Author: Theresa Harvard Johnson

Theresa Harvard Johnson is the founder of The School of the Scribe and progenitor of The Scribal Anointing® teachings, the 21st-century revelation of the office of the prophetic scribe. She has authored more than 25 books to help prophetic scribes navigate their calling, taught thousands of scribes globally and developed safe spaces online and in person to foster prophetic community. Theresa holds an M. Div. in biblical studies and an M. A. in professional writing. As a scribal historian and mentor to many, she has pioneered exclusively in this area for more than two-decades.

9 Practical Ways Scribes Can Fight Plagiarism in the Church (2)

Posted on by Theresa Harvard Johnson

thieves

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Copyright 2019 Theresa Harvard Johnson

In the digital age, entrepreneurs are looking for ways to protect their branding strategies and creative content from theft. This issue not only affects those in book publishing, but people who are releasing content on multiple platforms – whether choreography and music, digital publishing online, learning platforms and blogs.

Technology has simplified the efforts of thieves, making it increasingly difficult to prevent them from violating rights to intellectual property.

This undeniable truth has opened unending ethical conversations in the congregation concerning plagiarism and copyright – especially as it relates to spiritually inspired content in the protestant, charismatic faith. The most obvious way to prevent plagiarism is to educate pastors, leaders and congregants concerning what it is and why it is a problem.

Below are nine additional, practical ways to deter thieves in the fight against plagiarism – the act of taking someone’s work and/or ideas and passing them off as one’s own; and copyright infringement is the illegal reproduction, distribution, performance, and/or publicly displaying work without the permission of the copyright owner.

The two are closely related.

The distinction, however, is that plagiarism is often seen as an academic issue, while copyright infringement is an everyone-else issue. In recent years, however, there has been tremendous effort to raise awareness about the ethical dilemma it presents for the 21st century, technology driven congregation.

In efforts to help believers whose content is tied to business strategy, here are seven steps they can take to protecting their content:

  1. Sign, date and keep originals of critical content. For my books and online articles about the ministry of the scribe, I keep original copies of each file including draft versions that reveal the development process.
  2. Obtain copyrights through the U.S. Copyright Office. While this is not necessary for all content, it is necessary for critical content for public distribution. For example, consider placing “copyright and fair use notices” on digital content. Recently, I began including copyright and fair use notices in my PowerPoint presentations at events when I speak – especially when public or private recording is taking place and things are distributed via social media. Contracts may be necessary if those recordings are to be sold, stored, shared or displayed publicly at another date. (People have been known to steal conference material that people have taught and build online schools around that content without their permission!)
  3. Obtain a trademark or service mark. Depending on your goals, it may also be affective to obtain ownership of your brand through the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. I trademarked “The Scribal Anointing” over a decade ago. I also had to update that petition to maintain my rights as part of my brand. In a court of law, this could be used to help prevent people from copying the phrase or creating similar phrases in attempts to steal the brand.
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    Article History

9 Practical Ways Scribes Can Fight Plagiarism in the Church

Posted on by Theresa Harvard Johnson

thieves

Image purchased. DepositPhotos.com
Copyright 2019 Theresa Harvard Johnson

In the digital age, entrepreneurs are looking for ways to protect their branding strategies and creative content from theft. This issue not only affects those in book publishing, but people who are releasing content on multiple platforms – whether choreography and music, digital publishing online, learning platforms and blogs.

Technology has simplified the efforts of thieves, making it increasingly difficult to prevent them from violating rights to intellectual property.

This undeniable truth has opened unending ethical conversations in the congregation concerning plagiarism and copyright – especially as it relates to spiritually inspired content in the protestant, charismatic faith. The most obvious way to prevent plagiarism is to educate pastors, leaders and congregants concerning what it is and why it is a problem.

Below are nine additional, practical ways to deter thieves in the fight against plagiarism – the act of taking someone’s work and/or ideas and passing them off as one’s own; and copyright infringement is the illegal reproduction, distribution, performance, and/or publicly displaying work without the permission of the copyright owner.

The two are closely related.

The distinction, however, is that plagiarism is often seen as an academic issue, while copyright infringement is an everyone-else issue. In recent years, however, there has been tremendous effort to raise awareness about the ethical dilemma it presents for the 21st century, technology driven congregation.

In efforts to help believers whose content is tied to business strategy, here are seven steps they can take to protecting their content:

  1. Sign, date and keep originals of critical content. For my books and online articles about the ministry of the scribe, I keep original copies of each file including draft versions that reveal the development process.
  2. Obtain copyrights through the U.S. Copyright Office. While this is not necessary for all content, it is necessary for critical content for public distribution. For example, consider placing “copyright and fair use notices” on digital content. Recently, I began including copyright and fair use notices in my PowerPoint presentations at events when I speak – especially when public or private recording is taking place and things are distributed via social media. Contracts may be necessary if those recordings are to be sold, stored, shared or displayed publicly at another date. (People have been known to steal conference material that people have taught and build online schools around that content without their permission!)
  3. Obtain a trademark or service mark. Depending on your goals, it may also be affective to obtain ownership of your brand through the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. I trademarked “The Scribal Anointing” over a decade ago. I also had to update that petition to maintain my rights as part of my brand. In a court of law, this could be used to help prevent people from copying the phrase or creating similar phrases in attempts to steal the brand.
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    Ministry Integrity

Part II: Training Scribal Prophets

Posted on by Theresa Harvard Johnson

Copyright 2018 Theresa Harvard Johnson 

Not for reprint or distribution without the express permission of the author.
Join us inside The Scribal Prophets online group for further discussion.

1 Chronicles 29:29 New International Version (NIV)
29 As for the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, THEY ARE WRITTEN IN THE RECORDS of Samuel the seer, the records of Nathan the prophet and the records of Gad the seer….

In this post, my focus from this passage of scripture is on “the records” of the prophets mentioned here. Note that this passage of scripture, among others, recognize that it was normal for prophets to keep records. In this case, the records were about King David’s reign but we also know that other prophets kept records as well like Habakkuk, Malachi, etc. In the New Covenant, we see the Apostle Paul make mention of keeping his personal scrolls (books, journals, etc.) with him (2 Tim 4:13). There is tremendous revelation in this realm, but we are going to start here.

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Scribal Ministry Development

Is scribal ministry authentic? (2)

Posted on by Theresa Harvard Johnson

Copyright 2015 Theresa Harvard Johnson

Every few months, I receive notes, messages or emails stating that “scribal ministry” is a false ministry. One woman was so upset about the thought of “scribes in ministry” that she called me a “false prophet” spreading “false doctrine” and brought an entire “amen” section with her. Seriously.

I actually shouted for joy in that moment. It was an HONOR to be attacked and mocked. Truly, scribal ministry is God’s ministry. I continuously see these attacks as opportunities or fuel to continue to shed light on this powerful and unique calling! Scribal ministry is just as plain in scripture as the ministry of Ephesian’s 11:4 or that of the elders. 

One of the most powerful scriptures in the Word to support scribal ministry and The Scribal Anointing® can be found in Matthew 13:52. In this passage, Jesus made a profound statement. He said, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” (A teacher of the law in the bible is a scribe. Scribal functions include serving as a teacher, recorder, secretary, treasurer, etc. and a host of other descriptions. Scribes are listed throughout scripture using their functions. For example, Matthew 13:52 is also translated as “Therefore every recorder” or “Therefore every secretary…” The point here is this, whatever word noun is used in this passage STILL DESCRIBES a scribal function.)

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Article History