A Word on Pastoral Plagiarism
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by Jon Buck
Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.
~ 1 Tim 4:16
pla·gia·rism - the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. (Oxford English Dictionary)
Preparing sermons is tough work! There’s the study component, the preparation, and, most difficult of all, the spiritual dimension of prayer and wrestling over the text in light of the body of Christ where a pastor is called to serve.
With these difficulties in mind, technology has offered some shortcuts for pastors. Much study time can be saved with bible products like Logos or Bible Works, as the programs provide tools for study. But other resources, like sermon writing services and online fee-based sermon transcripts, have made plagiarism far easier as well.
There has been some recent news regarding pastoral plagiarism in the evangelical world. But what’s the problem with plagiarism, and what does the Bible have to say about it? There are at least three things that should be mentioned:
Pastoral Danger - Paul told Timothy to pay attention to himself and his teaching, and to persevere in these things. The reason for this stern encouragement is that in this way he would ensure salvation for his hearers. Perseverance in study and teaching has a direct link to the souls under the care of a pastor. If he chooses to abdicate this responsibility by plagiarizing a sermon, he is hamstringing his ability to care for the souls of his sheep, for whom he will give an account.
Personal Danger - This exhortation to Timothy includes the benefit of personal soul care. A pastor who never wrestles with the text of Scripture is limiting his own enjoyment of Christ, and putting himself in great danger. Distance from the Scripture is distance from Christ, and distance from Christ is deadly—hence Paul’s statement to Timothy about ensuring his own salvation as well.
Deceit - Apart from pastoral and personal concerns, even the secular world knows that plagiarism is wrong. The fundamental reason is that it is deceitful. The lie is that a ‘good sermon’ written by someone else will provide all the cravings of the pastor’s soul—a bigger church, more accolades, etc. But the truth is that sin never produces righteousness, and deception will eventually lead to pastoral and personal failure.