Purpose

This statement records how I use LLM tools in my work at Mayflower Church and as a scholar. This practice is current and ongoing, and I have spoken about it openly. It is documented in writing, with a date, so the practice is part of the written record rather than something held only in conversation.

Where an LLM is or may be used

Administrative work. Scheduling, meeting agendas, minutes, and operational documents. LLMs may draft some email replies for me to review and edit.

Organizational communications. Newsletters, announcements, slide decks, blog posts for the church website, blog posts derived from my sermons.

Content under my own byline. Review and editing of Substack essays, articles, and teaching handouts.

Feedback on my own writing. I write a document myself and use LLMs to critique it. My prose stays as written. The LLM supplies comments, which I accept or reject, like an editor.

Ministry deliverables. AI agents receive my sermon and revise the material into resources for small groups, children's ministry, or social media. Tools like PastorAI produce similar materials commercially for pastors. The reference is to the category of work, not to any particular product's features.

The pulpit

Research. I prepare my own exegesis of the text. I may use LLMs to research my theological library.

Manuscript. Trained LLM agents review my sermon draft and critique it. They also format the sermon the way I like it for preaching.

Visuals. I may use LLM agents to create the sermon slides.

Post-delivery. Trained agents assess the sermon audio, give me delivery feedback, identify sermon clips, and prepare them for social media.

Scholarly work

My use of LLMs as a scholar is limited to managing my research library and converting public domain works for use in Logos Bible Software.