Adding Sermon Links to a Sermon

Last Updated: Jul 17, 2019 @ 2:15 pm

Now that you’ve added a Sermon to your Sermon Series it’s time to add some media resources! Adding Sermon Links to your Sermons is how you add video and audio playback to the PocketPlatform app, so we’ve made it super simple and accessible – especially for you since you’re already familiar with MinistryPlatform!

Sermon Links Example

Adding Sermon Links

Opening the Sermon Record

If the sermon record you want to add links to is not already open, simply:

  1. In the MinistryPlatform Nouns, open the PocketPlatform Folder
  2. Click “Sermons”
  3. Click the Sermon to which you would like to add a Sermon Link
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Opening A Sermon Record
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PocketPlatform

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Sermons

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A Sermon Record

Creating a New Sermon Link

To create a new Sermon Link once you have opened the Sermon, simply click the button for “Create New Record” on the Sermon Page.

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Creating a new sermon link
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Create New

Sermon Link Details

There are generally two types of Sermon Links, though some PocketPlatform installations, upon request, can include additional types.  By default you should have available to you:

  • Audio – This is the audio-only version of a message.
  • Video – This is a video version of the message

Both of the above media types allow your PocketPlatform app to play back sermons so your congregation – and others! – can enjoy your messages again and again.  Please be aware that you cannot upload audio and video media to MinistryPlatform for playback in your PocketPlatform app, and must use an externally hosted file.  The PocketPlatform Media Manager provides an excellent solution for this, however!

Currently, we support the following media types:

Audio: MP3

Video: MP4, M3U8 playlists, M4V

Required information

The following fields are available when creating a new Sermon Link.  Names in red are required.

  1. Link Type – The Type of Sermon Link.  Generally this will be “Listen” or “Watch”
  2. Link URL – The URL of the Sermon Link. Where does the media pull from?
  3. Podcast Description – This field is deprecated and currently has no effect
  4. Status – “Hidden” “Draft” or “Published”
  5. Use in Audio Podcast – This field is deprecated and currently has no effect
  6. Use in Video Podcast – This field is deprecated and currently has no effect
  7. File Size – The file size of the Sermon Link
  8. File Units – This field currently has no effect
  9. File Duration – The duration of the Sermon Link
  10. Position – The order the sermon series displays in on the app.

Be sure to save your new Sermon Link after you have filled out all fields!

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Creating a new sermon link
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Create New

Additional Information About Media Files

You have many options for hosting your video and audio files for your PocketPlatform app, and sometimes it can be a bit difficult to know what will work well, and what won’t.  Here, we’ve gathered a list of some of your options, and how well they work.

Not Recommended

“Shared” services such as Dropbox, Google Drive, weTransfer and others. 

While all of these types of services will generally allow you to access the raw file, their terms of service explicitly deny you the right to use their service as a media hosting service.  In many cases, especially with Dropbox, they will block your playback after a certain number of plays and may remove your account completely.

YouTube and other “non-pro” video hosting providers, such as Vimeo Free/Plus

While you can use these services to host video, you do not have the ability to access the file directly, and therefore cannot play it outside of their environment, either in a proprietary app or a specific video player.

Recommended

“Professional” video hosting solutions, such as Vimeo Pro or Enterprise

Professional video hosting solutions are designed to give the content creator as much freedom as possible with regards to their media, and therefore allow direct access to the raw audio/video media for playback anywhere and in any player.

CDN/Cloud systems, such as AWS, Azure, Comcast CDN, Rackspace, etc

CDN systems help to ensure that your content will always be available by distributing it around the country – and sometimes the world. Configuration of these systems requires advanced technical skills and maintenance.

PocketPlatform’s Media Manager:

PocketPlatform’s own Media Manager gives you the power of a CDN with the convenience of automatically converting your media into the proper formats for use in both your PocketPlatform Application as well as many other options, like Roku channels or AppleTV apps.