This document summarizes the various licenses held by a church. The church has active licenses for copyrighted music and lyrics from CCLI, for rehearsing music, streaming services online, and showing video clips. A performance license lapsed but was later rectified. Guidelines are provided for using content from other websites in services and ensuring proper licenses are in place when streaming or printing copyrighted content.

2. Overview
 License Inventory
 Church Copyright License
 Church Rehearsal License
 Church Streaming License
 Church Video License
 Church Performance License
 Contemporary Licensing Issues

3. License Inventory (6.22.15)
Church Copyright License
Church Rehearsal License
Church Streaming License
Church Video License
Church Performance License [Lapsed]
(rectified at a later date)

4. Church Copyright License
Status Active
Vendor CCLI.com
Privileges Digitally project and print song lyrics for worship services
Issues
 There are single and multi-site licenses.
 Not every song is covered. To ensure the song is licensed check here:
http://us.search.ccli.com/

5. Church Rehearsal License
Status Active
Vendor CCLI.com
Privileges Copy commercial audio recordings and share audio files via email, flash drives
and on worship planning websites.
Issues
 This license requires that we report the songs we use to CCLI. Learn more here: http://
support.ccli.com/how-do-i-report-for-our-rehearsal-license/

6. Church Streaming License
Status Active
Vendor CCLI.com
Privileges Broadcast music from worship services over the Web.
Issues
 These songs must be covered by the CCLI Church Copyright License.

7. Church Video License
Status Active
Vendor CVLI.com
Privileges Show clips of movies in sermons or other church settings. Entire movies can
also be shown.
Issues
 Not all movies are covered by this license and there are significant exceptions. This
video walks the user through how to determine if a movie is covered: http://youtu.be/
XFAJIZGOfr8
 When a movie clip is included as part of a sermon, it cannot be broadcast on the Web.
It must be removed from the sermon video unless specific permission is obtained from
the copyright owner.
 The license does not allow for changing the format of the media. It only allows for
playing the media in its original format (DVD, Amazon video, iTunes).

8. Church Performance License
Status Lapsed [later rectified]
Vendor www.christiancopyrightsolutions.com
Privileges Play licensed music before or after services and at other church events
Issues
 Copyright law allows for churches to play any and all music live as part of a worship
service; however it does not cover the use of licensed music outside of worship
services.

9. Using Videos from YouTube
and the Web in services/sermons
 YouTube’s license agreement prohibits downloading
videos using third-party software.
 YouTube’s license agreement requires videos to be
shown only in the YouTube player.
 Altering formats of video from websites and
YouTube requires permission from the copyright
owner. It must be played live from the original source
(YouTube, CNN.com, etc.).
 Streaming and podcasting videos from these
sources as part of a sermon is prohibited without the
permission of the copyright owner.
Licensed music in home-grown videos
There is no license that allows for the use of a Christian/
secular song in a church-produced video. Permission
must be obtained from the copyright owner.
Streaming live performances of secular music
Some secular songs are covered in our CCLI/Streaming
license. However, if they are not covered, permission
must be obtained from the copyright owner to
broadcast/podcast the song on the Web.
Performing Christian, secular songs
during worship services
According to Christian Copyright Solutions, permission
is never required to play songs, whether they are sacred
or secular. This is due to religious exemptions in U.S.
copyright law. Exceptions arise when the song is
streamed or podcast: A special license or approval is
required. The only content exception is the performance
of an opera or similar-styed work. See http://
www.christiancopyrightsolutions.com/docs/factsheets/
FactSheet_6MythsCopyrights.pdf
Using Web-based images in services/presentations
“I found an image I love via Google search. Can I use it?”
Images belong to the copyright owner. However, they
can be used on screen in a sermon to illustrate a point.
They cannot be printed, reproduced or broadcast
without the permission of the copyright owner.
Contemporary Licensing Issues

10. Christian Copyright Licensing International http://us.ccli.com/
Christian Copyright Solutions http://www.christiancopyrightsolutions.com/
Briefing from The Maneke Law Group, 2013
Sources