How Churches Can Offer Online Sermons with WordPress (The Easy Way)

Many churches today want to reach their community beyond the church walls. Maybe some members can’t always attend in person, perhaps families have moved away, or maybe you just want to make your message easier to access during the week.

Still, figuring out the right tools and setup can feel confusing or overwhelming at first.

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be complicated. WordPress makes it easy to record, upload, and share sermons online. All without needing a developer, special equipment, or a big budget.

At WPBeginner, we’ve helped many churches and religious organizations do exactly that, and the process is usually much simpler than people expect.

In this guide, I’ll show you the easiest way to add sermon streaming to your church’s WordPress website. You’ll learn which tools work best, how to set them up, and a few simple tips to make sure everything runs smoothly and reaches the people who need it. ⛪

Why Record and Upload Sermons?

Recording sermons and uploading them to your website helps your church reach more people and stay connected with members who can’t always attend in person.

It’s one of the simplest ways to extend your ministry beyond Sunday morning and support your congregation throughout the week.

Let’s break down why putting your sermons online makes sense:

Benefits	Why it matters
Reach new visitors	Many people like to explore a church online before visiting in person. Sermons give them a feel for your teaching and community.
Stay connected with sick or elderly members	Members who can’t attend regularly can still listen in and feel included.
Support parents with young children	Parents who miss parts of the service can catch up later when things are quieter.
Let members re-listen and reflect	People can revisit a message during the week and think more deeply about it.
Grow your website traffic	Publishing sermons regularly adds fresh content, which can help more people discover your site through search engines.

And the best part is this doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming.

I’ve worked with plenty of small churches that record sermons with simple tools and a modest setup, sometimes with just a smartphone and a basic microphone. Then, upload them in just a few minutes each week.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to record sermons on a budget, share them on your WordPress site, and what to look for if you want to go more professional later. That way, you can start simple and grow from there when you’re ready.

Here’s a quick rundown of what I’ll cover in this article:

Step 1: Set Up Your Church Website

If you already have a WordPress website set up, then you can skip to Step 2, where I’ll talk about recording equipment.

If you’re just getting started, here’s what you need to know.

First, make sure you’re using WordPress.org, which is the self-hosted version of WordPress, as your church website builder. This gives you full control over your website and lets you install any plugins or features you need for things like sermons, live streaming, and media uploads.

To create your church website, you’ll need two things:

• A domain name, which is your website’s address (for example, yourchurchname.org)
• Web hosting, which is where your website’s files are stored

Think of the domain name as your church’s street address, and web hosting as the actual building.

I highly recommend using Bluehost. It’s one of the largest and most reliable hosting providers, and it’s officially recommended by WordPress.

Bluehost is also offering WPBeginner readers a free domain name, a free SSL certificate (for security), and a big discount on hosting. So you can get started for around $2.99 per month.

You might also want to see our roundup of the best WordPress themes for churches so you can customize how your site looks.

If you’re just starting out and need to get a WordPress site set up, you can check out this helpful video tutorial or read our super-easy, step-by-step guide to creating a WordPress website.

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Once your website is set up, the next step is ensuring you have the equipment you need to record your sermons.

Step 2: Get the Right Recording Equipment

What you need depends on how you plan to record your sermons:

• Are you recording the sermon live during church?
• Or are you recording sermons separately in a quiet space?
• Do you want audio only, or video too?

Let’s walk through each option so you can choose the one that fits your setup and budget.

Option 1: Recording Live Sermons (Audio)

If your church already uses a sound system, you may already have most of what you need. The setup really comes down to one question: Do you have a soundboard, or not?

Here’s how the two options compare:

Soundboard	What you need	Why this works
✅	A 3.5mm to XLR cable to connect the soundboard output to your laptop’s input + free recording software, like Audacity.	Clean audio directly from your church sound system, and easy recording on your laptop.
❌	A portable handheld digital audio recorder for the podium.	Simple, affordable way to record clear audio with no cables or technical setup.

Option 2: Recording Sermons Privately (Audio)

If you prefer to record sermons separately, like during the week or for additional teaching, then you’ll want a dedicated microphone.

I don’t recommend using your laptop’s built-in microphone. It tends to pick up room echo and background noise, making your sermon sound distant and harder to understand.

I recommend using a clip-on, like the Hollyland Lark M1, instead. This small clip-on wireless microphone gives you clear sound without cables or a complicated setup.

Why I recommend the Hollyland Lark M1 microphone:

• Easy to clip onto the speaker
• Wireless, so you can move naturally while speaking
• Built-in noise reduction for cleaner audio
• Works with cameras, phones, and computers

This makes it a great fit for churches that want something simple, affordable, and reliable.

You’ll also want good headphones so you can hear and edit your recordings clearly. A popular option is the Sony MDR-7506.

Option 3: Recording Sermon Video

If you want to record video sermons (or full services), your setup mostly depends on your budget and how professional you want things to look.

To get started, you can record sermon videos with your smartphone. Most modern phones record great video, and adding a simple, flexible phone tripod helps keep the shot steady and easy to watch.

