Right now, there is a lot going on in the Southern Baptist (SBC) world regarding our newly elected convention president Ed Litton and the apparent plagiarism of his sermons from J.D. Greear. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, watch the video HERE. Also, read Ed’s response HERE and J.D.’s HERE. Watch the video and read the responses from the men before continuing on in this article.
Ok, now that you have done a little bit of watching and reading, let me tell you, that this issue is something that appears to me much greater and widespread in Ed Litton’s preaching than just the one sermons out of a text from Romans 1. While this was the watershed moment that brought the issue to light, there is much more than this.
First and foremost, “sermon stealing” is wrong. I am totally, 100% agains the idea of a pastor taking someone else’s sermon and preaching it as their own. I have heard stories of this happening verbatim and nearly verbatim. In my opinion, this is an outright violation of the Eight Commandment, “You shall not steal,” (Exodus 20:15). I strongly believe that pastors ought to labor to formulate through study, meditation, and most importantly prayer, original sermons from the texts they are going to preach through. This laboring is one of the things that we have been called to do.
Now, if you have read the statements from J.D. and Ed (the immediate past and current SBC presidents, respectively), it sounds like he got permission to borrow some phrasing and structure for preaching through the Book of Romans. This, as long as you strive to create original sermons that remain faithful to the text, is something that many pastors do. And when they do so, they give credit where credit is due (this is when you use a phrase or other statement). However, in this particular case, as you will see in the videos, it seems that Ed Litton preached nearly verbatim what J.D. preached. This, Scripturally speaking, ought not to be, even if permission was given.
Now, as for the “removal” of Ed Litton as the president of the Southern Baptist Convention, I really don’t think that should happen. I don’t think we, as a convention, should go through with such an action. There are far more important thing that we must be focusing our energy upon. There is declining membership, baptisms, and even conversions across the board. We need to work on evangelism and missions, reaching the lost with the Good News of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. We will do much for the kingdom of God in doing that then there would be in “firing” the president of the SBC.
Well respected Southern Baptist pastor Bart Barber of FBC Farmersville, TX, wrote:
“Ed Litton is not the SBC pastor or the SBC preacher; he’s the SBC president. The task of the presidency consists precisely of appointing committees and conducting the Annual Meeting in such a way as to protect the will of the messengers. Litton has not transgressed the Baptist Faith & Message, nor has he committed any malfeasance of his office.”
While I understand Pastor Barber’s sentiment on the subject, I strongly feel that Ed Litton’s actions are not becoming of the President of the SBC, or, for that matter, that of being a pastor. I do not necessarily support his removal from the convention (I think he should step down), he must be held accountable for his lack of stewardship of what he has been called to do as an undershepherd of the flock of Christ. This is a matter of church discipline for not living above reproach (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:7) as pastors are called to. This matter should be taken up by the elders of Redemption Church and Ed Litton must submit to the discipline they hand out. I pray that this matter is taken care of biblically, swiftly, and lovingly.
As we move forward from this point on, here is my exhortation: Move your focus from Ed Litton and J.D. Greear, and focus it on the kingdom work of sharing the Gospel, evangelizing the lost. I’m not saying forget what is going on. No! We must not do that. It must be dealt with, however, there are people on it. There are people keeping that in check. This issue is not going away. Pray for Ed Litton in this time. Pray for the SBC in this time. But focus your energy on the kingdom work we are called to do as Christians.