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| Ralph Hedley, "The Butter Church'" 1897 |
But there
was a problem with this sermon. The pastor had not given any credit to the
original author. This is known as plagiarism. Or, as it is also known:
intellectual theft. Theft? Isn't that a harsh word? No. It is the truth!
Plagiarism is stealing.
When one
takes an idea from another without crediting the appropriate source and
claiming that thought as his own, he has stolen that idea and becomes a
law-breaker (even with good intentions). Webster’s Dictionary defines
plagiarism as "to take the thoughts or ideas of another and claim them as
one's own." It is from the Latin - plagiarus - meaning to 'kidnap.'
A
quarterback at Auburn University in the late 1980s experienced the accusation
of plagiarism. He had an up and down career while at Auburn. It seemed that his
off the field troubles just multiplied with each passing month. Late in his
career; he was suspected of plagiarizing a term paper for a senior level class.
What had he
done? He had failed to place a footnote after one sentence in a large term
paper. The cost? The quarterback was benched for the highly valued homecoming
game against Mississippi State and given an "F" in the class. Many
were outraged; academics wanted him removed from the football team and school;
football fanatics wanted him reinstated in the class. After all, it was just
one sentence. But, IT WAS NOT HIS. He stole it and took credit for that thought
as if it had been his own. Now we live in a time where there are Web sites and
clearinghouses exclusively devoted to helping students lie their way through
their assignments.
Similarly,
plagiarism seems to be growing among pastors. There are numerous pastors (let
me add, these are good men, who love Jesus and his people passionately)
currently under discipline in numerous denominations for the sin of stealing
the thoughts of others. They didn't steal money out of the collection plate.
They stole sermons from other preachers and presented them to their
congregations as if these sermons were their own.
There are many
resources within a computer's reach that will easily help a pastor in
expressing God's truth. There are subscription services that will give an eager
pastor the text, outline, illustrations, and even bulletin format for each
week's service. All the pastor has to do is pay the fees for the Internet
services, buy the books, and do a little studying of someone else's work.
Why is this
happening? What are the consequences? Is there a cure? I am confident that the
answers to these questions are like the interlocking Olympic rings that overlap
in many ways.
Reasons
Let's face it;
pastors are busy men. There are numerous demands on pastors' time and schedules
like: Marriage and family, counseling, following up with visitors, visiting
people at home or work, seeking those who are far from the fold, administrative
duties, and extra-curricular activities. Sundays occur in regular intervals and
getting prepared is no easy task. There is so much to do that the work on the
sermon gets pushed to the edge of the desk and the pastor wakes up on Friday or
Saturday and remembers, "Oh no, I haven't written a sermon yet." What
to do? Time is running out and there is so much study to be done.
One cure is
to go to a volume on the shelf or go to a Web site and find a good sermon on
the planned text. Then, Sunday afternoon brings a brief respite and the sense
of relief from getting through another one. Shortly, the cycle starts all over
again.
Here are
some reasons pastors are resorting to theft when preparing sermons and lessons.
1. Managerial ineptitude/Prioritizing: Pastors may not be experienced at managing
a clock or calendar beyond scheduling major holidays, family events, and
vacations. Those tasks that "appear" most urgent tend to get first
priority. The "tyranny of the urgent" has ruined many capable and
competent men. Rather than prioritizing those tasks in one's schedule that
should have first, second, third place, a pastor becomes a
"firefighter" who busies himself solving the problems of others while
not giving himself to those things that need his best attention.
2. Lack of Planning: Failure to plan is planning to fail.
Because some ministers are not experienced at efficient time management, they
fail at organizing their week and sticking to the plan. Again, this leads to
pushing sermon preparation to the end of the line (or the last minute). After
all, the sermon is the last event of the week, why shouldn't it be the last
event completed?
3. Intellectual intimidation: Some pastors may be intimidated by the
knowledge of their flock and want to show the congregation that they know what
they are talking about. So the pastor will find a well-read pastor's works and
simply repeat it. Once they've found a minister who just knows how to say
things, they begin to rob that man's mind and pen because "it can't be
said any better than that."