But if you have a bit more budget and want a more professional look, the Sony Alpha ZV-E10 camera is a great option.

Why I recommend the Sony Alpha ZV-E10 camera:

• Records in 4K for clear video
• Stays in focus even if the speaker moves
• No recording time limit for long services
• Can be powered while recording
• Can also be used as a webcam for live streaming

Pairing it with a tripod and some simple lighting gives you a clean, polished setup that’s still easy for churches to manage.

Step 3: Record Your Sermon

I highly recommend using the Audacity app to record sermons because it’s free and very flexible. Plus, it’s super powerful – you can use it to record your sermons and even clean up the audio by reducing noise and improving the sound quality.

After you install Audacity, you’ll need to open the program and click the ‘File’ menu to start a new project.

Then click ‘Record.’

You can also add music by going to the File » Import page and selecting a music file.

Once finished, export your sermon as an MP3 to keep the file size small while maintaining good quality.

Step 4: Upload Your Sermon Recording

Now that you’ve saved your file, you’re ready to share it through your website.

Do note that audio and video recordings can create really big files. So it’s best to avoid uploading audio or video files directly to your WordPress site to keep your website running fast and smoothly.

Instead:

• Use PodBean for audio – they offer unlimited podcast hosting plans with unmetered bandwidth. You can also check out our list of the best podcast hosting services for other options.
• Use YouTube for video – the platform is easy to use, super-fast, and free. It’s also the world’s second-largest search engine, which means more people might stumble upon your sermons.

We have a step-by-step guide on how to start a successful YouTube channel. Feel free to check it out.

Once your media is uploaded to a hosting service, you can add your sermons to your website using a WordPress plugin.

After researching many different church plugins, I’ve found that the Advanced Sermons plugin is the easiest way to organize, display, and manage sermons on a WordPress site.

You can start by heading over to Plugins » Add New Plugin in your WordPress admin area.

On the next screen, use the search bar to quickly find the plugin.

Then, click the ‘Install Now’ button and ‘Activate’ to properly enable it.

If you need a little extra help, see our step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

With that done, it’s time to add your first sermon by going to Sermons » Add New Sermon.

On the next screen, you can give your sermon a clear, descriptive title. For example: “The Life-Changing Power of the Holy Spirit.”

After that, write a short description explaining what the sermon covers. This helps visitors understand the message before they listen or watch.

Next, scroll down to the ‘Sermon Details’ section. You’ll see two main areas here: Video Settings and Audio Settings.

In ‘Video Settings,’ you can first choose where your video is hosted:

• YouTube
• Vimeo
• Facebook
• Embed

For this tutorial, I’m going with YouTube.

Once you choose a platform, paste the video URL into the field below to attach the video to your sermon.

This tells WordPress where to pull the video from.

In ‘Audio Settings,’ you can upload your audio file of the sermon.

Simply click on the ‘Add Sermon Audio’ button, and upload your file in the .mp3, .wav, or .ogg format. I highly recommend using the .mp3 format, as it offers the best balance of clear sound and small file size.

You can also embed a SoundCloud audio by pasting the SoundCloud link into the respective field. The ‘Embed’ option for other third-party players, however, is only available in the Pro version.

In this interface, you’ll also see a few extra organization settings you can use:

• Series – to group sermons that belong to the same teaching series
• Speakers – to show who delivered each sermon
• Topics – to tag sermons by subject (like faith, prayer, or forgiveness)
• Books – to organize sermons based on Bible books (like Psalms, John, or Romans)

These help keep your sermon library organized and make it easier for visitors to find what they’re looking for.

You can add any of these directly from this screen by clicking the add link in each section.

For example, to add a new series, click ‘+ Add New Series.’ In the field that appears, give your series a name and click the ‘Add New Series’ button.

Your new sermon will then be automatically listed under the new series. This saves you time because you don’t need to leave the page or set them up separately first.

From here, you might want to preview your sermon to check if everything looks good.

Once you’re ready, hit ‘Publish.’

And that’s it – your sermon is live, and anyone can now watch or listen right from your website.

Here’s what it looks like on my demo WordPress site:

Step 5: Offer Live Stream Sermons on Your Website (Optional)

Livestreaming is a great way to reach more people, but I recommend doing it alongside publishing sermons on your website, not instead of it. This way, members can still catch up later, and your content stays accessible.

I recommend Zoom because it has powerful features for online teaching and live streaming. Some key features include:

• Screen sharing – Show slides or demonstrate lessons in real time.
• Student interaction – See attendees, allow discussions, or mute participants as needed.
• Text chat – Let attendees ask questions or comment while you teach.
• Polls – Gather input or feedback quickly.
• Recording – Save sessions so people can watch later.

To get started with Zoom, first sign up for an account on the Zoom website.

The free plan gives you all the essential features, though meetings are limited to 40 minutes. If you want longer sessions, webinars, or the ability to host more participants, the paid plan removes those limits and adds extra features.

Just click the ‘Sign Up Free’ or ‘Buy Now’ button for your chosen plan – whichever works best for your needs.

