Recent Release, "Pastoral Formation...," by Roy Butler, Explores How Pastors Can Navigate AI While Maintaining Their Spiritual Foundations

Sierra Vista, AZ, October 09, 2026 --(PR.com)-- Roy Butler has completed a new book, titled, "Pastoral Formation in the Age of AI: A Pastor's Confession, Awakening, and Search for Faithful Clarity," which offers an unflinching look at how technology quietly reshapes ministry. Butler, a bivocational pastor juggling countless demands, initially welcomed AI as a practical solution—a helpful tool to streamline sermon preparation and lighten his overwhelming workload. What began as a reasonable partnership with a simple chatbot gradually transformed his pastoral work in ways he never anticipated, eroding something precious without his conscious awareness.

With more than twenty-five years of vocational pastoral ministry, Butler brings seasoned wisdom to this vulnerable account. His background as a United States Army chaplain instilled in him a steady, compassionate approach to leadership—one rooted in the conviction that faith must be lived and expressed within real-world complexity. A graduate of Wayland Baptist University and Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, he has spent his career equipping believers for spiritual maturity while helping church leaders think strategically about the church's future in a rapidly evolving culture. As founding pastor of ShoutChurch in Sierra Vista, Arizona, Butler demonstrates the visionary leadership and biblical depth that inform his wrestling with this contemporary challenge.

This stirring work examines the tension between efficiency and authentic pastoral formation, the distance that can grow between a shepherd and his flock, and the costly silence that often surrounds our deepest struggles. Butler doesn't condemn emerging technologies or advocate for their blind acceptance; instead, he offers a candid, spiritually grounded exploration of how church leaders can maintain integrity and remain rooted in Scripture while thoughtfully engaging the tools of a new era. Readers will discover essential questions about the integration of AI into ministry, permission to examine their own relationship with technology, and a pathway toward faithful clarity in an uncertain landscape.

"I realized that somewhere between pursuing efficiency and developing dependence on AI, I had drifted from the very essence of what called me to pastoral ministry in the first place," said Butler. "This book is my invitation to other church leaders to pause, reflect, and choose intentional faithfulness over uncritical adoption."

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Roy Butler's transparent work equips pastors and congregational leaders with both conviction and practical wisdom. This confession will resonate deeply with anyone navigating the intersection of faith and technology.

Readers who wish to experience this enlightening work can purchase "Pastoral Formation in the Age of AI" at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.
For additional information or inquiries, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.