Sermon research MCP server

v1.0.0

Updated 121 days ago

MCP

~15 min setup

Not installed

Connect Claude Desktop to your sermon archive folder and a public commentaries cache so Claude can pull from your past series and cross-reference public-domain commentary while you draft a new sermon — no copy-paste required. Drops into Claude Desktop with one config-file edit.

Quick install.

Grab the install file below — drop it where the setup guide tells you.

Filename: sermon-research-mcp-claude_desktop_config.json

Setup guide.

Step-by-step from “fresh install” to “first run.” Skim it once, then keep this page open while you go.

Before you start

MCP (Model Context Protocol) lets Claude Desktop talk to local servers that expose data and tools. This snippet wires Claude to two things: your sermon archive folder and a public-domain commentaries directory. The first time you ask Claude something like 'How did I handle Romans 8 last time?', it'll search your archive and answer with a quote-and-citation.

Step 1 — Locate your Claude Desktop config

On macOS the file is at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. On Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json. On Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. If the file doesn't exist, create it with an empty {} as the contents first.

Step 2 — Paste the snippet and replace the placeholders

Open the downloaded claude_desktop_config.json from above and merge it into your existing config (if you already have an mcpServers block, add 'sermon-research' inside it — don't overwrite). Replace REPLACE_WITH_PATH_TO_YOUR_SERMON_ARCHIVE with the absolute path to your sermons folder, and REPLACE_WITH_PATH_TO_PUBLIC_DOMAIN_COMMENTARIES with the absolute path to your commentaries directory.

Step 3 — Restart Claude Desktop and verify

Quit Claude Desktop fully (cmd-Q on Mac, not just close window). Reopen it, then click the small wrench icon at the bottom of the chat — you should see 'sermon-research' listed under Connected MCP servers. Ask: 'List the last 5 sermons I preached on Romans.' If Claude responds with a list from your archive, the wiring works.

Bring your own commentaries

The template doesn't ship commentaries — your tradition's preferred public-domain set is the right starting point. Common starting sets: Matthew Henry's Commentary, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Adam Clarke (Wesleyan-Holiness), Calvin's Commentaries (Reformed). Point the --commentaries flag at the folder containing them.

Confirm copyright permissions

Confirm copyright permissions for any commentaries you load. Most pre-1925 commentaries are public domain in most jurisdictions; many modern ones are not. The MCP server reads whatever you point it at — it does not check licenses on your behalf.

Troubleshooting.

Hit one of these? Here's the fix.

Claude says 'no MCP servers connected'

Almost always a JSON syntax error in claude_desktop_config.json — a stray comma, missing brace, or unescaped backslash in a Windows path. Run the file through a JSON validator (jsonlint.com or VS Code's built-in formatter) and Claude will pick it up on next launch.

Server connects but archive search returns nothing

The MCP server indexes your archive on first launch — give it 60-90 seconds for a few hundred sermons. If results stay empty: check that --archive points at a folder you can ls into, and that the folder contains .md / .docx / .pdf files (not just folders of folders). Set SERMON_RESEARCH_INDEX_REFRESH_HOURS=1 temporarily to force a re-index on every restart.

Discussion.

Per-integration ratings and comments open with the v3 community release. For now, send feedback to [email protected] — David reads every one.