Getting Started
How do I add a new sermon?
Navigate to Messages → Add New. Enter the sermon title, add audio/video media, select a speaker and series, then click Publish. See Managing Sermons for detailed instructions.
How do I display sermons on my website?
You have three options:
- Gutenberg Blocks — Use the sermon blocks in the WordPress block editor
- Shortcodes — Use
[cpl_item_list]or[cp-sermons]shortcodes - Archive Pages — Link to the automatic archive at
/messages/(or your custom slug)
See Customization & Display for details.
How do I create a sermon series?
Navigate to Messages → Series → Add New. Enter the series title, description, and upload artwork. When adding sermons, assign them to the series using the Series dropdown.
Can I rename “Sermons” to “Messages” or another term?
Yes. Navigate to Messages → Settings and select the tab for the content type you want to rename (Messages, Series, or Speaker). Change the Singular and Plural Labels there. This updates the terminology throughout the plugin and your site, including the admin menu name.
Media & Playback
What audio/video formats are supported?
- Audio — MP3 is recommended for broadest compatibility
- Video — MP4 for direct uploads, or embed from YouTube/Vimeo via URL
Can I use YouTube or Vimeo videos instead of uploading files?
Yes. When editing a sermon, paste the YouTube or Vimeo URL into the Video URL field. The video will automatically embed on the sermon page.
How does the persistent player work?
The persistent player is a site-wide audio bar that continues playing as visitors navigate your site. It is always active — no configuration needed. See Persistent Player.
Why won’t my audio/video play?
- Check that the media file URL is accessible
- Verify the file format is browser-compatible (MP3, MP4)
- Check for JavaScript errors in your browser console
- Test with a different browser
Podcast
How do I set up a podcast feed?
First, enable the podcast feed in Messages → Settings → Advanced → Enable Podcast Feed. Then navigate to Messages → Settings → Podcast tab and fill in the required fields (title, description, author, cover artwork). Your feed URL is https://yoursite.com/messages/feed/podcast. See Podcast Setup.
Can I create separate podcast feeds for different series or speakers?
Yes. Append /feed/podcast/ to any series or speaker archive URL. For example: yoursite.com/series/series-slug/feed/podcast/
Why is my podcast feed returning a 404 error?
Go to Settings → Permalinks and click “Save Changes” to flush rewrite rules. This resolves most feed URL issues.
How do I exclude a sermon from the podcast?
Edit the sermon, find the “Exclude from Podcast” checkbox in the Message Details metabox, and check it.
Organization & Filtering
What’s the difference between Topics, Seasons, and Scripture?
- Topics — Subject categories (e.g., Faith, Prayer, Leadership)
- Seasons — Time-based groupings (e.g., Advent 2024, Summer Series)
- Scripture — Bible references (e.g., Romans 8, John 3:16)
All three are optional taxonomies you can use to organize your sermons.
How do Service Types work?
Service Types categorize sermons by the service they were delivered in (Sunday Morning, Youth, etc.). Enable them in Messages → Settings → Advanced. See Service Types.
What are Sermon Variations?
Variations let you create different versions of the same sermon for multiple services, each with their own speaker, media, and timestamps. See Sermon Variations.
Can I hide certain sermons from the main list?
Yes. Edit the sermon and uncheck “Show in Main List” in the Visibility Settings panel. The sermon remains accessible via direct links and archives.
Display & Templates
How do I change the sermon layout?
Navigate to Messages → Settings → Messages tab and choose the Single Page Template option. You can also set the layout per-instance when using blocks or shortcodes.
Can I customize sermon templates in my theme?
Yes. Copy template files from the plugin’s /templates/ directory to /wp-content/themes/your-theme/cp-library/ and modify them. Your customizations will be preserved through plugin updates.
Why aren’t my template changes showing?
- Verify template files are in the correct theme directory
- Clear any active cache plugins
- Check that the file names match exactly
Technical
What are the system requirements?
- WordPress 6.0+
- PHP 7.4+
- MySQL 5.6+
How do I update the plugin?
Updates appear in your WordPress dashboard. Create a backup before updating. See Updating.
Where can I find debug information?
Enable debug mode in Messages → Settings → Advanced. This enables detailed logging accessible at Messages → Tools → Log.
Still Need Help?
- Check the Troubleshooting Guide
- Watch our Video Tutorials
- Visit Getting Help for support options