Sermon Graphics & Notes Submission Guidelines

Thank you for helping us provide clear and engaging sermon visuals and notes each week! this is a vital part of our mission to minister the Gospel to a lost and dying world.

You are welcome to create your own sermon graphics and slides—however, all graphics must meet the guidelines outlined below to ensure a consistent and effective experience for everyone, both in-person and online. If you would prefer, you can submit your outline and have graphics created for you.

To make the process smooth for everyone—both speakers and our production team—please follow the guidelines below.

1. Content Submission Process & Deadlines

  • Submit your content: Email an editable document straight to me (daniel@oxfordag.org)

  • For Sunday messages: Submit by Friday at noon (preferably earlier).

  • For Wednesday messages: Submit by Wednesday at 2pm (preferably earlier).

  • File format: Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) or Apple Pages (.pages) only.

2. Outline Guidelines

  • Simple, Focused Structure:

    • Use only main points and, if needed, a few sub-points for each main point.

    • No third-level points (sub-sub-points).

    • Preferably a single page; two pages are fine if the text remains large and clear.

  • Content Consistency:

    • Your outline should match exactly what you want displayed on the screens and in the digital notes.

    • Do not submit separate “notes” and “outline” content—everything should be in one document in the order of presentation.

  • Scriptures:

    • Include all scriptures to be shown on screens.

    • For longer passages, only include the specific verses necessary for your message.

  • Fill In The Blanks (Digital Notes):

    • Underline any words you want to be “Fill In The Blank” in the notes.

    • Please use these sparingly for clarity and focus.

    • If you prefer, I can choose words or phrases that seem to make sense.

    • If you would prefer not to use Fill In The Blanks, just let me know and I'll leave them out.

  • SmartBoard Requests:

    • If any outline content or scriptures are needed on the SmartBoard, include them inline and clearly mark them in BLUE text

  • Reference Example:

3. Slide & Graphics Design Guidelines

You may create your own sermon graphics/slides or have us design them for you. All graphics must follow these requirements:

A. General Requirements (All Screens)

  • Content Matching:

    • Content for Screen 1 (Main Auditorium) and Screen 2 (Lower-Third Livestream) must match exactly—-the same words, same order, same timing.

    • Content should be concise and formatted to fit well in the lower third.

    • Because the lower third graphic is the most constrained, this should be the reference for what the content on each slide should consist of. Then the full screen graphic can be made to match the content but in a full screen format.

B. Lower-Third (Screen 2) Formatting

  • Max Lines:

    • Up to three lines of text per graphic.

  • Scriptures:

    • Two lines for the verse, one line for the reference.

    • Break up longer passages into multiple slides.

  • Main Points:

    • Display only the main point (preferably one line; two if necessary).

  • Sub-Points:

    • Always show the main point as the first line.

    • Sub-points go underneath:

      • If a sub-point is one line, you may include two sub-points (lines 2 and 3).

      • If a sub-point takes two lines, it must be the only content on lines 2 and 3.

    • No point or sub-point should be longer than two lines; one line is ideal.

  • Keep text large and easy to read. Test your slides for readability on small screens.

  • Backgrounds:

C. Full-Screen (Screen 1) Formatting

  • Design to match lower-third content:

    • Use the same wording and timing as the lower-third, but you can use a full background graphic and larger layout.

  • Style should be visually consistent with the lower-third slides.

D. SmartBoard (Screen 3) Formatting

  • Background:

    • Solid black only.

  • Text:

    • White only (no other colors).

    • Font: Arial or Lora, at least 32pt.

    • You may use bold, italics, or underline for emphasis—but do not use any other colors.

  • Graphics:

    • Only simple, high-contrast images.

  • Keep content uncluttered and ready for annotation.

4. Need Help?

If you’re unsure about any part of this process, formatting, or timelines, please reach out to me for guidance.

I'm here to help your message be presented in the best possible way!

Thank you for your cooperation and for all you do to make our services excellent!

--Daniel