My journey into the intersection of faith and technology began in the early 2000s when I launched the first technology ministry at my church—shortly after completing my library and information science degree. What started as a practical role quickly became a calling that led me to seminary, where I wrote my M.Div thesis on how digital technologies could impact Black church communities.
Over the past two decades, I’ve worked across multiple spheres—technology ministry, theological education, teaching, and research—helping clergy, students, faculty, staff, and administrators navigate technological change with wisdom and confidence. Through all these experiences, one principle has remained constant: technology is most transformative when it’s aligned with our deepest values.
I believe that the speed of innovation should never drive our decisions—our values should. Connection must be grounded in genuine presence. And systems should be designed to empower human well-being and care for creation, not ignore them.
Today, I work with institutions, groups, and individuals who are wrestling with the complex intersections of education, literacy, technology, and faith leadership. Whether I’m advising administrators on policy development, coaching faculty through pedagogical shifts, training student pastors for ministry in a digital age, or helping shape new models of leadership in an AI-augmented world, my commitment remains the same: collaborating on what’s next.
My vision is simple yet profound: environments where compassionate care and value-aligned AI use don’t just coexist—they amplify each other, creating impact designed to last for generations.
Elonda Clay 