In my last post, I explored the “persona” approach—giving your AI assistant a role to play and letting that guide the interaction. Today, I want to flip the script. Literally.
Instead of feeding the AI a bunch of content and hoping it gives you something useful, what if you gave it the target—your goal, your destination, the thing you’re trying to accomplish—and then let the AI ask you what it needs to help you get there?
This is called the “Flipping the Script” method. And it’s changed the way I plan events, set ministry goals, and even write goofy-but-effective skits for a mission trip.
Start with the End in Mind
You can always open a chat with AI and start by dumping in a bunch of random details, hoping the AI will stitch them into something helpful. Many times that works. Then again, it can be like handing someone a thousand puzzle pieces with no idea what the picture is supposed to be.
Flipping the script means you start with the picture on the box. You say: “This is what I’m trying to build.” And then you invite the AI to guide the process, ask clarifying questions, or build a framework to get you there.
For example:
- “I want to plan a 3-day youth retreat focused on prayer.”
- “I need a 6-month plan for improving communication between our elders and congregation.”
- “I need a funny, meaningful skit for our Honduras mission team that highlights servant-heartedness.”
Once you’ve named the target, the AI can begin working backward with you—often asking surprisingly smart questions along the way.
From Guide to Collaborator
When I first tried this with AI, I was shocked at how quickly it started thinking with me. Not just parroting back ideas, but co-laboring.
Planning an event? It might ask
- “What’s your audience’s age range?”
- “Do you have a theme already?”
- “What kind of space or budget are we working with?”
Setting a goal? It might say:
- “How will you know when you’ve succeeded?”
- “Are there deadlines or stakeholders to keep in mind?”
It started doing what any great ministry teammate would do—drawing out the vision, catching the gaps, and helping me focus.
Great Uses for the Script Flipping Pattern
There are numerous great ways to use this approach to prompt writing. Rather than putting the stress on yourself of everything you need to think of, AI can do the heavy lifting. Here are some ideas for how you can use this approach:
Youth Retreat Planning (For Student Ministers or Volunteers)
Prompt: “I want to plan a weekend retreat for middle schoolers focused on spiritual friendship. Ask me questions about this until you have enough information to help me with a plan.”
Application: AI asks about your goals, location, speaker options, attention span of the age group, etc.—then helps generate themes, schedules, games, and even packing lists.
Spiritual Goal Setting (For Individual Members)
Prompt: “I want to grow in prayer over the next month. Can you help me create a plan? Ask me one question at a time about this until you have enough information to help me with our specific needs.”
Application: AI asks what times you have available, what types of prayer you’re comfortable with, and what has/hasn’t worked before. It builds a realistic and personal spiritual growth plan.
Elder Vision-Casting (For Church Leaders)
Prompt: “Our elders want to create a three-year vision for discipleship. Can you ask me one question at a time about what you need to guide the process? Be sure that it is a good fit for our church based on our specific history, affiliation, and ministry opportunities.”
Application: AI prompts them with questions about values, current strengths, cultural needs, and future hopes, then helps organize their responses into a vision document or plan.
College Student Life Balance (For Young Adults)
Prompt: “I’m a Christian college student trying to balance studies, church, and friendships. Can you help me think through my schedule and priorities? Ask me one question at a time about what all I have going on so that you can make specific recommendations.”
Application: AI asks about commitments, spiritual routines, and relational health—then offers suggestions for rebalancing in a way that feels achievable and healthy.
Small Group Curriculum Development (For Volunteers or Ministers)
Prompt: “I want to build a 4-week small group series that encourages deeper connection and sharing among adults. Ask me one question at a time about previous studies, desired outcomes, specific opportunities, and whatever else could help you recommend a curriculum plan that’s a great fit for us and our needs.”
Application: AI asks about the demographic, desired outcomes, Scripture preferences, and past series—then helps structure a teaching + discussion flow that fits.
New Member Engagement Plan (For Church Staff or Hospitality Team)
Prompt: “I want to build a welcoming process for new members that helps them get plugged into our church within 60 days. Ask me one question at a time about our church, our context, and other matters which can help you with a recommendation for a process that is a great fit for our needs.”
Application: AI asks about current challenges, available teams, congregational culture, and demographic data—then helps draft steps, scripts, and contact points for hospitality follow-up.
A Practical Template for Flipping the Script
If you want to try this approach, here’s a simple way to begin:
Step 1: Define the Target
Start your prompt with a clear statement of the outcome you want. This is your “end picture.” Be specific, but don’t worry about giving all the details up front.
Examples:
- “I want to plan a community outreach event focused on single parents.”
- “I need a 4-week sermon series that helps people wrestle with doubt and faith.”
- “I’m writing a devotional book and need help structuring the chapters.”
Step 2: Ask the AI to Ask You
Literally say something like:
“Instead of me giving you all the details, I’d like you to ask me the questions you need in order to help me accomplish this.”
This flips the conversation. Now the AI is in the driver’s seat, learning from you what it needs.
