Troubleshooting

Stuff happens. Here are quick fixes for the most common hiccups you might run into with EqualFaith Worship.

Installation Issues

I uploaded the files but the site shows a blank page.

Check that your server meets the requirements. PHP 7.4 or higher. MySQL. Most blank pages on shared hosting mean the PHP version is too old. Update it in your hosting control panel and try again.

The installer won't start. I visited /install and nothing happens.

Make sure you uploaded all files and extracted them completely. Sometimes FTP clients skip files. Re-upload the zip and extract it directly on your server. Then try /install again.

I see database connection errors.

Confirm you created a MySQL database and user before starting the installer. Double-check the database name, username, and password. A single typo will break the connection. If you're unsure, create a fresh database and user from your hosting panel and run the installer again.

Payment Gateway Issues

Donations aren't going through.

First, check if the payment gateway is enabled in your admin settings. Go to Settings and scroll to your payment gateways. Make sure the one you want is toggled on.

Test mode vs live mode.

By default, EqualFaith Worship uses test keys for sandbox transactions. If you're seeing test payments but real ones fail, you haven't switched to production keys yet. Each gateway requires its own live keys. Contact us if you need help making the switch.

A specific gateway isn't showing at checkout.

Go to your payment settings and confirm that gateway is enabled. If it's on and still missing, check that your base currency is supported by that gateway. Not all gateways support all currencies.

Email Problems

Members aren't receiving emails. Welcome emails, donation receipts, password resets.

This is almost always an SMTP configuration issue. The settings are in your public/config.php file. Double-check the host, port, username, and password. A wrong port or password will silently fail.

Test your email.

Use the contact form on your platform. Send a test message. If it doesn't arrive, your SMTP settings need attention. If you used our setup service, reach out and we'll fix it.

Feature Visibility

I turned on Giving but it's not showing on my sidebar.

After enabling any feature in settings, refresh your admin page. If it still doesn't appear, log out and log back in. The sidebar updates on fresh login.

Chat rooms aren't working.

Make sure Enable Chat is toggled on in your feature settings. Also check the limit. By default, a user can create up to 5 rooms. You can increase this in public/config.php under max_rooms_a_user_can_create.

General Quick Fixes

Something looks broken after an update.

Clear your browser cache. If you're using a caching plugin or Cloudflare, purge the cache there too. Old CSS and JavaScript files can make things look broken when they're not.

The platform feels slow.

EqualFaith Worship runs on standard hosting but performs best with decent resources. If you're on a very cheap shared plan, consider upgrading. Also, large file uploads in chat or sermons can slow things down. Keep media files reasonably sized.

I made a change in a config file and now the site won't load.

Don't panic. Go back to the file you edited and undo your last change. Always keep a backup of any config file before editing it. If you're stuck, we can restore it for you.

Still Stuck?

Most issues are simpler than they feel in the moment. Take a breath. Check the basics first.

If you've tried the steps above and something is still off, contact us. Describe what happened, what you tried, and what you see on the screen. Screenshots help. We'll get it sorted.