Parse error: syntax error, unexpected /components/com_sermonspeaker/helpers/rout

Ok, looks like it needed php 5.4. Updated it from 5.3. Looks like it solves it!!

Yeah, that would have been my thought. 5.3 is a very old Version, even 5.4 is very old.
You should look at updating to PHP 7. Or at least to 5.6.36.


I will have to look what exactly changed between 5.3 and 5.4 then. And probably have to raise the PHP Minimum requirements a bit.

I'll look into that. Any problems you forsee with upgrading the php version in general?

Joomla Core as well as SermonSpeaker are compatible with PHP 7. SermonSpeaker.net runs on 7.1.1.
Most extensions likely are compatible as well, but that is the biggest risk you have depending on what you have installed.
On the other hand, your site will run faster with PHP7.