lutheran Church (normally the first of our two Sunday services) is streamed LIVE on our YouTube channel. These streams are for Sunday’s, Wednesday’s, Lenten, Advent, and special services. The entire service is streamed from beginning-to-end. Weddings and Funerals can also be streamed, if requested in advance.

Christ is Risen
Tell the Next Generation

We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and His might, and the wonder that He has done. – Psalm 78:4

The 2026-2029 LCMS National Offering,
“Christ is Risen! Tell the Next Generation,” will support the work of congregations, districts and RSO's vigorously to make known the Good News of Jesus Christ among families, young people and children.

For more information on how you and your congregation can support the 2026-2029 National Offering, visit LCMS.org/national-offering