One of the things that I did not consider when setting up the church’s live streaming was a license for church video streaming. The standard license for performance is in place; until one of my board members mentioned it, I had never heard of a live streaming license.
He was correct. If we wanted to broadcast songs we use in worship, we would need a copyright license. I embarked on another discovery journey to discover what copyright laws we needed to follow.
Are you interested in starting live-streaming church services for your congregation? There are some things you need to do if so. The first step is to get a video streaming license. We will discuss how and where to find one in this blog post. We will also discuss what you need to do, who can get it, and why.
Why have a Live Streaming License?
It was almost like a live streaming license. It is true; I have to admit. I find the whole thing a bit absurd. It smells of money, not ministry.
My goal was to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people as possible when I entered the ministry. I was determined to get the gospel out to as many people as possible. My last thought was that I should be paid for each person who hears my speech.
It is a fact that laborers are worthy of being hired. The musicians are also owed something for their contribution to the kingdom. Copyright licenses provide royalties to support their families and cover their expenses.
Copyright law is written so musicians and music companies can sue to get what they deserve.
As a pastor, I must overcome my discomfort and feel that this is all about money. Protecting my congregation from legal trouble is what I must do. Instead, we give our shirts to any man who asks us for our cloak.
How to Get a Church Video Streaming Licence
Getting a license to stream your worship services is easy. If you don’t have a license, you will need one to live stream your services.
This point is irrelevant if you only sing hymns and don’t use any copyrighted material. A license is not required.
First, go to CCLI. This is the company that offers copyright licenses. The section on streaming licenses can be found here. You will find all details about the coverage and what isn’t.
You are prohibited from charging for your podcast or live stream.
You can then go to your account, if you have one, or sign up to get your worship service copyright license and then add a streaming license that you already have to that account. It costs $60.00
After you’ve done this, you can go confidently knowing that you are following the laws of the land and that the laborer has been paid. You also have the right to protect your church.
We hope that you found this article useful and that it can help your church or other organization in obtaining a live streaming license.