What is the Line between Plagerism and Inspiration for sermons?

With the advent of television ministry's being on 24 hours a day; and now numerous websites promoting the sharing of sermons or prepared sermons for those of us who are time challenged.
Where/How do we draw the line between recieving a fresh word from God and simple plagerism?
As a young boy growing up in the church around pastors, I once heard a preacher get accused of plagerism. To answer this the preacher said concerning the sermon he had just preached it was not plagerism because the unnamed preacher who used it before had not give it any life and what he did by revisiting the text the very next day was just that "giving it life".
Now dont get me wrong I know that there are numerous ways in which a text can be utilized to illustrate different scenarios or views; but is there a such thing as plagerism in the pulpit?

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Praise the Lord!, just got back from my State Convocation. I heard messages that ministered to every need, hurt and pain. I heard, now I take with me those seeds that were sown in me and I sow, verbatim? of course not, because the soil is different everywhere you go, and some seeds can't bear fruit in certain types of soil.(don't know anything about that in the natural, so I hope that makes sense lol)

We learn and we teach what we learn, however we must be led personally of the Holy Spirit. We do get busy, but in ministry was must take time out to fast and pray and most of all study, so that we can receive that fresh Word.
Very true it a form of thievery. Have we preachers become so buisness minded (have others do the work and go by thier charts/graphs/research) that we have forgotten that we are supposed to be laying before God that we may here from him a fresh word for his people.
If we do not get in Gods presence then how will we know the shifts of the spirit which may take place during a worship experience. Like the children of Israel whom had to be ready to move at a moments notice because the Pillar of fire at night and the cloud by day would move as God directed to keep them moving.
PREACHERS BEWARE OF NOT LAYING BEFORE GOD
Man, you are soooo right.

"If we do not get in Gods presence then how will we know the shifts of the spirit which may take place during a worship experience"
Could we similarly make criticisms of pastors using the same sermons that they've preached before? Is repeating oneself also a sign of laziness?
I have to whole heartily agree with you Bro. Anthony.
I have repreached sermons that I even wrote in my youth but not with out rereading and restructing to ensure its relevance to the time inwhich i would be utilizing it.
If after laying prostrate before God so that you would receive "a fresh word for his people," you were inspired to restructure a message you brought before, why wouldn't God lead you on another occasion to restructure a message you heard someone else preach?
If you restructure the sermon, then I would say you are not preaching the same one. If however you simply repeat one you delivered to another audience (eg, in another city as a revivalist), I don't see how this isn't "laziness" by the standard you set. Moreover, do we really believe sermons are proprietary... that the preacher has ownership of his message? Would Noah have gotten upset that another antedelluvian started preaching his message about the coming flood? Would John have stopped one of his disciples from preaching his message about the Messiah?
Tijuan,

interesting.... I wouldnt call it plagarism (that has to do with the written word vs the spoken word) but I know what you mean. Its a regurgitation of anothers revelation. To me it cam be like warmed over leftovers LOL you know? Dont get me wrong, the right leftover food can be better the second and third time around like a good stew or pot of chili and cornbread or nice roast. But me? I'm always interested in trying new dishes and adding to my culinary repertoire. Likewise for the meat of the word. Give me fresh manna from heaven over hearing someone elses' warmed up relevation any day. And for those who try to pass it off as their own, Lord have mercy on 'em. Maybe they simply cannot hear from God.
You just made me hungry (LOL)

But it is so true, there are times that leftovers get better with time. But they cannot marinate if they do not have the proper base ingredients.
@ Anthony I would have to differ with your opinion about the different hats. Pastors have always worn numerous hats in the community, its that we have taken to adding on these hats for self postioning and not the upliftment of our people. Pastors have been stylist, bail bonds men, family counselors, Job providers, personal bankers and even more and it was all to help the community grow. I remember my late Godfather going from house to house helping families buy groceries or pay bills or pick up medicine.

But now pastors are heads of tiny corporations in the hopes of another paycheck, or furthering their personal ministry and getting a good retirement. Thus we spend less time in our word and less time hearing from God. We have placed God on a time schedule so we can have more services and boast about how many members we have.


But are we really being effective by using a word written by someoneelse to preach instead of aas a study guide
In my view John the Baptist Preached Repent and be Baptised Peter and the other apostels Preached repent and be baptised, at the day of Pentcost so my point is this all semons should be based on one fact alone and that's salvation these men of the bible they were not worried about large words and accolades or who used them only salvation and this is not a cover up or cop out for those who preach sermons written by someone else the question should be was it given to you to pass on to someone else by god, and if so give credit where credit is due but if it doesnt speak salvation its just a nice speech... and thats what we all should be preaching is salvation...
O brother!
If we are all filled by the same Spirit and inspired by the same Spirit and instructed to "speak the same thing" - whats the problem?

I mean - are these sermons being copyrighted?

If they are copyrighted - the next question is "Are they from the Holy Spirit?"

If they are from the Holy Spirit - can one copyright the Holy Spirit?

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