Sunday, 26 July 2009

• Currently Siempre By Il Divo see related

  Sermon Recycling?

  This morning during my ritual cup of coffee, I picked up the front page of The Star Ledger (the New Jesery state newspaper) and looked over the headlines when a very interesting article caught my eye: "Thou shall not steal (e-sermons excepted)". Now how is it that such an iconic commandment, something that we as Christians are supposed to emulate and revere, can be negated by those we seek guidance from the most? Although sermons can be downloaded for a fee and there is some expectation that each pastor tweak the respective sermon to their style and verbiage, doesn't it still seem a little misleading a pastor can still present the image of an original sermon without doing the work?

  It is easy to see in the digital revolution, and with the busy lives we lead, how a pastor could be so overloaded from time to time they may need to borrow a sermon from someone. As a writer, I know you have days when the pen doesn't flow as easily and it can be hard to overcome. If I had all their pressure, trying to meet the needs of an entire congregation in the span of thirty or so minutes, I too may occasionally need to consult my peers for ideas. But where does it stop? What prevents a pastor from taking an online message like Joel Osteen's telecast and reusing it?

  In seminary pastors are using these e-sermons as case studies, according to the article by Jeff Strickler. In this case, "borrowing" a sermon is perfectly acceptable because it is used as a teaching tool. The best way to learn is often from the mistakes of others and by critiquing those in the field. They're using this privilege responsibly and their teachers know they are not deliberately stealing for malicious purposes. Does knowing pastors are currently using recycled sermons change how you see their message though?

  For me, I've always seen a sermon as a gift that has been bestowed by Him onto the speaker's heart, for that specific moment. Maybe I'm just grandizing the relationship a pastor should have with the Lord, maybe not. At the very least, I do believe in order to be a respected leader, listening to your heart and allowing Him to lead you is essential. So, from one church goer to all the pastors out there, please remember even in your darkest hour or writer's block, He will be there guiding your words and you are allowed to "wing it" every once in a while when you have no idea what to say at the pulpit. You can always recycle the verses, but you can never recycle the emotion that comes from the words you speak.

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