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Sermon Migration Best Practices

Key steps to ensure a smooth and successful sermon migration

Below are key practices we’ve refined over time to ensure a smooth migration process. Note that some of the tips in this guide are specific to Planning Center.

Before you Begin

Before starting your migration, make sure:

  • Planning Center Publishing access is granted to anyone involved in the migration process

  • You're subscribed to the Custom Pages & Sermons tier in Planning Center, which enables sermon management features

Completing these two steps upfront helps prevent setup delays and ensures your team has access to the right tools.


Start with a 6-Month Migration

We recommend starting with the most recent 6 months of sermons. This provides a focused, manageable batch that:

  • Ensures your new system is launched with fresh, relevant content

  • Allows time to refine your workflow

  • Avoids overwhelming your team with a full archive all at once

Once the initial migration is complete, older content can be added incrementally over time.


Your Video Hosting Platform

We generally recommend YouTube as the default sermon video manager.  After you upload videos you'll get a link that you'll include in your sermon archive platform. Here are the three most common video storage solutions for churches:

  • YouTube – most widely supported and easy to manage

  • Vimeo – clean player and branding control

  • SoundCloud – audio-only option, ideal for podcast-style content 


What information should be Migrated

Sermon visibility relies heavily on accurate and complete information. Before migration, make sure you have the following for each sermon:

  1. Message Title: Include the sermon title, speaker, and scripture reference.  We recommend formatting like this: "What is Faith? | Nick Kidwell | Hebrews 11:1-3, 6"

  2. Series Title

  3. Scripture

  4. Date

  5. Speaker

  6. Cover Art - A graphic representing the sermon series or individual sermon.
  7. Audio File - Typically an MP3 format; these will be uploaded to your new sermon hosting platform.
  8. Video Link - A public YouTube or Vimeo URL that can be included for each sermon.

Training & Handoff

Once migration is complete, train your team—especially those responsible for weekly sermon uploads. A simple internal guide or checklist can help your team stay aligned and confident in their role.