Upload your first sermon

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Choose your source

Open Sermons and the upload page. The source choices include Audio / Video, YouTube, Cloud URL, and Paste Text. The file picker lists MP3, MP4, WAV, M4A, MOV and PDF. Use a recording with clear speech when possible.

1. Choose a source and enter a useful sermon title.
2. Select a file, paste a public YouTube URL, provide the requested cloud link, or paste the manuscript. For cloud sources, follow the access guidance shown for the provider.
3. For applicable recordings, choose a transcription model. Review the information and submit.
4. Keep the connection available while the file transfers. Open the sermon when it is ready and check its transcript.

For a local recording, the Audio / Video tab accepts common formats such as MP3, MP4, WAV, M4A, MOV, and PDF. The page shows the available file picker and related fields after you choose that source. A PDF or manuscript supplies text; it does not contain footage for video creation. On the YouTube tab, paste a public video URL and use the preview when offered to make sure it is the intended recording. Cloud URL provides a provider choice and an access link field. A private link that only works for you may not be readable by the importer.

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Give the sermon enough context

Use a title that distinguishes the service or message, such as “Practicing Patience — Sunday.” Add a date or service label when your library contains multiple recordings with similar names. If you upload a file and Vessel fills in the title from its filename, review it before continuing; filenames often contain abbreviations that are hard for teammates to recognize.

The transcription model choices shown in the upload flow are Balanced (Nova-2, recommended for most sermons) and More Accurate (Nova-3, available on Pro plans and above). Choose among the options available to your account; the screen indicates plan restrictions. Text input bypasses transcription and goes to AI analysis, so it is a useful route for an existing manuscript or transcript.

Wait for preparation to finish

Uploading and preparing a recording are separate parts of the process. Keep the page open during transfer, then check the sermon status in the library or sermon workspace. Preparation duration depends on the source and service conditions, so use the status displayed in Vessel instead of relying on a fixed estimate. If the job reports an error, read the message and correct the source or access issue before retrying. Avoid making a second upload while the first is still processing.

A text source can support writing, but it cannot supply footage for a video clip. An audio-only source is a good fit for AudioGram.

If the source needs attention

Confirm the file type, link access and internet connection, then retry the action shown on screen. A public YouTube video must be accessible to the importer. Processing time varies with the source; check the sermon status rather than assuming a fixed completion time.

Example: bring in a Sunday recording

Harbor Community Church has a sample message called “Practicing Patience.” Its team has an MP4 recording and wants a clip and a follow-up email. They choose Audio / Video, select the file, enter that title and start the upload. They wait for the transfer to finish, then return to the sermon workspace when preparation completes. They listen to the section around the main illustration and correct a name and a scripture reference in the transcript before creating anything else.

If they had only a written manuscript, Paste Text would provide a useful writing source. It would not create video footage. If their source were a public YouTube recording, they could select YouTube, paste its URL, and check the preview before import. The upload page also offers provider-specific guidance for cloud URLs; a link that works only inside a private account may need its sharing permissions changed at the source.

Before you move on

• Confirm you chose the intended recording and title, particularly if the team has several services with similar names.
• Check the preparation status and read any error on the sermon itself. Avoid submitting duplicates while an earlier job is still running.
• Compare important transcript passages with the audio, including names, scripture, and words that reverse a claim.
• Keep the original recording available for future edits and verification.

A clear recording helps, but even a clean transcript deserves a human review. When the source is ready, review the transcript, create a moment, or draft with Writing AI.

Choose a source for the next task

If the final goal is a vertical video, start with a recording that contains video and enough of the speaker’s surroundings to support a crop. If the aim is an article, a clean manuscript may be enough. A PDF is listed in the file picker, while pasted text starts from the words you provide. A recording and a manuscript may differ, so keep the audio available when an exact spoken quotation matters.

After the source is ready, try a single output first. This reveals whether the title, transcript and source quality are sufficient before your team creates several pieces from them.