If your church is anything like mine, we often have limited resources when it comes to Sunday School curriculum. Sometimes the lesson plans we’re given just don’t connect — either with us or with our students.
That’s why I’m excited to share something that’s made a big difference for me: using ChatGPT to create custom Sunday School lessons straight from Bible verses or stories.
Now, I haven’t tried it with every single verse in the Bible — that might be a stretch — but I’ve been amazed at the results so far. It’s simple, fast, and surprisingly powerful.
What Is ChatGPT?
If you're not familiar with ChatGPT or AI software, here’s the quick version: it's a computer program you can talk to, like a really smart assistant. You ask it a question, and instead of just pulling up websites like Google does, it actually creates what you’re asking for — whether that’s a summary, an explanation, a craft idea, or even an entire Sunday School lesson.
You can say something like:
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“Create a Sunday School lesson for 3rd graders on David and Goliath.”
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“Give me a craft idea and a memory verse for the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000.”
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“Help me explain the fruit of the Spirit to 4th and 5th graders.”
Within seconds, you'll have a structured plan that you can adapt to your class — complete with activities, questions, and even printable resources if you want.
Why Use ChatGPT for Sunday School?
Here’s why I’m using it more and more:
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It saves time. No more hunting down Pinterest ideas or flipping through outdated curriculum books.
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It’s customizable. You can tailor a lesson to fit your students’ age group, learning style, or class time.
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It helps with understanding. Sometimes, even we as teachers need help breaking down Scripture in a way that kids can understand. ChatGPT makes that easier.
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It sparks creativity. It can suggest songs, skits, memory games, or object lessons I’d never have thought of on my own.
A Word of Caution
Of course, ChatGPT is just a tool. It doesn’t replace the Bible or the Holy Spirit. Always check what it gives you against Scripture and pray for discernment. But as a support tool? It’s been a game changer for me.
Ready to Try It?
If you're curious, start simple. Pick a favorite Bible story and ask ChatGPT to help you turn it into a lesson. You might be surprised at how easy and fun it is.
God can use all kinds of tools to help us share His Word — and this is one that just might make your Sunday mornings a little smoother and a lot more effective.
Example of one I just did
The one I worked on today was on Paul's conversion. I asked it this question: "Acts 9:1-20. Story of Paul’s conversion. What are the take aways for children 4th and 5th graders." This is what I got. (The more information you give Chat the better the results will be)
Paul’s Conversion – What Kids Can Learn
1. God Can Change Anyone
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Paul (called Saul at the time) was hurting Christians and trying to stop people from following Jesus.
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But God stopped him and completely changed his heart.
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Takeaway: No one is too bad for God to forgive and use for good. God can change hearts.
2. Jesus Knows Your Name
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When Saul was on the road, a bright light from heaven flashed, and Jesus called out, “Saul, Saul!”
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Takeaway: Jesus knows you personally and calls you by name. He wants a relationship with you.
3. Listening to Jesus Changes Your Life
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After Saul met Jesus, he couldn’t see for three days. He stopped everything and listened to God.
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When he was healed, he immediately started telling others about Jesus.
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Takeaway: When we listen to Jesus, our life takes a new direction.
4. Obey Even When It’s Hard
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God told a man named Ananias to go help Saul. Ananias was scared because Saul was dangerous.
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But Ananias obeyed—and Saul became a new man.
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Takeaway: Sometimes God asks us to do things that are scary, but we can trust Him and obey.
5. God Has a Plan for You
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Jesus told Saul he had a special job for him—to tell everyone, even people far away, about Jesus.
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Takeaway: God has a purpose for your life, too. He wants to use you to help others know Him.
It then asked me: Would you like a printable handout or coloring page to go with this lesson? I answered yes and it came up with this. I put it together into one page to save paper.
It then asked me if I would like a word search?
It then asked if I would like a quiz on the story of Paul's conversion. Answered yes and this is what I received, along with answers on a separate sheet, which I am not posting.
I then asked for some YouTube videos that go along with this story and it gave me three choices, one of which is below. ChatGPT is free to use. Sometimes it gets busy and for $20 a month you can have unlimited access to the program. There are a lot of others besides ChatGPT. I've used Google's Gemini but as of this writing prefer Chat.
If you try it, let me know what you think! Mike
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