Sermon recording checklist: how to get a clean recording every week
A printable checklist for recording the sermon or homily every week, from one volunteer with a phone to a team with a sound board and cameras: choose the sound source, place the mic, set levels, frame the preacher, run a backup recording, name and save the file, tell people it is being recorded, and hand the file on, with a setup card and a weekly log.
Free printable PDF
Sermon recording checklist
What is inside
- Choosing the sound source: the preacher's mic, the sound board or a separate recorder, with the source for each
- A mic, room and levels check, a test recording and a backup recording for one volunteer or a team
- File format, naming, a second copy and the hand-off to whoever posts, plus a notice for the congregation and guest speakers
- Variants for a phone, a board and cameras, a homily, an audio-only church and several campuses, plus a setup card and a weekly log
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What the checklist covers
Sound first
- Do not rely on the camera's built-in mic: take a clean feed from the preacher's mic or the sound board, or use a separate recorder (Rev, HARMAN; see Sources).
- Ask your sound operator for a separate, dedicated recording mix if the board allows it, and listen to it on headphones (HARMAN).
- Clip a lapel mic about 6-8 inches below the chin, keep spare batteries on hand and test before the service (Resi).
Record, back up and test
- Run a short test recording and play it back with headphones before the service starts, then start the recording early and let it run in one piece.
- Run a second recording on a phone or recorder at the sound desk, so one failed card does not lose the sermon.
- If you record with OBS, MKV is recommended in case recording stops badly; convert to MP4 afterwards (OBS Project).
The file and the people on camera
- Name the file with the date and the sermon or homily title, copy it to a second place and tell whoever posts where it is.
- Tell the congregation at the start that the service is recorded, and ask a guest speaker's permission before you publish their sermon (a US church insurer's guidance, Brotherhood Mutual; CCLI).
- Information, not legal advice: your denomination's or diocese's policy comes first.
Frequently asked questions
Start with the sound. Get a clean feed from a mic on the preacher, from the sound board or from a separate recorder, because a camera's built-in mic is not likely to be good enough. Test a short recording with headphones before the service, start recording early, run a second recording as a backup, then name the file with the date and title, copy it to a second place and give it to whoever posts. The checklist puts each step on a line you can tick.
One on the preacher. Rev lists three ways to get better audio than a camera's built-in mic: an external mic, a signal from the mixing board, or a separate field recorder. A church streaming provider, Resi, advises clipping a lavalier mic on the clothing around 6-8 inches below the chin. A headset mic keeps the same distance from the mouth when the head turns; test whichever you use with the person who will speak. If you have a sound board, HARMAN, a sound equipment maker, describes a plain stereo mix as workable for an audio-only recording of the pastor's sermon, and a separate, dedicated recording mix, set while wearing headphones, as the route for a full service with music.
Yes. Rev says a relatively current iPhone or Android phone can do the job of capturing a sermon, and advises a mounting device and tripod to keep the image stable. Put the phone in landscape, lock it on a tripod, turn on airplane mode and Do Not Disturb, plug it in and free up storage. A phone at the back of the room picks up the room more than the preacher, so for the best sound plug in a clip-on mic or take a feed from the sound board.
For video, MP4 or MOV works with most editing and upload tools. If you record with OBS, the OBS Project recommends MKV in case recording stops without a graceful stoppage, and says you can remux it to MP4 afterwards. YouTube asks that content be uploaded in the same frame rate it was recorded. On an iPhone, Formats, then Most Compatible, gives a file more computers can open. Keep the original untouched and work from a copy.
That is fine for your website or a podcast: HARMAN says a plain stereo mix can work for an audio-only recording of the pastor's sermon. Name and store the file the same way. Church Media Kit's Sermon Clips takes video files (MP4 or MOV), so for posts from an audio-only sermon, paste your notes into Sermon to Social, or add a simple video recording of the pulpit.
The sound steps are the same. Mark in the log when the homily starts and ends, so the homily can be cut from the rest. If you record or broadcast the liturgy, the USCCB's televising guidelines say elements of the liturgy should not be omitted, and your pastor or diocese decides where cameras may stand and what may be shown.
Tell the congregation: a US church insurer's published guidance (Brotherhood Mutual) advises telling the congregation at the beginning of the worship service, and CCLI says to ask permission from speakers or performers before you webcast their contributions. Rules differ by country, state and denomination, so this is information, not legal advice. Check your denomination's policy, your insurer and your safeguarding lead.
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No. The checklist is for your team and your equipment. Church Media Kit helps afterwards: Sermon Clips takes an MP4 or MOV recording and makes captioned clips, a transcript, a summary, small group questions, drafts for social posts and a recap email for your team to review.