KIDNAPPING SERMONS
Wayne Turner

What should the members of a congregation expect when their preacher gets up to deliver a lesson?  This should be a very straightforward answer, right?  He should teach God’s word in a way that is clear and easy to understand, and should show how it applies to them and their lives.  He should model and teach them to respect God’s truth.  He should challenge their minds and hearts.  Paul basically outlined the responsibility when he told Timothy that the scriptures were for doctrine, reproof, correction and training in righteousness so that the hearers would become spiritually mature and fully equipped for God’s service.

What should a congregation expect about the source of its preacher’s sermons?  We are assuming that the ultimate source of a sermon is the Bible.  But, from that text, someone must study the scriptures and prepare a lesson.  The teacher has to prayerfully consider the needs of the congregation, and then determine the purpose of the sermon, the main points, supporting ideas, relevant illustrations and application.  Sermons are the result of a process of study, research, thought, creativity and work.  So, when a preacher gets up to do a sermon, whose work should he be presenting?  What should the congregation be able to expect?

Good study necessarily involves looking at reference material.  This is why many preachers have large libraries.  Many may prepare two sermons and two classes each week, which places a real demand on them to come up with subjects and ideas for each one, while still maintaining some freshness and creativity.  This involves reading much more widely than simply what is necessary just to prepare and present a specific sermon.  If a preacher only reads and studies for his lesson preparation, he will quickly run out of topics. 

Sometimes, when a preacher’s schedule is crammed with too many time demands, he may feel the need to find a shortcut to his next sermon.  In the past, many preachers had books of other people’s sermons—otherwise known as “canned sermons.”  These are very convenient  – whole sermons “ready to serve.”  In itself, there is certainly nothing wrong in using someone else’s sermon.  On his blog, Tim Challies tells of a minister who did a series called, “Sermons I Wish I’d Written.”  Using someone else’s sermon occasionally may help a preacher improve his own sermon preparation.

However, there are two possible problems with using someone else’s sermon.  First, a congregation expects that part of the preacher’s work is studying and researching to prepare a sermon.  They expect that when he steps up in front, he has taken the time and done the work to ensure that he is teaching the truth. To meet this expectation, he cannot pass this responsibility off to someone else.  Sermon preparation is a necessary and important part of his work, as well as his own spiritual growth.  During his preparation, he will cover much more material than can be part of his sermon.  This will prepare him to answer any questions or challenges that may come from his lesson. 

The second problem is more serious.  If a preacher presents a “borrowed” lesson (or ideas) and identifies its source to the congregation, there is no problem. However, there is a serious problem when he uses someone else’s material without acknowledgement.  As most students know, passing off another person’s work as one’s own is called plagiarism.  Plagiarism can be an outright lie or it can be implied, simply by failing to credit the original source, thus leaving the impression that it is his work. 

The word “plagiarism” comes from the Latin word plagiarius, a kidnapper.  According to thefreedictionary.com, it was used in Roman civil law to refer to a person who concealed a slave that belonged to another.   Over time, this was applied to the use of someone else’s work, words or ideas (even by paraphrasing) without identifying the source.  It is considered to be the theft of another person’s “intellectual property.”

Plagiarism is a problem today in many fields, including education, research, journalism and religion (see www.plagiarism.org).  The Internet seems to have facilitated and expanded the problem.  Students risk failure and even expulsion, but continue to submit research papers they have downloaded from websites that market such papers.  Similarly, the Internet has countless sites that give access to other people’s sermons.  A Google search for “sermons” yields over 20 million references.  Some of these are sites where sermons are offered for purchase or free download, including some with PowerPoint presentations.

It is sad to think that there are ministers who, while claiming to preach the truth, mislead their churches by plagiarizing other people’s work.  This is a serious moral and ethical problem. Whether they have recognized their practice for what it is or not, for those of us who preach, any such dishonesty jeopardizes our reputation and credibility.  Plagiarism is unnecessary when it is so easy to acknowledge the source of a quote, an idea or even a sermon.  For those who may have been using other people’s material, please, always identify the source.  Church members who feel that their preacher may be “borrowing” sermons should ask him privately and in a brotherly way. Perhaps he could be given a copy of this editorial.  He needs to understand the seriousness of this practice.

God’s people should have the highest standards of integrity, so that there is not even the slightest shadow of doubt.   We cannot allow the preaching of God’s word to be tainted in any way.  We must preach the Truth in a way that is truthful.