In my opinion, YES, it is! But, then again...if the ones "stealing" these sermons would be told to "take them" anyhow...it's not really stealing...and I really don't know many preachers who would tell someone that they couldn't use a sermon.
I remember when the Plagiarism scandal came out regarding Litton and Greear and all I could think was REALLY? I can't recall how many times I have heard some HAC grad preaching "Fresh Oil" and the "Second Passover" or some PBI grad regurgitating one of Ruckman's "Chalk Talk" sermons! I thought "Stealing" or "Borrowing" sermons was a normal thing and I started doing the same thing - more time for "Soul Winning" if you don't have to be studying the Bible all the time!
I’d definitely have an issue with a pastor “borrowing” sermons on a weekly basis, however, if he occasionally gave a “canned sermon” and gave the author credit, I’d see no conflict. Also, I get the whole “inspiration” thing, but honestly, nearly everything in life was passed down in some form or another—even when we don’t realize it. (Cue Seinfeld - Puddy’s Ziggy bedsheets episode).
Why does he need to "borrow" someone else's canned sermons? Has he got none of his own he could rework?
If you are going to "Polly Parrot" another person's sermon point for point, why not just play the audio or video of the original sermon for your congregation?
Hypothetically speaking. I’m pretty sure my pastor wouldn’t ever use one, but he certainly likes to talk about what others have said on the topic. For example, he might say “John MacArthur said…” or “Charles Spurgeon felt that…” or whatever.
Sure, but that's the opposite of plagiarism. He's found wisdom in MacArthur's or Spurgeon's work, and he's acknowledging that. Plus, he's taking their ideas and synthesizing them into a new sermon of his own. It's not like we expect pastors to produce wholly original dissertations every week. Just do your own research, write your own sermon, and don't leave the impression that someone else's ideas are your own.
Word for.word preaching of another pastor's sermon.
Yeah, that’s either laziness or idolatry, either way inexcusable and pathetic.
I've known some preachers to do this, and then lie and say that the Lord had given it to them...that's about the time I told them I was notifying the deacons of their ruse! If there's one stolen sermon there's more!
Years ago, on an early incarnation of the FFF, I remember someone posting that preacher boys of the Hyles camp were being taught not merely to repeat Jack's sermons, but to replicate them even down to the tone of voice and gestures.
I’ve met a handful of guys from the rural and southern parts of Michigan who do have a little bit of a twang to their speech. I’m not saying you’d confuse them with being from Mississippi or whatnot, but they do have a slight accent.
There is a kind of northern twang. Billy Sunday (from Iowa) had it. It's distinct from the Texas twang. But to my ears, Schaap sounds a lot more like Hyles (who came from the Fort Worth area) than Sunday. That's why I think the accent is affected rather than natural.
Back in college, I briefly dated a girl from central Michigan. She didn’t strike me as having any sort of accent, but I recall there were certain words she pronounced that were odd to me. The one word that really sticks out in my mind is how she pronounced button. I literally could never pronounce it the way she did, even when I really concentrated on trying to mimic her pronunciation.