What is the easiest way to project scripture in church?

Use presentation software with a built-in Bible. Search for the reference, check it in Preview, then send it Live to the projector, which takes a few seconds once the translation is installed.

How many lines of a Bible verse should go on one slide?

Aim for roughly four to six short lines per slide so people at the back can read comfortably. Split longer verses across slides rather than shrinking the text.

Can the projector and the livestream show different Bible translations?

Yes, in OpenMico each output can have its own translation, theme and layout, so the main screen and a livestream or stage display can differ.

Which Bible translations come with OpenMico?

The King James Version and the World English Bible ship with the app, and more historical editions can be downloaded. Translations such as NIV, ESV, NLT or NKJV can be imported where your church holds the rights.

How to Display Bible Verses on Screen During a Sermon (2026)

To display Bible verses on screen during a sermon, install a translation in your presentation software, search for the passage by reference or by words, check it in Preview, and send it Live to the projector. The details that make it work well on a Sunday are preparation, readable slides and a clear routine for the person running the screens. This guide walks through each step using OpenMico, but the principles apply to any bible verse projection setup.

What do you need to project scripture in church?

Before the first service, make sure you have:

A computer connected to the projector or screen, set up as a second display rather than mirrored.
Presentation software with a Bible built in. OpenMico runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and its core app is free, works offline and needs no account.
A translation your church is permitted to use. KJV and the World English Bible ship with OpenMico. If you use NIV, ESV or another licensed translation, see our guide to projecting Bible translations and copyright.
Optional: a microphone feed from the sound desk, if you want the software to listen for references.

How do you display Bible verses on screen, step by step?

1. Install the Bible translation

Open the Bibles section and choose a translation. KJV and WEB are already installed. More historical editions can be downloaded from within the app, and licensed translations can be imported if your church holds the rights to them. OpenMico does not supply licensed text. The scriptures documentation covers importing in detail.

2. Set up your outputs

Connect the projector and assign it as a full-screen output. If you also have a stage display for the preacher or a livestream, add those as separate outputs. Each one can have its own translation, theme and layout, so the projector could show NIV in large type while the livestream overlay shows a smaller lower-third version. The outputs guide explains displays, OBS and NDI.

3. Search by reference or by words

Type a reference such as "Jn 3:16", "Romans 8:28-30" or "Psalm 23" into Bible search. If you only remember a phrase, search by words instead, for example "love is patient" or "be still and know". Search works from your installed Bible, so it is fast and works offline.

4. Add passages to the Schedule ahead of time

If the preacher sends readings in advance, add each passage to the Schedule (the running order) before the service. The Schedule saves continuously, so you will not lose your plan if the computer restarts. Preparing readings in advance means you only need live searching for the unexpected references.

5. Preview before you go live

Select a verse and it appears in Preview, which only the operator sees. Check that it is the right passage, the right translation and that it splits sensibly across slides. This habit catches most mistakes before the congregation sees them.

6. Send it Live

When the preacher reaches the passage, send it Live. Step through the verse slides as they read. When they move on, clear the screen or move to the next item in the Schedule rather than leaving a verse up for ten minutes after it was read.

7. Optional: let Listening queue verses automatically

Preachers rarely stick to the notes. With Listening switched on, OpenMico transcribes the sermon and detects spoken references, such as "John 3:16" or "Romans chapter eight", and queues them in Preview. You still decide what goes live. On Pro and Max, AI scripture recognition also catches described passages, such as "the night Jesus calmed the storm". Spoken reference detection works on every plan, and on-device transcription is free. Read more on the AI Bible verse detection feature page or in automatic Bible verse detection explained.

We recommend leaving automatic projection off at first, especially in rehearsal, so you can review each detected reference before it appears.

How do you make Bible verses readable on a projector?

A verse that is correct but unreadable has not done its job. Scripture is usually longer than a song line, so it needs more care than lyrics.

Readability guidelines

Setting	Guideline	Why it matters
Font size	Large enough to read from the back row; test it from there	Small text is the most common complaint
Lines per slide	Around four to six short lines	Fewer lines means less hunting for the place
Line length	Short lines, roughly half the screen width or a little more	Long lines are hard to track across a wide screen
Typeface	A plain sans-serif or a clear serif, regular or medium weight	Decorative or thin fonts blur on projectors
Contrast	Light text on a dark background, or dark on light, with nothing busy behind it	Projectors wash out colour and low contrast
Backgrounds	Solid colours or heavily darkened images	Text over detailed photos becomes hard to read
Reference label	Show the reference and translation, such as "John 3:16 (NIV)"	Helps people follow in their own Bibles and meets publisher notice requirements
Verse numbers	Small superscript numbers or none, consistently	Helps orientation without clutter
Slide splits	Break at natural phrases, not mid-clause	Keeps meaning intact as you step through

Use the theme designer to build a dedicated scripture theme with these settings, then reuse it every week. Consistency is easier for volunteers and for the congregation.

Test in the room

Projectors, room lighting and screen size all change how text looks. Once you have a theme, stand at the back of the room during a rehearsal and read a long passage. If you squint, increase the size and reduce the lines per slide.

How should you handle long passages?

Some readings run to a dozen verses or more, such as a psalm read in full or a story from the Gospels. A few habits keep long passages readable:

Split across several slides at natural breaks, usually verse by verse or at the end of a sentence.
Keep the reference visible on every slide, so people who arrive late or look up from their own Bibles know where you are.
Agree the pace with the reader. If someone other than the preacher reads, run through the passage with them so you advance slides at the right moment.
Consider showing only key verses when the preacher reads a long section and then focuses on one or two lines. The congregation can follow the full reading in their own Bibles.

Before the service, step through the whole passage in Preview once. It takes a minute and shows you any awkward splits.

Which translation should you put on screen?

Most churches project the translation the preacher reads from, so the congregation hears and sees the same words. Some show a second translation on a different output, for example a different language on a side screen. Because each output in OpenMico can carry its own translation, you can do this without duplicating work.

Whatever you choose, make sure your church has permission to project it. Public-domain texts such as the World English Bible are free to use, while modern translations have publisher terms about how many verses you can show and what notice to display.

What are common mistakes when projecting scripture?

Searching live for every reading. Add known readings to the Schedule before the service.
Skipping Preview. One wrong click puts the wrong chapter on screen.
Cramming a long passage onto one slide. Split it.
Mismatched translations. The preacher reads NIV while the screen shows KJV. Agree the translation in advance.
Leaving a verse up too long. Clear the screen when the preacher moves on.
Letting automation run unchecked. If you use listening, keep detections in Preview until you approve them.

A simple Sunday routine for scripture

Before the service, add the preacher's readings to the Schedule.
Confirm the translation and check each passage in Preview.
Start Listening, if you use it, and check the microphone level.
During the sermon, push planned passages live as they come up and watch Preview for spoken references.
Afterwards, note any references that were missed so you can prepare better next week.

If you are new to the app, the getting started section of the docs walks through building your first service.

Try it at your next rehearsal

The best way to get comfortable is a low-stakes run-through: install a translation, build a scripture theme, and practise searching, previewing and going live a few times. Download OpenMico for free and set it up before Sunday.