Public Lesson Sharing
Sometimes lesson material needs to reach people who don't sign in -- a parent grabbing this week's coloring page, a visiting family, a guest teacher. TimelyChurch gives you two ways to share lesson material publicly, each with its own safeguards. This article is an overview; follow the links for the step-by-step.
Two Ways to Share
| Class materials on the public event page | A Drive link | |
|---|---|---|
| What is shared | The take-home for each class meeting at an event: lesson title, memory verse, "Try at home" activity, and the lesson's materials | One file or one folder from Drive |
| Where people open it | Your church's public event page | A link you hand out (short link or QR code) |
| Protection | Hidden, PIN protected, or Public | Optional 6-digit PIN, optional "no download", and an expiry |
| Set up in | Lesson Settings (church default) and each class session | Drive → Get link |
| Learn more | PIN-Protected Take-Home Materials | Share a File or Folder with a Link |
Class Materials on the Public Event Page
When a class session on an event has a lesson with materials, the public event page can show a Class materials section -- "Take-home resources for the classes meeting at this event."
- Set your church-wide default in Lesson Settings → General Settings → Class materials sharing. Under Default visibility, choose:
- Hidden — not shared publicly -- the section never appears.
- PIN protected -- the section appears, but downloads need a 6-digit PIN.
- Public — anyone with the link -- anyone viewing the event page can download.
- If you choose PIN protected, enter the 6-digit PIN and save.
- On an event's Classes & Lessons tab, each session's Class materials sharing can stay on Use church default or override it for that one class.
With PIN protected, visitors see Enter PIN to Access Materials -- "Ask your teacher for the PIN to download lesson materials." -- and click Unlock after typing the PIN.
When to Share Publicly
Public sharing is useful when you want:
- Parents at home to grab a lesson's take-home material without signing in.
- Visiting families to see what a class is learning.
- A guest teacher to get a handout before they have an account.
It is not the right tool for curriculum whose license forbids posting on the open web. For that, use PIN protected (so the material stays inside your church family) or keep it Hidden and let families use the member portal instead -- see Family Lessons in the Member Portal.
Why a PIN? "Publishers typically prohibit open web sharing — a PIN keeps take-home downloads inside your church family."
Quick Setup Checklist
- [ ] Check your curriculum's license before sharing anything publicly.
- [ ] Choose a Default visibility under Class materials sharing (most churches: PIN protected).
- [ ] Set a 6-digit PIN you can give parents.
- [ ] Add lessons with materials to the class sessions on your event.
- [ ] Open the public event page in a private browser window and check what visitors see.
Related
- PIN-Protected Take-Home Materials
- Share a File or Folder with a Link
- Lessons on Your Sunday: Events & Class Sessions
- Family Lessons in the Member Portal -- the signed-in alternative to public sharing.