Citable Sermons

Having been a recent grad student as well as a a fan of research journals, the sign of a reliable read lies in its bibliography.  One of the first actions in writing is to understand your resources.  When quoting previous research, writers delve into who wrote, funded and supported the information in addition to the date of resource (research should be less than five years old unless contributing the history or time line of relevant research). 

I suppose because of how I have been programmed to present and write,  I question a lot of remarks and comments that I hear, often wanting to know where the information came from and who is the source.  Needles to say the emails that solicit all kinds of fabricated information go directly to the trash can and have created an obsessed relationship with snopes.com which by the way has excellent lists of references.

I have been a church member my entire life and a devoted Christian since I was 13.  I love a good sermon when I hear one.  Having been in ministry circles, I understand how difficult it must be week after week to come up with up to three new & fresh insights and sermons a week.  Ministers can go to Mardel's or Lifeway and see a barrage of sermon help books.  They can search online for tons of biblical commentaries.  I would not expect or believe possible that one person would not or should not seek the help of outside resources when constructing messages.

As I pondered the huge task of sermon creativity, I began to reflect on the hundred if not thousands of messages I have heard in my life time.  And then began to realize how I only occasionally hear a pastor reflect or reference his source of information outside of course of the bible.  Is he presenting under the premise that all the ideas are his own?

I am by no means attacking pastors for plagiarizing or flagrant misuse of others information but rather looking at us listeners & hearers of the word.  Are we taking every word we hear as truth and original truth instead of laying down accountability for teaching we receive?

Ironically, I have been musing this topic for quite some time.  Sunday as I sat in a pew listening to a pastor's message,  in support of a pastoral point,  health information and statistics were used.  Of course, being in the health field, my interest steeped.  As I heard the information, I thought this surely could not be true.  The deliverer emphatically stated that the information was from the CDC.  I am a public health nurse and the CDC is the gold standard our ultimate fall back resource.  I visit their website daily and often multiple times per day.  I receive email notification and updates often regarding health stats and new recommendations.  This stat I heard in the message I had never heard before.

Of course, my unshakable need to have correct information drove me to the CDC website that afternoon.  I searched and searched for the recalled information.  To make a short version, I found a somewhat repeatable stat, not from the CDC but from a independent journal which has been under scrutiny and criticism for over 13 years, the age of the "current research stat" given.

Unfortunately, my respect and reverence for the point being made is now under question.

So whether you are the pastor, teacher, writer or the listener, learner or reader - you must be accountable for the information that you deliver but also the information you hear.  Be cautious of what you retell, remember your information is only as good as your source.