Lifehacker posted about how to understand copyright law. That got me to thinking about this oft neglected topic. I have rarely heard discussion about the copyright of sermons or the use of copyrighted images in PowerPoints. Guess what, you have to think about it. As a preacher you need to have the highest standards for your work. Don't plagiarize - give credit where necessary. Don't steal people's images. If they are a commercial image - seek permission.
Now, I will admit to grabbing pictures from Google Images from time to time. The line isn't always clear. I usually think about how I might be impacting the livelihood of the photographer. If there is no way that they would make money, I use the image, if I'm taking money out of their pocket, I will pay or find a different images.
Also, don't steal a sermon from someone else. If you were inspired, that's fine, but give credit. Mention the book or sermon that prompted your thoughts. There's no shame in being inspired by other works, but there's a bunch of shame in stealing from other people.
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