4. Laziness: I know this is a harsh word, but the truth:
People do what they want to do first and foremost. This leads to laziness with
regard to those things that aren't as fun or pleasurable. Self-starters are
rare people. With so many pastors working alone, there is usually no one around
to hold the man accountable for his time and energies.
5. The Fear of Man: Jack Miller said that he was an
"approval suck:" a vacuous being that would do much to gain approval
from others. I am sure that Miller was not a rare person. Some pastors are
addicted to the approval of others. They diligently labor for the 'attaboys' of
their congregants. So these pastors become skilled at R&D (Robbing and
Duplicating). Once they've found the 'right' sermon, they preach it because
they sense that they are being judged for every word that comes out of their
mouths and they want everyone to like them along with what they say.
6. Attempting to Develop a 'Good Style’: Some men may worry that their style of
preaching does not meet a certain standard and attempt to mimic someone else.
Of course, in doing this they give up their own identity and become someone
they are not.
7. Spiritual Warfare: We cannot minimize the spiritual warfare
that is waged in the pastor's study. Satan hates Jesus. Consequently, he hates
and actively seeks to destroy those who love Jesus and want to serve him well. I am convinced that the rise in plagiarism is
a direct result of the temptations and pressures from our enemy. There are many pastors who report that they
have little-to-no zeal for personal study of the Scriptures. This can be due to many factors, but
spiritual warfare is high on that list.
Consequences
Plagiarism in
school will cost you a grade or advancement. But, plagiarism in the pulpit has
a much higher cost. Once a man leaves the confines of seminary and internship
and gets ordained, the standard of measure is very high. The pastor is called
to be a man of prayer and the Word (if you check Acts 6:2, you will notice that
the order and priority is prayer then the Word). He is to be a man who
exemplifies the obedience, joy, love, compassion, and honesty expressed in
Scripture. Members have expectations based on Scripture and their own
shortcomings - wanting him to be perfect so there is at least one person in
their lives whom they can count on. At
the least, the membership of a church does deserve a man who labors in the Word
of God in order to feed the Lord’s sheep.
The scarlet
"P" of plagiarism has "ministry killer" written all over
it. Here are some consequences of plagiarism.
1. Loss of Respectability: Once a pastor steals a sermon and takes
credit for it, he has become a liar. People will think, "If he's lying
about this, what else is he lying about?" The pastor's word is truly his
bond. If his word is good for nothing, his work will have little-to-no respect. He may be tolerated for a time, but his
effectiveness as a shepherd will greatly diminish.
2. The Lazy Label: 'Lazy' is one of the first labels thrown on
a pastor who doesn't do his own homework. Laziness and being worn out are two
different issues, but they both can be confused for sloth. Suspicions with
regard to the pastor's work ethic can lead to the question, "What does he
do with his time?" The pastor must make effective use of his time. His
effectiveness and reputation ride much on his time management.
3. Loss of Credibility (at home and in the pulpit): If the
pastor's work ethic and truthfulness are questioned, his authenticity will be
questioned. And it won't take long for a tired pastor to simply go through the
motions. Even if the pastor is a man of his word and leads a respectable life,
once he steals a sermon every area of life will be questioned. About 10 years
ago, a pastor-friend was asked to speak at a mission's conference. He preached
his 'best sermon ever' remarked the many in attendance. A ruling elder
snickered; he knew the pastor's secret because this elder had been in Dallas
the month before when the original preacher first preached that 'best ever'
sermon. Consequently, peers, churchmen, and community leaders mocked (and still
mock) the offending pastor for "not having an original thought in his
entire body."
4. Loss of Trust: This only makes sense. If a man's words are
not his own, how can we trust that he is genuine about the rest of his work?
5. Loss of Job: Plagiarism has cost many men the very
career and calling for which they have diligently prepared. There has been an
increase in the number of men who've stood in front of a session, congregation
and presbytery with their heads hung in shame as they confessed to stealing
another man's sermon and claiming it as his own.
