On Thursday, September 4, 2025, over 450 clergy and laity from the Tennessee-Western Kentucky, Kentucky, and Central Appalachian conferences gathered together in Bowling Green, KY and online for a seminar led by Al Tompkins on how churches might communicate with clarity and use AI smartly.
We began with opening music led by the Broadway UMC worship team, and an introduction from Bishop Graves. We celebrated the 1-year anniversary of Bishop Graves being appointed to the Kentucky-Tennessee Episcopal area.
The discussion started by talking about storytelling – how stories are told, how to build impactful stories, and why impactful stories are critical in church environments. Tompkins shared journalistic techniques for building compelling narratives and emphasized tailoring messages to people across generations and social contexts.
The conversation then turned to artificial intelligence. Tompkins highlighted both the promise and the pitfalls of AI, noting how it can inspire new ministry ideas, extend Sunday messages into podcasts or newsletters, and support creativity. Tompkins demonstrated the dangers of AI regarding how easy it is to manipulate a photo, video, or audio to drive a false narrative.
The gathering concluded with closing worship and Holy Communion, sending participants out with fresh tools and perspectives for ministry in a digital age, and an invitation from Bishop Graves to continue leading from our true self. The evening Zoom gathering focused on how laity could be informed and offer support for faithful and responsible communication for their congregation and their own personal witness in the world.
All who gathered were thankful for the generous gift from Cal Turner, Jr., who made this day of spiritual leadership development possible.
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