Next, you’ll need to connect Zoom to your WordPress site.

Head over to the Zoom App Marketplace and create a new ‘Server-to-Server OAuth’ app.

Once the plugin is connected, you can schedule your meeting.

Simply click ‘Schedule,’ fill in the service details, and check ‘Recurring meeting’ if you want it to repeat every Sunday.

Once you save the meeting, Zoom will generate a unique invite link. Copy this link and paste it into a post or page on your WordPress site so attendees can join directly from their computer or the Zoom app on their phone.

Just keep in mind, if you’re streaming from your phone, use a tripod to keep the video steady.

Plus, angle the camera to focus on the stage or speaker, as many church members, especially families with children, may prefer not to be filmed.

For less pressure, you can pre-record your sermon and schedule it to go live. After the livestream, upload the video to your hosting service and add the link to your website (see Step 4) so people can watch it later.

Bonus Tip: Display Your Church Service Schedule on Your Website

Want everyone in your congregation to know when your services are happening, whether in person or online? Making your events easy to find on your website can really help people get involved.

I recommend using Sugar Calendar, which is the best calendar plugin for WordPress. It’s simple to use, lets you schedule events, and you can display them anywhere on your site.

For more insights into the plugin, check out our detailed Sugar Calendar review.

Upon activating Sugar Calendar, go to the Sugar Calendar » Calendars page and click ‘+ Add Calendar’ at the top.

Next, you need to provide a title for your calendar. This could be anything that clearly represents the events you’ll be adding to it, such as Sunday Services or Youth Group Events.

Below that, you can provide a slug for the calendar. This is the part of the URL that identifies this specific calendar, such as /events/sunday-service.

After that, you can add a short description for your calendar and choose a color.

When you’re happy with the information you’ve entered, click the ‘Add New Calendar’ button to save your changes.

Now you have a calendar, go to Sugar Calendar » Add New to create your first event.

You need to provide a title for your event and set the date and time.

If the event happens regularly, switch to the ‘Recurrence’ tab and tell Sugar Calendar how often it repeats.

If the event is an in-person gathering, then you can switch to the ‘Location’ tab and enter the address.

If it’s an online event, then just leave the address field blank.

Next, switch to the ‘Link’ tab and add the link to the event page on your website.

Alternatively, you can link to the streaming platform you’re using, such as Restream, Facebook Live, or YouTube Live.

You can also add a general link here to redirect users to a specific page.

If you’re selling tickets for the event, you can add those details in the ‘Tickets’ tab. For example, you might sell tickets to raise funds for a local charity.

After configuring event settings, you can add all the important information about the event. You can add as much information as you like, including links, images, and rich text, to make it more engaging and helpful.

Finally, select the calendar where you want to add the event, then click ‘Publish’ to make it live.

To display church events on your website, simply edit the post or page where you want to display the calendar.

While editing the page, click the ‘+’ icon to add a new block and search for Sugar Calendar’s Events Calendar block.

Sugar Calendar will show a live preview of your calendars and events right in the content editor.

If you have multiple calendars, then you can choose to display events from a specific calendar.

Once you’re happy with how everything is set up, click the ‘Save’ or ‘Publish’ button to make the calendar live.

That’s it! Now you can visit your website and see your church events calendar live, making it super easy for everyone to stay informed and connected.

For details, you can refer to our guide on how to easily create a simple event calendar in WordPress.

FAQs About Offering Online Sermons with WordPress

Before we wrap up, here are a few common questions churches often have when they’re getting started with a website and online sermons.

Should a church have a website?

In short, yes. A website gives your church a central place online where people can find your sermons, service times, contact details, and announcements. It also makes it much easier for new visitors to learn about your church before they attend in person.

How much does it cost to set up a church website?

You can get started for around $3–$10 per month for hosting, plus the cost of a domain name (usually about $10–$15 per year). WordPress itself is free, and many churches use free WordPress plugins and themes at first, then upgrade later only if they need more features.

What are the best social media platforms for churches?

That depends on where your congregation already spends time, but for most churches:

• Facebook is great for sharing updates and sermon links.
• YouTube works well for full sermon videos.
• Instagram is good for photos, short clips, and event promotion.

You don’t need to use all of them — even one platform can be enough when combined with your website.

What domain should churches use?

Your domain should be simple, clear, and easy to remember. Most churches use their church name, like: yourchurchname.org or yourchurchname.com. You can also consider newer or faith-focused TLDs like .church or .faith.

The key is to keep it short, easy to spell, and easy for people to type.

Next Steps to Grow Your Church Website

I hope this article helped you learn how your church can offer online sermons with WordPress.

Looking for more ways to enhance your online presence and connect with your community? Here are some resources that other churches, religious organizations, and non-profit websites have found really useful:

• Best Church Website Builders (Easy for Beginners)
• Best Church WordPress Themes for Your Church
• How to Create a Non-Profit Website in WordPress
• How to Create a Donate Form Using WordPress
• How to Create Peer-to-Peer Fundraising in WordPress

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