Comments on: In defense of copycat sermons http://online.worldmag.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/ A forum for discussion of news that arises at the intersection of Christianity and culture. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:03:08 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: REG http://online.worldmag.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/comment-page-1/#comment-330873 REG Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:14:56 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/#comment-330873 40-Old Testament, too! 40-Old Testament, too!

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]]> By: outkast http://online.worldmag.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/comment-page-1/#comment-330843 outkast Wed, 13 Aug 2008 02:44:15 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/#comment-330843 <i>It would do many churches good, I believe, if the mature believers in the church had a chance to speak, to share what God has been teaching them and has laid on their hearts.</i> Sounds like a New Testament church principle! :) It would do many churches good, I believe, if the mature believers in the church had a chance to speak, to share what God has been teaching them and has laid on their hearts.

Sounds like a New Testament church principle! :)

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]]> By: kimberly http://online.worldmag.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/comment-page-1/#comment-330766 kimberly Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:26:11 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/#comment-330766 To add to the congregation sharing vs. pastor preaching subject-- There are quite a few pastors who, when they leave on vacation or for a conference or just feel the need to have somebody else sharing, ask a well-known pastor and speaker to come. My university filled its pulpit with a tremendous amount of preachers--and very few lay people--and my church has done this as well. It would do many churches good, I believe, if the mature believers in the church had a chance to speak, to share what God has been teaching them and has laid on their hearts. To add to the congregation sharing vs. pastor preaching subject–

There are quite a few pastors who, when they leave on vacation or for a conference or just feel the need to have somebody else sharing, ask a well-known pastor and speaker to come. My university filled its pulpit with a tremendous amount of preachers–and very few lay people–and my church has done this as well.

It would do many churches good, I believe, if the mature believers in the church had a chance to speak, to share what God has been teaching them and has laid on their hearts.

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]]> By: metanoia http://online.worldmag.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/comment-page-1/#comment-330594 metanoia Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:47:45 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/#comment-330594 <b>Tony #33</b>: You confirmed what I had commented on to NT. That's what I thought you were trying to say and I agree with your point. And actually most pastors have 104 sermons to prepare for and some have 156. I used to preach Sunday AM, Sunday PM and Wednesday PM. Sometimes it was a challenge to find the time to do all the necessary preparation to deliver something fresh. It can be a lot of pressure as you suggested. Relying on the Holy Spirit to make and keep it fresh was an absolute necessity. Tony #33: You confirmed what I had commented on to NT. That’s what I thought you were trying to say and I agree with your point. And actually most pastors have 104 sermons to prepare for and some have 156.

I used to preach Sunday AM, Sunday PM and Wednesday PM. Sometimes it was a challenge to find the time to do all the necessary preparation to deliver something fresh. It can be a lot of pressure as you suggested. Relying on the Holy Spirit to make and keep it fresh was an absolute necessity.

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]]> By: Karen O http://online.worldmag.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/comment-page-1/#comment-330590 Karen O Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:40:41 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/#comment-330590 My pastor, who will celebrate 20 years of being our pastor next year, relies on prayer & the leading of the Holy Spirit for what to preach about each Sunday. He does expository teaching on Wed. nights. My pastor, who will celebrate 20 years of being our pastor next year, relies on prayer & the leading of the Holy Spirit for what to preach about each Sunday. He does expository teaching on Wed. nights.

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]]> By: TJ http://online.worldmag.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/comment-page-1/#comment-330552 TJ Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:28:34 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/#comment-330552 <i>I’m wondering if I can get him interested in my “Jesus Saves” flash drives.</i> I don't know if GB delves into that sort of thing anymore. He's pretty much bummed about the mega-church growth movement, a monster he helped create, incidentally. But, rest assured, there's still a market out there for that sort of thing. Try TBN. I'm sure Paul Crouch or Creflo Dollar would like it, especially if they can find a way to make a buck or two in the process. I’m wondering if I can get him interested in my “Jesus Saves” flash drives.

I don’t know if GB delves into that sort of thing anymore. He’s pretty much bummed about the mega-church growth movement, a monster he helped create, incidentally.

But, rest assured, there’s still a market out there for that sort of thing. Try TBN. I’m sure Paul Crouch or Creflo Dollar would like it, especially if they can find a way to make a buck or two in the process.

