Why Most Pastors Do Not Own Their Sermons (And How to Change That)

Most pastors assume they own their sermons. After all, they prayed over them, studied hours for them, wrote them, preached them, and refined the writing process over many years, if not decades. A sermon is deeply personal as an expression of a pastor’s calling, theology, voice, and labor. So, it comes as a surprise to many church leaders when they learn that, in many cases, they do not legally own the sermons they preach. The reason is simple: the law has a default setting, and that default setting often favors the employer. In the case of a pastor’s sermons, it’s the church. Work Made for Hire At the center of the issue is the legal doctrine known as “work made for hire.” In general, when an employee creates something within the scope of employment, the employer is considered the legal author and owner of that work. That principle catches many Already a member? Log in Unlock premium content! Get access to all Church Answers premium content from our expert contributors plus many ot