Step 3: Follow the Trail
Answer the questions it asks. Offer honest, simple replies. As the AI responds, you’ll often find yourself thinking more clearly just by saying out loud what’s been swirling in your head. The AI becomes a kind of conversation partner and thought-organizer.
Pro Tip: “Ask me one question at a time…”
Also, if AI is asking you too many questions, simply say, “Please ask me one question at a time until you get all the information that you need.” It will slow down and avoid overwhelming you that way. Otherwise it might give you a list of 10 questions to answer at once, which can become cumbersome.
Likewise, if it is too quick to start generating suggestions, let it know, “I want your suggestions to be more specific to my context. Please ask me more questions about what I’m working on so that you can tailor your responses to my needs.”
When the AI Goes Off Course
Sometimes AI gives answers that miss the mark. What do you do when that happens?
Here are a few tricks that you might find helpful:
1. Redirect Gently
Just like in a real conversation, you don’t have to start over. Say:
- “That’s not quite what I had in mind. Could we focus more on [X]?”
- “Can you give a version that’s simpler/more detailed/funnier/etc.?”
AI is usually very good at course-correcting if you give it a little nudge.
2. Zoom Out or Zoom In
If it gets lost in the weeds, ask it to back up:
“Can you give me a 3-step outline first before we dive into details?”
Or if it’s being too vague:
“Can you develop that point further? I need it to be more practical.”
3. Name What You Like
When something does work, say so. It helps the AI learn your style and tone for future responses:
“That second example really hits what I’m going for—can we build on that?”
Over time, your AI assistant starts to feel like a trusted collaborator, not just a tool.
Try This Prompt: Youth Group Game Idea Generator
Here’s another of my favorite prompts I created. It utilizes a Flip the Script approach so that an AI program (I recommend ChatGPT) can generate possible games you can play on a youth retreat. What I like about this is that I have the prompt attempt to cater the ideas to the spiritual theme of the camp or retreat. This adds an extra layer of emphasis and a greater likelihood that the game might have a sense of newness about it. If you want to try it, simply copy and paste the prompt below in its entirety:
This prompt is to help a youth minister create fresh game ideas for a church youth group ages 13 to 18.
Where you see CAPITAL LETTERS, these are variables that you are to fill in with your own ideas.
Begin by telling me that you’re excited to help me come up with some game ideas, and you’d like to know a little more about the location where the games will be taking place.
Ask me questions about my event, one question at a time, until you know the following information about the setting:
- The number of participants you are expecting
- Whether it will indoors or outdoors
- Whether it will be light or dark
- Is there a scripture or theme to incorporate into the game ideas?
- Is there a second setting also to consider and collect information about?
- Any other details I would like to share
You may have other relevant questions you want to ask based on the information I provide. Please ask me for any useful additional information so that you can make excellent recommendations. Once you know all this information about the setting, be very specific and generate original game ideas that are a great fit for the specific setting where they will be played. You will come up with a fresh twist based on the scripture or theme.
Create one game each for the following categories that match the setting well. If there is more than one setting, vary between the settings as you invent new games.
Categories:
A Reflection Game. This requires participants to be more still and to focus on conversational topics that gradually become more serious and heartfelt, preparing them for a time of devotion.
An Ice Breaker Game. This helps people divide and sort into smaller groups and connect with each other.
A Seated Game. This is something people can play while most are sitting down
A Relay Game. This requires teams to compete with each other, one at a time. It may involve extra props, items, or sports equipment.
A Messy Game. This is an active game that somehow involves players to get messy or to touch something messy.
A Speaking Game. This requires participants to talk, share riddles, or somehow utilizes a creative form of verbal communication.
A Performance Game. This requires participants to take turns doing something in front of the group for the group to understand or evaluate. This should ideally be humorous.
As you create fresh and innovative games that are a great fit for the people, the setting, and sometimes draw inspiration from the theme or scripture, output your ideas in the following format:
GAME CATEGORY
GAME NAME
ONE SENTENCE GAME SUMMARY
LIST OF NEEDED SUPPLIES
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOW TO PLAY THE GAME
After you have generated one game for each category, and I have had the time to look through your work ask me if I am ready to continue.
Then, ask me to select from the following options:
- I am satisfied and am ready to stop
- I would like you to add more details to an existing game you’ve generated
- I would like to use the same criteria and setting to generate another set of games
- I would like to start over with a new setting for new games
Follow up and help me with whichever option I select.
Partnering Toward a Purpose
Flipping the script is more than a clever prompting technique—it’s a mindset shift.
It reminds us that AI isn’t just a novelty or a gimmick. Used well, it can be a creative partner that draws out clarity, structure, and momentum. It helps you think better, not just faster. But only when you lead with purpose.
So don’t wait for the perfect prompt. Don’t feel like you have to explain everything up front. Just start with the target. Tell the AI what you’re trying to accomplish. And then say:
“Ask me what you need in order to help.”
That one sentence can open up a whole new way of working—less pressure on you to have it all figured out, more energy toward building something that actually fits your context.
Want to try this yourself?
Open your favorite AI tool and give it a goal you care about. Whether it’s planning an event, shaping a study, or just organizing your thoughts, try flipping the script—and let the conversation begin.
