Sermon Plagiarism

In the past week, the issue of sermon plagiarism reared it’s head again.  An article in the Wall Street Journal brought to light many of the well known sermon resources today’s busy preachers are using to bring fresh content to their pulpits each week.  It didn’t take long for the blogosphere to respond:

Tim Challies:
…The pastor may have modified elements on the sermon, but he has not invested the time or effort in serving his congregation by doing the long and hard work of sermon preparation.

I understand the thought process behind that comment.  As a pastor myself, I spend many hours contemplating, praying over, and selecting the elements of my message each week.  Michael Duduit of “Preaching” magazine also addressed this issue back in September on his blog:

My concern is raised when a preacher uses another person’s sermon either totally or almost completely, and leaves the impression with a congregation that this was his or her own work.

There’s certainly no shortage of opinion here.  I’ve read blogs both for and against though it seems (from a very unscientific random sample) that most preachers who are blogging disagree with the practice.  Perhaps they are publicly stating so in their blogs to protect themselves from deacons and board members who silently read their blogs and print off everything they disagree with!  Perhaps they are totally truthful.  To that, I have no way of knowing.

The issue was really brought to the forefront when noted author and church planter Steve Sjogren encouraged the practice of using others’ sermons in his writing.  A link to one of the articles is available by CLICKING HERE.  Sjogren also advocates the practice is his book “Community of Kindness”.

Personally, I love Sjogren’s body of writing work.  I see both sides of the coin here as I considered this issue well over a year or so ago.  At my own denomination’s annual convention in 2005, this very topic was the subject by one of the keynote speakers that year.  I purchased a CD copy of the message to listen to on the plane ride home so I could think more about the issue.

When I think of the demands placed on ministers today to be CEO type managers with vision and mission statements, available at all times to minister, expected to show up at many (sometimes needless) meetings to discuss church business, and to visit those in the church who expect visits even when their matters are trivial, I wonder when the pastor has 20-30 hours to prepare a fresh, relevant, visionary message as the congregation expects.  Perhaps he’s supposed to get that inspiration during his quiet time but I see my devotional times in the morning as my separate time alone with just me and God.  I’m not looking for sermon nuggets at that time.  Don’t forget, the pastor with kids should first and foremost be a Dad that spends quality time with his children, helps with homework when needed, runs the Van from time to time to pick up the kids from various activities when Mom is working (You do know that Mom has to work these days right?) and somehow, manage to also spend quality time with your wife after all that is done.  Hopefully, nobody calls your cellphone and takes you away from those activities.  (Not that I mind when it’s a real emergency but many times, it’s just to ask a question that could wait until tomorrow!)

If the church was running like the church outlined in the book of Acts, then the members would be the ones making the rounds and doing the visits.  The pastor would provide oversight and leadership and this would free him up to study.  That’s the very reason the disciples appointed deacons when the church started growing and the demands outstripped their time:

And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
(Acts 6:2-4 ESV)

If only it were truly like that.  The reality is, the pastor is expected to fill many roles designed for deacons AND study the word while trying to be a good father and husband (or perhaps grandfather). 

It’s hard for me to take sides.  I’m curious what you think?