Experience Church Launches Theo, an AI Assistant Built to Answer Fast

Theo rendering

Using Theo

Available around the clock, Theo answers questions on beliefs, kids ministry and visits — and hands off to a pastor when a person is what's needed.

SURPRISE, AZ, UNITED STATES, September 3, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- ExperienceChurch.tv is launching Theo, an AI assistant available around the clock on the church's website, designed to answer questions about the church, its beliefs, and its ministries the moment someone asks — without a phone call, a voicemail, or a wait for office hours.

The intent behind it is plain: help people find what they're looking for faster, whether that's a service time or a serious theological question.

NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR PEOPLE

The church is direct about what Theo is and isn't.

"This was never about replacing human interaction," said Senior Pastor Dennis Cummins. "It's about supplementing it. Somebody shouldn't have to call an office and get routed through three people to find out what time we start, or whether their four-year-old is safe in our kids ministry. Those answers should be available the second they want them."

Theo introduces itself as a chatbot and says plainly that it is not a person if anyone asks — a deliberate design choice.

Questions that need a human still go to one. Anything involving grief, a death in the family, a marriage in trouble, illness, or personal crisis is routed straight to a pastor rather than answered by the assistant. Conversations touching on suicide or self-harm trigger an immediate handoff: the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the church office number, and an urgent encouragement to reach a real person.

"There are conversations a machine has no business having," Cummins said. "We drew those lines first, before we built anything else."

WHAT THEO CAN ANSWER

Theo draws on a knowledge base assembled specifically for the church, covering service times, locations, and what to expect on a first visit; kids ministry, including ages, check-in and pickup procedures, background checks, and safety practices; youth, young adults, women's ministry, men's ministry, and Legacy 60; what the church believes, including its Statement of Biblical Convictions; deeper theological questions drawing on Pastor Cummins's book "Going Deeper"; serving on the Dream Team and worship team auditions; giving, including stock, property, and legacy gifts; and Hearts for Nepal, the church's nonprofit work.

On doctrinal questions, Theo cites Scripture references so people can see the foundation of an answer rather than taking it on assertion. It is also built to distinguish between the church's essential beliefs and its held positions — stating the latter as the church's stance without implying that believers who see it differently are outside the faith.

Theo also supports voice conversation. Visitors can speak to it and hear answers aloud, which the church expects to be especially useful for older members and anyone who finds typing difficult.

ON ACCURACY

Cummins is candid that the tool is not flawless.

"I liken it to Tesla's self-driving feature," he said. "It isn't perfect. But it's faster and more consistent at getting somebody a straight answer than making phone calls and being routed around until you find the right person. And when it doesn't know something, it says so instead of guessing."

Theo is built to decline rather than improvise. If a question falls outside what it has been given, it says it doesn't know and points to the office.

AVAILABLE NOW

Theo is live at ExperienceChurch.tv. There is no app to download and no account to create — visitors click the chat button and start asking.

ABOUT EXPERIENCECHURCH.TV

ExperienceChurch.tv is a non-denominational church founded in 1991, with campuses in South Hill, Puyallup, Washington, and Surprise, Arizona. Its mission is to connect people to Christ, equip them for success, and empower them for leadership. Dennis Cummins serves as Senior Pastor.

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Dariel Cummins
ExperienceChurch.tv
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