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To show worship lyrics in a church live stream, prepare the song slides in presentation software, route that output into your streaming setup, and choose whether lyrics appear over the camera picture or fill the screen as a background. Before broadcasting, confirm that your church’s licenses cover both projecting the lyrics and streaming or archiving the service; permission to display lyrics in person does not automatically settle online rights.
1. Confirm the rights before preparing the stream
For churches in the United States, CCLI distinguishes the Church Copyright License from its Streaming License. CCLI describes the Church Copyright License as permission to project lyrics from a computer or digital device, while its Streaming License covers livestreaming or uploading services that include worship music. Check that the songs, planned broadcast, and any archive use fall within the current terms for your church’s licenses. CCLI’s US copyright licensing information and its US streaming-license guidance describe the relevant coverage.
These are US terms, not a universal licensing rule. If your church is elsewhere, check the local rights organizations and the terms that apply in your territory. For example, the Church of England’s guidance identifies CCLI, PRS, and One Licence as organizations churches may need to consult; its discussion of the CCLI Streaming License is specific to the UK context described there. See the Church of England’s live-streaming guidance and verify current requirements with the relevant rights holders.
Check each song and use
- Confirm that the song is covered under the license and repertoire applicable to your church.
- Check whether the planned use is a live stream, an uploaded recording, or both; an archived service may raise a different use question from a live-only broadcast.
- Do not assume that permission to project lyrics also covers the music in an online broadcast.
2. Prepare accurate lyric slides
Use your church’s existing worship-presentation software, if available, to create or review the song slides. ProPresenter is one documented example: its ProPresenter 7 User Guide covers song presentations and church copyright information. It is an example, not a requirement; no single presentation product or hardware setup is necessary for every church.
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- Open the song in your presentation software and compare every line with the church’s authorized lyric source.
- Break lyrics into readable slide-sized phrases rather than shrinking a whole verse onto one slide.
- Keep text large and high-contrast enough to read in a small video player. Preview it at the size a phone viewer is likely to see.
- Set slide changes to follow the song, and rehearse with the person leading worship so the operator knows when to advance.
- Include the copyright information or license details required by your software and license terms.
3. Choose how lyrics will appear in the video
CCLI’s US streaming FAQ says lyrics may be embedded in the stream itself or shown as the background. Those correspond to two practical layouts:
| Layout | What viewers see | Useful when | Operator consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyrics over camera video | The worship leader or congregation remains visible with lyric text placed over the image. | You want to retain the live picture while making lyrics available. | Position and contrast the text so it does not obscure faces or blend into the scene. |
| Full-screen lyrics | The lyric slide fills the video frame instead of showing the camera picture. | You want the words to occupy most of the viewing area. | Switch cleanly between the camera and lyric output at the right moments. |
Neither layout is always better. Consider how much camera view you want to preserve, how much screen space the lyrics need, and how much switching or graphics work your volunteer team can reliably manage.
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Route the lyric output into the live video
The exact routing depends on the presentation software and streaming setup your church already uses. In general, make the presentation output available as a source in the live-production software, then test the desired layout before the service. The available source material does not establish one universal hardware configuration or exact menu path across products.
- Connect or configure the presentation computer’s output so the streaming system can receive it as a video source.
- In the live-production software, add that output as a source or layer. For an overlay, place lyrics above the camera source; for full-screen lyrics, take the lyric source to the program output when needed.
- Check that the outgoing stream shows the intended composition—not just the presentation operator’s monitor.
- Run a rehearsal, including transitions between camera and lyrics, and confirm that slide timing follows the song.
4. Add license information to the stream description
CCLI recommends putting both the Church Copyright License number and Streaming License number in the description of the stream or upload. Follow the current instructions for your licenses and include the applicable numbers in the YouTube description. CCLI’s US streaming-license FAQ explains this recommendation.
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5. Treat recordings and lyric videos as separate rights questions
Displaying lyrics does not by itself authorize a recording, backing track, multitrack, or video. CCLI says Streaming Plus extends coverage to specified authorized master recordings and multitracks from authorized sources; it also says video content generally requires permission from the copyright owner, subject to specific terms and exceptions. Check the exact license terms and the rights for each audio and visual work rather than assuming one permission covers everything. See CCLI’s Streaming and Streaming Plus reporting guidance.
A video being available on YouTube does not mean your church may use it in a service or stream. CCLI advises checking the source and rights; it identifies SongSelect Lyric Videos as content made for church use under its described terms. Its guidance also warns that the visual element of a song video is not covered simply by the Church Copyright License or Streaming Plus. Review CCLI’s guidance on showing videos in church and its support article on videos from video-sharing websites, then confirm the precise permissions for the material you plan to show.
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Common problems and fixes
- Lyrics are missing from the live output: Check that the presentation output has been added to the live-production scene and is visible in the program output, not only on the operator’s display.
- Text is hard to read: Increase its size, improve contrast, and reduce the amount of text on each slide. Preview at a phone-sized viewing area.
- The lyric slide obscures the camera subject: Reposition the overlay or switch to full-screen lyrics for that section.
- Slides advance at the wrong time: Rehearse with the worship leader and have the operator advance manually if timed changes are not dependable for the song.
- A song or video is blocked or challenged: Recheck the applicable license and the permissions for the audio and visual elements. Availability on a video-sharing site is not proof of broadcast authorization.
- The stream description is missing license details: Add the applicable Church Copyright License and Streaming License numbers, as CCLI recommends for US license holders.
Or let it run in the cloud
For a separate YouTube channel that should keep uploaded worship video playing continuously, StreamNeo runs a 24/7 loop from the cloud: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. It is for uploaded videos, not a camera-based service broadcast, so it does not replace the lyric-and-camera workflow above.
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