What about a preacher who is plagiarizing sermons?

Bob Russell Aug. 15, 2018

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Occasionally readers ask my opinion on various personal or church issues. One posed a question recently that I think is worth reviewing this space because the topic of plagiarism is so common in pastoral and leadership circles.

This person wanted to know: at what point does a preacher’s use of other preachers’ sermons become plagiarism? The individual described becoming aware 18 months ago that the senior pastor of the church wasn’t writing his own sermons, but copying them from online videos and preaching them as his own—sometimes word for word.

“If a sermon is posted online, is the expectation that other preachers will use it as their own?” this person asked. “In that case, plagiarism doesn’t really apply. Or are they simply posted for Christians to hear and learn from, not for preachers to use in their own churches?”

Preparing messages  

When preachers ask me whether it’s OK to use someone else’s sermons I often use the analogy of a birthday cake. Would you prefer one baked from scratch, from a mix off the shelf, or a cake purchased from a bakery?

Usually, the first answer is one baked from scratch. My reply: it depends on who is baking the cake. If a person has little or no cooking skills, I’d prefer they buy one from a bakery.

I know plagiarism is a hot-button issue in today’s culture, but I’m more sympathetic with preachers than most. Ministry is a difficult, time-consuming, pressure-packed job. Imagine having a term paper due every week and having to deliver it in front of hundreds of critics. And that’s only 25 percent of your weekly responsibilities!

A good preacher needs many different talents. Some are better pastors, evangelists, administrators or public speakers than they are sermon-writers. My friend, the late Wayne Smith, admitted he “borrowed” from a lot of different sources. Smith would say, “God gave some of us the talent to write sermons and others the talent to preach them.”  

We desperately want to help people understand and apply God’s Word to their lives, and most of us struggle to come up with fresh, creative ways to do that week after week.

Two steps to originality

While I don’t think it’s wrong for preachers to use others’ outlines and ideas, I encourage preachers to do two things.  

(1) Make the sermon your own.  

It’s OK to start with someone’s basic premise, but develop your own phrases, ideas, and examples. When you copy someone else entirely, it’s not going to be the best that you can do. Don’t be lazy and preach someone else’s sermon verbatim. Preaching has been defined as, “truth through personality,” so make sure it’s an expression of your beliefs and personality. Otherwise, it won’t come across as authentic.

(2) Be honest.  

Don’t leave the impression something happened to you if it happened to someone else. If you’re using someone else’s idea, admit it; don’t pretend it’s your own. You can begin a sermon saying, “I read a chapter in Charles Swindoll’s latest book that inspired me and became the basis for my thoughts today.” The congregation will likely understand and be supportive.

Oft-quoted preacher Vance Havner used to tell a story about the young preacher who was determined that he was going to be totally original or nothing—and soon discovered he was both! You want your preacher to read and listen to sermons and continue to grow.

Gentle confrontation  

I told the writer that if I were them, I would go to the preacher personally—as Matthew 18:15 instructs us to do, “If your brother or sister sins (against you), go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over” (NIV).

These are legitimate concerns, I said, so go to him in love and express your concerns gently (Galatians 6:1). Maybe the conversation will inspire him to be more transparent in the future. 

Or, better still, it might motivate him to attempt to be more original. If he makes an effort to write more of his own material, he may discover he is more gifted to write sermons than he thought, and he will have the person to thank for that.

I think of that kind of outcome as a win-win.

Photo source: istock 

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Bob Russell became the pastor of Southeast Christian Church at just 22 years old. That small congregation of 120 members became one of the largest churches in America, with 18,000 people attending the four worship services every weekend in 2006 when Bob retired. Now through Bob Russell Ministries, Bob continues to preach at churches; conferences throughout the United States, provide guidance for church leadership, mentor other ministers and author Bible study videos for use in small groups. Learn More »

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