The Dark Side Of AI In Youth Ministry
The Pro Church Tools Show with Brady Shearer
Release Date: 07/23/2025
Things Growing Churches Do Differently
The Pro Church Tools Show with Brady Shearer
I’ve been part of growing churches most of my adult life - as a volunteer, on staff, and in the pews. What I’ve noticed is this: the difference between growing and stagnant churches isn’t what you’d expect. But when you see a healthy church up close, clear patterns emerge - and after fifteen years, I want to share what growing churches consistently do differently. ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 2:38 - Inspiration Beats Information Every Time 7:22 - Sunday Can’t Fix Everything 14:58 - Right Invitation, Right Moment...
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Your Pastor Says "I Don't Like It" But Can't Say Why
The Pro Church Tools Show with Brady Shearer
The most frustrating loop in church creative is pouring hours into a design or video, only to hear “something’s off” or “I don’t like it” with no explanation. It’s usually not stubbornness - most pastors just don’t have the language to explain what they’re reacting to - and today, we’re going to fix that. ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 3:06 - "I Don't Like It" Is A Symptom, Not The Problem 4:26 - Most Churches Have Never Defined Their Voice 8:02 - The Solution Is 8 Words 12:35 - Now You Have A Measuring...
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Top Free AI Tools for Churches
The Pro Church Tools Show with Brady Shearer
Hundreds of new AI tools launch every day, and most of them cost money. We’ve tracked down the ones that are actually free - beyond just ChatGPT - including tools most churches haven’t heard of that could save your team dozens of hours every week. ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 0:36 - Tool #1: TurboScribe 1:55 - Tool #2: tl;dv 3:00 - Tool #3: Claude Cowork 8:45 - Claude Cowork Church Uses IMPORTANT LINKS - TurboScribe: https://turboscribe.ai/ - tl;dv: https://tldv.io/ - Claude Cowork:...
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Surviving the Newest Updates to Church Social Media
The Pro Church Tools Show with Brady Shearer
Social media used to be predictable - now it’s chaos, even when the averages are higher. This episode is about surviving the new game, with the metrics and mindset that actually keep you sane. ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 1:35 - The Volatility Problem 7:45 - The Three Audiences Framework 10:11 - Content Equals Credibility 12:30 - The No Weeks Off Approach (Reframed) 14:26 - How To Stay Sane IMPORTANT LINKS - Church Social Media Trends 2026: https://youtu.be/354IpgzSIEU THE 167 NEWSLETTER 📫 62,646+ churches...
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The 76-Word Church Welcome Email That Works
The Pro Church Tools Show with Brady Shearer
The most important email you’ll ever send someone in your church is the very first one. So we’re going to help you get it right. Today, we’re sharing a 76-word church welcome email that works for churches of any size. It hits every goal a great welcome email should. Feel free to steal it word-for-word. ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 1:50 - Big Idea #1: The First Email You Send Is The Most Important 5:53 - Big Idea #2: Send It From The Pastor 7:25 - Big Idea #3: Choose Your Focus - Connect Elsewhere Or Important Next...
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Churches Like This Won't Survive To 2040
The Pro Church Tools Show with Brady Shearer
The world is changing fast. AI is reshaping economies, industries, and even how we relate to one another. So what does that mean for the church and its future? In one of our most important episodes yet, we’re breaking down four changes every church should seriously consider making before 2030. DOWNLOAD CHEAT SHEET: https://prochur.ch/church-AI-cheat-sheet ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 10:18 - Canon vs. Content 18:00 - Formation vs. Information 26:15 - Communal vs. Individual 31:45 - Cost vs. Convenience THE...
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Church Lingo To Dump In 2026
The Pro Church Tools Show with Brady Shearer
The language you use shapes the culture you build. And when that language goes stale, it quietly starts holding things back. So today, we’re sharing our list of church lingo to retire in 2026 - and what to consider saying instead. ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 2:30 - Why Does This Matter? 4:25 - Do Life Together 7:25 - Season Of Singleness 9:20 - Wow 12:03 - Circles Not Rows 13:03 - Welcome Home 16:22 - Don't Miss It 18:20 - Loving On 19:56 - Turn To Your Neighbor 21:17 - Daddy God THE 167 NEWSLETTER 📫 62,646+...
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Church Merch: The Master Guide
The Pro Church Tools Show with Brady Shearer
When it comes to church shirts, most of us default to tossing a logo on the front and calling it done. But with a few thoughtful changes, you can turn simple merch into something people genuinely love to wear outside of Sunday morning. So today, we’ve invited our friend Karl Nilsson onto the podcast to walk us through his practical workflows and share the wisdom he’s picked up creating merch that actually gets worn. ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 1:10 - Design Process 5:50 - Karl’s Style 8:56 - Design Process Cont'd...
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Church Tech Lessons I Wish I Knew Earlier
The Pro Church Tools Show with Brady Shearer
When you serve at church, there are always going to be ideas, projects, or ministries you’re unsure about. Sometimes your instincts are right. Sometimes they’re not. Today, we’re sharing real stories from churches that pushed past their initial resistance, took the risk anyway, and saw incredible results. ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 1:55 - Building A Human Claw Machine 5:26 - Hiring A Full Time Creative 10:02 - Live Stream 15:32 - Getting Away From "Professional" Video Announcements 19:02 - Youth Group Instagram...
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Fix Your Church's Awful Team Culture
The Pro Church Tools Show with Brady Shearer
Skills alone can’t compensate for a broken culture. If the team is unhealthy, the ministry will always feel stuck. Today, we’re laying out a reset plan — a practical roadmap to start rebuilding trust, clarity, and a healthy team culture. Let’s get to work. ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 1:12 - Why This Matters 7:53 - Value 1: Bring Heaven to Earth 11:52 - Value 2: Say the Quiet Part Out Loud 17:48 - Value 3: Yes Be Yes, No Be No 21:48 - Value 4: Disagreement Is Not Disrespect 27:06 - Value 5: Solutions First 33:05 -...
info_outlineMore and more teens are turning to AI chatbots for connection, advice, and answers. What could go wrong? If you’re in youth ministry, you may have already seen the dark side of this trend. In this video, we explore why this shift could be more damaging to Gen Z than social media was for Millennials—and what your ministry can do about it.
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Table of Contents:
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0:00 - Intro
3:00 - Takeaway #1: Delegation Becomes Dependency (Dr. Caroline Leaf)
6:57 - Takeaway #2: Formation Needs Friction
13:00 - Takeaway #3: AI Is Not A Friend
25:17 - The Theological Argument *For* AI In Ministry
IMPORTANT LINKS
- Caroline Leaf: https://x.com/DrCarolineLeaf
- Your Brain On Chatgpt: https://bit.ly/4nyRHKn
- Hopeful Intelligence: A Framework for How Spiritual Wisdom Can Reimagine AI — David Kim [Talkingbird]: https://bit.ly/4nCb59z
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