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]]> By: Bianca http://online.worldmag.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/comment-page-1/#comment-330532 Bianca Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:05:23 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/#comment-330532 Recycling sermons is something that goes on way too much. It's one of the tremendous disadvantages of topical preaching vs. expository preaching. The majority of pastors stay at each church from an average of 3-5 years. When they're done at one church, they just preach the exact same set of sermons at the next church as they did at the last. As I'm sure T.J. can attest being a pastor himself, expository preaching forces the preacher to preach on things he never would normally if he were preaching topically. There's nothing wrong with topical preaching, but I've heard just a handful of preachers do it with true skill. They are usually preachers who as a rule preach expositorily (sp?) and know their bibles well enough to tackle a specific topic biblically. And what's this s(he) regarding pastors. There's no such thing as a woman preacher or pastor. :) Recycling sermons is something that goes on way too much. It’s one of the tremendous disadvantages of topical preaching vs. expository preaching. The majority of pastors stay at each church from an average of 3-5 years. When they’re done at one church, they just preach the exact same set of sermons at the next church as they did at the last.

As I’m sure T.J. can attest being a pastor himself, expository preaching forces the preacher to preach on things he never would normally if he were preaching topically. There’s nothing wrong with topical preaching, but I’ve heard just a handful of preachers do it with true skill. They are usually preachers who as a rule preach expositorily (sp?) and know their bibles well enough to tackle a specific topic biblically.

And what’s this s(he) regarding pastors. There’s no such thing as a woman preacher or pastor. :)

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]]> By: Victoria http://online.worldmag.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/comment-page-1/#comment-330502 Victoria Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:56:25 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/#comment-330502 Tony - 33 We don't need to worry about keeping it fresh, the Holy Spirit gives those who are pastors and teachers the message. The words are always fresh if they come from the Holy Spirit to a man or woman who is a teacher, and a man if he is a preacher. GOD knows his congregation in any single church, city, or country around the globe - it might be different depending on the time and place, but it will be HIS message delievered (if the the preacher/teacher) is willing to <b>the group who he has been charged with.</b> Tony – 33

We don’t need to worry about keeping it fresh, the Holy Spirit gives those who are pastors and teachers the message. The words are always fresh if they come from the Holy Spirit to a man or woman who is a teacher, and a man if he is a preacher.

GOD knows his congregation in any single church, city, or country around the globe – it might be different depending on the time and place, but it will be HIS message delievered (if the the preacher/teacher) is willing to the group who he has been charged with.

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]]> By: Tony Woodlief http://online.worldmag.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/comment-page-1/#comment-330496 Tony Woodlief Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:35:09 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/#comment-330496 NT, My point was that the pastor has 52 sermons to invent, plus the pressure of millions of other sermons being invented around him, driving up the difficulty of "being original" and "keeping it fresh." NT,

My point was that the pastor has 52 sermons to invent, plus the pressure of millions of other sermons being invented around him, driving up the difficulty of “being original” and “keeping it fresh.”

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]]> By: krm http://online.worldmag.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/comment-page-1/#comment-330476 krm Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:16:14 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/08/11/in-defense-of-copycat-sermons/#comment-330476 The Bible is a thousand or so pages (give or take depending on font size and the format, notes, etc.). There is only so much there, and if the pastor is preaching sound doctrine there will be great similarity of message. That said, the pastor should be putting his personal touvh on the sound doctrine being delivered. I wouldn't have trouble with, say, canned outlines (that the pastor fleshes out personally). But full canned sermons would be beyoond the bounds of propriety. I have heard a couple of "updates" pf classic sermons that were quite good (but those pastors were also upfront clear that it was a modern reworking of a specifc old sermon). The Bible is a thousand or so pages (give or take depending on font size and the format, notes, etc.). There is only so much there, and if the pastor is preaching sound doctrine there will be great similarity of message. That said, the pastor should be putting his personal touvh on the sound doctrine being delivered.

I wouldn’t have trouble with, say, canned outlines (that the pastor fleshes out personally). But full canned sermons would be beyoond the bounds of propriety. I have heard a couple of “updates” pf classic sermons that were quite good (but those pastors were also upfront clear that it was a modern reworking of a specifc old sermon).

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