categories: communication
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How To Use Someone Else’s Material
Recently I used Andy Stanley’s series, “How to Be Rich.” (If you haven’t listened to his messages, I highly recommend that you do.)
Here’s what we did:
- We asked for permission. (For the record, if you use something from LifeChurch.tv Open, you don’t have to ask for permission. Since I didn’t know North Point’s stance, asking permission seemed like the right thing to do.)
- We gave Andy credit publicly and sent people to his church’s website.
- We sent Andy a note with a small gift to say “thank you.” (This obviously isn’t necessary, but I wanted to express my gratitude for his hard work, excellent material, and generosity.)
Parts of the series included almost exclusively his material. Other parts were very much my own. To me, he deserved full credit and honor for God’s work through him.
Several people thanked me for exposing them to North Point’s ministry. I’m thrilled to turn them on to a great spiritual resource.
When have you observed this done well?
Visit 
When? Just now. Thanks for the great example Craig. I have seen this a fair amount of time in blogging also. A number of bloggers will say, “check out what so-and-so says.” I think that is cool! I like your idea of giving credit where credit is due and even though Lifechurch offers their material for use, it is only right for someone to direct them to your site or to say thanks publicly (although I know you don’t expect it). It is common courtesy and decency. AS WELL AS INTEGRITY.
I thought the manner in which you gave credit during the intro. to “How to be Rich” series was tastefully done and “done well.”
I think that it’s important to give credit in this case, especially because you are using the exact name of the series and as you stated:
I think context, judgement and discernment are key!
Great series and Great dialogue!
Craig,
That seems appropriate. I used your book Chazown for a series but I never heard your messages so I used the book as a guide and used the passages of Scripture you referenced. The stories I used were personal ones because I wanted the message to be fresh. I put you book, website & picture on the Powerpoint. It went over great. Thanks.
Awesome, I appreciate you doing that! I saw you using his material as a clear message to the Church: “Why re-invent the wheel? We’re all in this together, let’s use what works.”
Thank you, Craig!!!!! =D
It’s a nicer morning! I agree that the manner in which you introduced the “How to Be Rich” series was spot on. I know that when my father has used one of your message series, he prefaced it with props to Lifechurch.tv. I spoke at dad’s church last July and referenced something you said in the Jonah series….”all there is left to do is pray.” I prefaced it with “my pastor, Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch said in a series on Jonah…..”
Bill, You get the award for the early riser! I love your comments!
Thanks, Scott.
Kevin, So glad you could use Chazown!
Jesse, It was interesting using Andy’s material. I worked harder than I would if it had been from scratch, but I it was far better than I would have done on my own. It was HUGE to have an incredible foundation to build on.
Dusty, Yes… a nicer morning.
I’ve seen this done well a few times and done horribly many times. A good freind of mine does this very well. In his messages he will credit Ray Vanderlaan with the research or a direct quote. He attempts to make sure that he uses public knowledge to the best of his ability while crediting those who have done the initial research. I used your book, Chazone, in my New Year’s Revolution series this year and credited your book. In fact, our young adult small group used this and the videos as curriculum. On a personal note, Craig, thanks for being so willing to share LifeChurh.tv’s resources. Attending and seeing you live has done much for my ministry. Thank you for allowing God to use you without bounds!
I’ve seen it done by my father and many men of God under whose ministry I grew as a teenager and young adult. Their example helped instill in me the value of the inspiration we receive from others and giving credit where credit is due. I am grateful to them and you, Craig, for your willingness to humbly give honor.
As a pastor of a local church I can become too focused on our own particular DNA, hopes, dreams, needs, or challenges. One of the reasons I love following the blogs and podcasts of other voices is because it alerts me to grand themes that the Holy Spirit is communicating to the Body of Christ at large.
I’ll watch then for opportunities to bring those themes into our teaching, and the resources that inspired me along the way become an excellent foundation from which to build.
So thankful for the way the internet is connecting the Church.
Don’t think your blog will be as much FUN today Craig. Like the great line from a country song, “I’VE BEEN WATCHING YOU”, one good reason to be honorable in what we do is just that…someone is WATCHING us and LEARNING from us….another great line from the same song that I love “GOD HELP ME HELP MY STUPID SELF”…my pastor references you many times in his talks and our people frequent your website and many, myself included, attend your internet experience!
In the bible!
Craig,
First I want to say, I’ve just started reading your blog and I get a lot out of it, just like I do your messages. My husband is a lead pastor in the Denver Metro area. In his ministry he has always written his own messages, until we came to this church. It was a fairly young church plant and was very close to closing doors because of finances. Therefore, because of finances my husband, Jeff, was the only paid pastor. He then felt God leading him to use your material through your “Open” program, that way he could contrate on other areas in ministry.