Cures and Suggestions
Pastors need
help! They need help in managing their time, in leading their flocks, and in
studying the Word and prayer. There are simple ways in which pastors can avoid
being a plagiarist:
1. Attribution: Give credit when credit is due. If you have
taken an idea from another, tell your audience. Those who have nothing to hide,
hide nothing. If the pastor is regularly saying "this sermon comes to you
thanks to the good folks at the Sermon Warehouse" the L-word ('lazy') will
become his moniker. As one revered pastor has said regarding sermon
preparation: "Milk many cows, but churn your own butter." In other
words, it is okay to study and benefit from the labors of others (and we would
be foolish not to study those who’ve gone before us), but make the finished
product personal. God's people want to be (and need to be) touched by the hand
of God through their pastor, not someone else's pastor.
2. Plan Ahead According to Priorities: Every pastor knows that his schedule will
be quickly eaten away if he does not protect it. There are a few men who are
two-to-six weeks ahead in their sermon preparation. They are rare. But, those
men share one trait - they plan ahead. An effective pastor will have the most
important parts of his weekly schedule set in concrete and painted in red:
personal times for prayer and devotions, study time, family time and pastoral
care. When one realizes that his time is a rare commodity, he protects that
time very carefully.
3. Set Goals: Have a target in mind. If you aim at
nothing, you'll always hit it. Set a goal that the sermon will be finished by a
definite time each week. When the goal line is established, you must make
strides every day to reach that goal on time. When the goal is set, it can
actually be attained. What happens when
emergencies arise? You work overtime,
you cut out a lunch or two, you get up earlier, etc. Pastor, you are a grown man. Grown men get their work done.
4. Guard your time: For effective planning and time
utilization, the pastor must set up safeguards around his study time. To be
properly covered in the armor of God, a man of God needs quality time. It takes
time to pray for the flock, pray for wisdom and study the Word of God. Ask the
secretary to hold calls until mid morning. A good secretary, assistant or elder
can handle the messages and calls for a few hours. Let your officers and
congregation know where you have set some boundaries. Then be diligent to keep
those boundaries in place. It is for your good and their benefit.
5. Guard your Environment: Create a place that is 'study-safe.' Some
men can study at home when the wife and kids are out. Some can study just fine
in their offices. Some need to go to the local library, a vacant Sunday school
room, or other quiet place. A critical component to a 'study-safe' place is the
removal of those things that will be distractions and time-cannibals: tv,
internet, phone, etc.
6. Seek Help: First, from the Lord himself. Pastors are
engaged in spiritual warfare and their heart, mind and attention are often the
primary theaters of battle. Remember, the calling is to be a man of prayer.
Secondly, seek help from your elders and deacons. No man is superman, yet a
pastor is expected to be superhero. This wrong perception of his calling can
lead to burn out, exhaustion and perhaps to the temptation to plagiarize. Ephesians
4 tells us that the work of ministry is not only the pastor's; it is also the
work of the entire body of Christ. Enlist the help and assistance of the
parish. They've been called and gifted; use them effectively.
7. Repent of the Idol Self-reliance: Some pastors may not enjoy the Word of God
on their own. They are self-reliant in that they think they possess all they
need to prepare a good sermon. Pretty soon, they will exhaust their shallow
well of personal gifts. They may seek the joy and fulfillment that comes from
diligent study elsewhere. When they steal another's work, they are not only
stealing another's work, but they are robbing themselves of the joy of growing
in the means of grace the Lord has given us.
8.
Rekindle a love for the Word of God: The pastor is an essential part
of the health of a congregation. His spiritual health is a good thermostat for
rest of the body. As he grows, so grows the church. If he is not actively
cultivating his own spiritual garden, but is taking from the labors of another,
he is robbing himself of the pleasures in God's Word. He is also robbing his
congregation of the pleasures of the fresh aroma of having been in the garden
and tilling the soil. Pastors need to sacrifice the idol of the "perfect
sermon" and enjoy the richness of the calling to be a man of prayer and
the word. I recently came upon
Journibles ® and they have been a great blessing to personal Bible study. When we labor in the basics of prayer, Bible
study, and shepherding our preaching will improve.
There is a story of a pastor whose sermons were
beginning to lack enthusiasm and creativity. An elder asked, "How long
does it take you to prepare a sermon?" The self-confident man replied,
"Oh, just the amount of time it takes to walk from the manse to the
church." The next week the session voted to buy the pastor a home across
town. They knew what the pastor apparently had lost; that his time in the Word
is essential to their health and spiritual prosperity.
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