It’s never been easier to create a website that looks finished but does not truly serve people well.
My wife, Rebecca, owns a dance studio, so I jump into the family business where I can. Most of the time, that looks like loading recital pieces in and out, helping keep the building maintained and occasionally stepping in to help with communication needs, including the website.
While working on some of that, I decided to test a few AI tools and see how they might help. I asked one to build me a homepage for the dance studio that represented the different dance styles that the studio offers. As one of the examples, it gave me a picture of a beer tap to represent tap dancing.
It was funny, but not exactly what we were looking for. And that is the point. AI can move fast, but it does not understand certain nuances. You can launch websites faster than ever using AI, but speed can come at a cost to clarity, accuracy and care.
Your website may be someone’s first interaction with your church. Before they ever walk through your doors, they may visit your site. And if that experience is confusing, outdated or impersonal, it can quietly create barriers.
We’re all about using AI as a tool to support your message or mission. It can help you get started on a project, get you past a pain point or even clarify a complex situation. But AI uses your prompts to guess at what you are wanting to create. Everything should be reviewed and understood before it is put in place. That could be code, messaging or the overall experience of the site.
And honestly, this question of “What is Real?” is bigger than AI.
A website can look polished and still not serve people well. It can be modern but confusing. It can say the right things and still not feel like the actual church. Real websites show care because they are maintained and kept current. They reflect the actual church, not a generic experience, and they help people know where to go, what to expect and how to take a next step.
As a church leader, remember that yes, AI can get you from point A to point B, but it is not your voice and it is not your calling. You do not need to chase every technology to be effective.
What matters most is clarity, consistency and care. Use AI to remove obstacles, but never let it replace human discernment and intentionality. AI is not the main character in your work. You are.