He has always given credit to you, with your name and website at the end of the notes in our bulletins. He has done this because of his own integrity. The sad thing is, people still have a problem with it. We’ve actually had several people leave our church with the reasoning, “He wasn’t preaching his own messages.” We know that God is in control and He is weeding out those who may hinder the work being done at our church. But there is that initial “ouch” factor.
We both appreciate you confronting the tough issues and standing on the truth! Keep it up! May God’s favor continue to be on you and your family
Vance, We are so excited to share the resources. I pray they are helpful to you!
Julie, I am very sorry people have left your church over this issue. I pray God blesses your ministry in Denver and that you and your husband are able to reach many more people for Christ! God’s best to you.
Hey Swerve Team
I am loving this discussion. I love the way you guys and so many others give permission to use your stuff. I do struggle with the whole idea of credit- I am not talking direct plagiarism- but ideas, topics and such. As I research messages I am amazed at what I thought was original with someone… I find it was done by someone else (at an earlier date, hmmm suspicious). I appreciate the authenticity of giving credit (and Craig is Mr Integrity)- but the truth is EVERY SERMON IS PLAGIARIZED.
And it begs this question… If you should give credit for other pastors sermons… why not commentaries and greek lexicons, movies … let’s be honest- there is nothing new under the sun (not even that statement!, some guy in the Old Testament said it- I think) I see movies, listen to comedians, sermons etc… and get great ideas. Frankly- what I often think is original was something I actually heard someone else say. If people are stupid enough (and Church at the Bay people are not) to think all of my message is original… what do they think I am doing when I say I am studying… lol. One final confession, my motto has always been- “plagiarize, plagiarize let no man’s work escape your eyes. (and you can be confident of this- I am not the original source).
My pastor is really good about pointing out where he got his information. He will often times promote the material of the person he got the information from along with giving out web addresses and so on.
I need to confesss - I’m guilty of plagerizing Mr. Stanley and you on a regular basis. Not in sermons but in everyday life - I quote stuff from that series still. I’m so proud that at my age I can remember it!
Seriously, I do quote it a lot and am still thinking about it deeply. I’ve missed the whole point of ‘at the movies’ because I’m stuck on the ‘i am rich’ thing……and you know what, i am rich.
thanks for teaching us andy’s stuff, and adding your own twists- it is still the top series in my book.
Hey Pastor Craig. Thanks so much for your incredible spirit of generosity. You were recently in Utica at GC and you spoke a message on a Divine Burden which so moved me. I have taken that message to heart and am excited to live it out. With your permission I would like to use the three points you used when it came to identifying your divine burden at our church with you getting full credit. Again thanks for your commitment to seeing people become fully devoted followers of Jesus.
Rob
Robin, It was great to be with you all at GC! We give full permission for people to use any of our material. You never have to ask! You can find that outline in our series called “Blessed.” Preach away!
Thanks so much for making these resources available to churches everywhere. It is awesome to see more ministries and churches offering these resources like this. Is there a list of churches or organizations that offers same quality of Innovative Resources like this?
It’s a good thing you started this blog. I’m about to rebuild a youth ministry at our church and we’re actually thinking of using the mission statement from LifeChurch… it’ll be rephrased as “To lead youth to become fully dedicated followers of Jesus Christ.” I’m one to give credit where it deserves. And I thank you and LifeChurch for setting up such a great example. So with your permission, I would like to use your mission statement for our youth.
On another note, if Christians begin to live in ways that we’ll be “blameless” by other Christians and the world (give credit where it deserves or even when it doesn’t deserve does everyone good) then we’ll save ourselves a lot internal battles. For the real battle is out there. In the end, we all should give the ultimate credit to GOD.
Craig,
Thanks for your insights, encouragement and for the way that you model appropriateness and generousity. I also believe in the power of acknowledging and using the insights of others to share God’s Word in a creative and impacting way. I really appreciate your ministry, Craig.
Blessings!
I couldn’t agree more with this topic. To claim someone else’s material as your own is stealing - that’s in God’s top ten list. And when you do not give credit to the author you are stealing. For me it is important that I give credit to the people from whom I get material because I don’t want anyone thinking I am that smart to come up these things. : )
[...] practice, Pastor Groeschel seems to agree with my expanded definition of the term, as demonstrated when he uses someone else’s material himself. He not only gets permission, but also is honest with his hearers regarding his usage of another [...]