Complete Church Livestream Checklist

Church Livestream Checklist

Church livestreaming works best when everything is checked before the service starts. Even with great gear, a livestream can fail because of small details—muted microphones, unplugged cables, or forgotten streaming settings. Our complete church livestream checklist ensures your team walks into worship confident and prepared.

Whether your church uses an ATEM switcher, a TriCaster, a PTZ camera setup, or a basic streaming laptop, these steps cover the essentials of a reliable Sunday broadcast.

1. Power On and Warm Up All Gear

Start by giving every device time to boot and stabilize. This includes:

Switcher or streaming system (ATEM, TriCaster, vMix PC, etc.)
All cameras (PTZ, handheld, or fixed)
Audio mixer and wireless mic receivers
Projector/ProPresenter computer (if sending screens to the stream)
Streaming PC or encoder if you use one

Tip: PTZ cameras and network gear sometimes need 30–60 seconds to fully connect, so powering on early avoids mid-service surprises.

2. Confirm Camera Connections and Framing

Do a quick camera sweep:

Make sure each camera has a clean video signal going to the switcher.
Check that all cables are firmly seated (HDMI, SDI, USB, or NDI).
Move PTZ cameras to their key Sunday presets and make any framing adjustments needed.
Verify exposure, focus, and white balance look natural for your worship lighting.
If you use a multicam layout, check each angle (worship, sermon, congregation, wide shots).

3. Test Your Audio—Every Time

Audio is the number one cause of livestream issues, so test it thoroughly:

Ensure every microphone is powered and unmuted (wireless packs especially).
Verify your audio mixer is sending a clean feed to the livestream (AUX out, USB, Dante, etc.).
Check levels with someone speaking normally—aim for strong levels without clipping.
Listen with headphones to confirm there’s no hum, static, or distortion.
If using in-ear monitors or stage wedges, ensure they aren’t accidentally feeding your stream mix.

4. Check Your Internet Stability

Fast internet doesn’t always mean stable internet—so test it Sunday morning:

Run a quick upload speed test.
Make sure your streaming system is on wired Ethernet, never Wi-Fi.
Verify no one is streaming videos or doing large downloads on the same network.
If your church has multiple networks, confirm you’re on the right one.

Tip: Use only 70–80% of your total upload speed for your stream to prevent mid-service drops.

5. Prepare Your Streaming Platform

Before going live:

Open your streaming platform (YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, etc.).
Confirm your stream title, description, and privacy settings are correct.
Copy or load your stream key if using software like OBS or an ATEM.
Double-check the encoder settings (1080p, CBR, correct bitrate).
Preview your stream if the platform allows it.

6. Check Lower Thirds, Lyrics, and Media

If your service uses overlays or video inserts:

Confirm ProPresenter or your graphics software is working.
Ensure lower thirds have correct titles and names.
Load scripture slides, lyric slides, and sermon graphics.
If playing video clips, test audio levels and sync.

7. Run a 10–15 Second Private Test Stream

This is one of the best habits your team can develop.

Stream privately to YouTube, Facebook, or an unlisted test channel.
Check video quality, audio, and lip-sync.
End the test and make final adjustments.

A 15-second test will prevent 90% of livestream issues.

8. Final Positioning and “Go Live” Prep

Right before service:

Confirm your starting camera shot.
Ensure all microphones needed for the introduction are live.
Set your first graphic or lower third if needed.
Take a deep breath—your preparation has done the heavy lifting.

Download a PDF of our complete church livestream checklist here!

Download Livestream Checklist (PDF)

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