I help churches and nonprofits develop an AI strategy for their staff, from developing the policy to training and implementation.
Somebody on your team drafted an email with ChatGPT this week. Somebody else pasted in meeting notes, and maybe a prayer list. They were trying to do good work faster, and nobody had told them where the lines are.
Pastors are in the same spot. In Barna’s 2026 research, only 13% of pastors said they don’t use AI at all, and 71% described themselves as cautious about it. Leading a staff through tools you use but don’t fully trust is hard without shared rules.
It’s a fixable problem. A short written policy and one solid training session move a staff from guessing to knowing.
Source: Barna, “Pastors Are Using AI More Than You Think,” 2026.
Policy and training work best together, and you can start with either one. Everything is shaped around your staff, your tools, and the people you serve.
For pastors, executive teams, and boards
I work with your leadership to write guardrails that fit your church: which tools are approved, what information stays out of them, and what a person must always decide. I helped develop the AI policy for a large church, so you won’t start from a blank page.
In person or virtual, with your whole team
One session that gets the skeptics and the daily users on the same page. Your staff learns how these tools work, where they get things wrong, how to ask for better results, and what they can hand off on Monday.
For a job no off-the-shelf tool fits
I design and build AI tools for organizations: assistants that answer from your own material, guided training for volunteers, and iOS apps. It’s the same work I do as Chief Innovation Officer at GO! Curriculum.
Churches, nonprofits, and businesses
Training for leaders who need to explain change, handle difficult conversations, and build trust. I’ve led it for corporate teams at Apache Industrial, Aspen Aerogels, and SWICA, and I coach people to be themselves on camera.
Conferences, retreats, and leadership gatherings
Talks for pastors, staff teams, and volunteers on leading people through change, using AI without handing over judgment, and saying what matters clearly.
Every church and nonprofit will answer these differently. A good policy answers all five, in plain language your staff can remember.
I work through each question with your leadership, so the policy fits your people and the way you already work.
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
One session, six parts. It’s the outline I taught to the staff of The Ark Church in November 2026, rebuilt around your tools, your ministries, and your policy.
You tell me about your staff, the tools they use now, and what worries you. The call is free.
I draft guardrails with your leadership team and revise them until they fit how your church works.
I teach the whole team, in person or live over video, using your policy and the tasks they do every week.
These notes come from my communication training and on-camera coaching. I bring the same preparation to every AI session.
“In a world where content is constantly repurposed and rebranded, Dwayne stands out as a true innovator. His ideas and approach are relatable, applicable, and actionable, with a clear path towards effective communication delivering intentional results.”
“Dwayne expertly coached my wife Kari and me, transforming our on-camera skills in record time, resulting in an amazing video.”
Staff pastor · author · speaker · trainer
Dwayne Riner has spent 25 years in children’s ministry as a pastor, curriculum creator, writer, and teacher.
As a staff pastor at The Ark Church in Conroe, Texas, Dwayne leads staff AI training and helped develop the church’s AI policy as part of its AI oversight team. The Ark reaches thousands of people each week in person and online, and he serves on its main-service teaching team.
He is also Chief Innovation Officer for GO! Curriculum, where he develops products and practical uses of technology for churches and families, including custom AI tools. He designs and publishes his own iOS apps as well.
He has written articles for national children’s ministry publications, authored children’s books, created a full video-based curriculum, and develops curriculum for adult classes.
Beyond ministry, Dwayne has trained corporate teams in communication for Apache Industrial, Aspen Aerogels, and SWICA, the Southwest Insulation Contractors Association. That training has covered authentic communication, difficult conversations, psychological safety, and on-camera presence.
His teaching is also shaped by years in professional media production. He has produced more than 500 videos, co-directed national commercial work for LG, directed on-camera talent for brand campaigns, and spoken to audiences of more than 2,000 people.
Confident on Camera is my online course for people who know their subject but stop sounding like themselves when the camera turns on.
View the courseYes, this session helps your staff understand how they’re already using AI, why it’s not here to take their job, and how it will help them achieve more in less time. It demonstrates the benefits without minimizing risks.
Focus on the policy first. Staff training will be more effective when the guardrails are spelled out in writing. The AI environment is murky enough without unclear policies. Your staff will appreciate the clarity.
Yes. I lead the training in person or live over video, and the content is the same either way. Tell me where your team is and how they work, and we’ll choose the format that fits.
Yes, nonprofits and churches face similar challenges. My policy and training process is applicable to a wide variety of organizations.
I can train on individual AI tools, but my policy and staff training isn’t dependent on the tools your organization chooses to use.
I have experience working with organizations such as the Conroe Chamber of Commerce, Apache Industrial, Aspen Aerogels, and SWICA. My training plans and policy guidance will help your organization navigate AI implementation.
Share who you serve, how many are on staff, and what you’d like AI to look like for them a year from now. I’ll reply by email with a few questions and some times to talk.