Jay Kim on Ministry in the Age of AI, Pastoring in Silicon Valley, and Offering a Non-Anxious Presence in a Digital World
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In today’s episode, Jay Kim joins Jason for a conversation on pastoral ministry, spiritual formation, and what it means to follow Jesus faithfully in a world marked by speed, distraction, and rapidly changing technology. Jay reflects on how digital culture is reshaping our imaginations, our communities, and even our understanding of what it means to be human.
Jay also speaks candidly about the personal cost of pastoral leadership. He shares the pain and formation that came through difficult ministry seasons, the relational complexity of stepping into senior leadership, and the grief that often accompanies pastoral vocation. Together, Jason and Jay discuss how pastors can resist the extremes of fear and uncritical acceptance of technological change, and instead offer their communities a grounded, Christ-centered vision of life together.
Jay and Jason explore:
Jay’s story of pastoral ministry, from teaching pastor to senior leadership, and the formative hardship of his years serving in Santa Cruz,
What it was like returning to WestGate as lead pastor, and the joy, grief, and relational complexity that can come with stepping into a new role,
Why pastors need honest friendships outside their immediate ministry context, especially when leadership feels isolating or painful,
How Silicon Valley has sharpened Jay’s thinking about discipleship, formation, and the deeper questions being raised by technology and AI,
Asking “what does it mean to be truly human, and how does Jesus show us the answer?”
How pastors can respond to technological change without either fear or naïve optimism, and instead embody a slow, careful, non-anxious presence for their people,
The opportunity for the local church to become a deeply human, countercultural community in an increasingly artificial and polished world,
Why, in an age obsessed with scale, polish, and efficiency, one of the most powerful gifts pastors can offer is simple, flawed, embodied personhood.
Jay Kim
Jay Kim is the Lead Pastor of WestGate Church in Silicon Valley, a multi-congregational church serving communities at the heart of the global tech world. He has served in local church ministry for nearly two decades across student ministry, church planting, teaching, and pastoral leadership.
Jay is the author of Analog Church, Analog Christian, and Listen, Listen, Speak, books that explore what faithful discipleship looks like in a digital age. His work helps Christians recover slower, embodied, relational practices of following Jesus in a distracted world. He lives in Silicon Valley with his wife Jenny and their children.
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Special thanks to the Canadian Bible Society for making this episode possible. We invite you to explore their Bible Course to help your church grow in Scripture engagement.
