Note from David Churchill, editor of Exploring God's Word --

     Personal & evangelistic use (non-commercial):
     •  As noted on our “Copyright Information and Terms of Use” page about the EGW materials in general:
          — a) limited permission is given here for Internet users to print & keep a copy of each article for their personal non-commercial use; and
          — b) the authors and congregations GREATLY appreciate knowing who is using their materials and
          — c) they typically will give you permission to make unlimited copies of their articles for non-commercial use in group studies or the classroom.
     With that in mind and regarding this permission as for non-commercial usage, you are welcome to use these articles & other materials in your personal evangelistic efforts.  (Yes, if you give away or misplace your copy of an article, you may print yourself another copy.)
     •  These materials, however simple and generic-looking as they may seem, do represent efforts by their preparers to communicate their understandings of what the Scriptures teach.  On behalf of myself and the other authors & preparers, I ask that you give appropriate credit to the author / preparer and to Exploring God's Word (www.exploringgodsword.co) as your source when deliberately using any of these materials in a group or classroom setting.  This includes intentionally teaching from them in whole or in part, from adaptations of them, and/or when knowingly basing a sermon / class-material upon them.
     Please encourage the authors & preparers by first contacting them for permission before using their articles & other materials in your public teaching & evangelistic efforts — aside from simply being polite and keeping things legal, you will be letting them know about your appreciation and respect for their efforts.  

     Website use (non-commercial):
     •  Does your congregation need to start presenting itself on the Internet?   Our “Basic” subscription includes (1) a listing on the church directory page that links to (2) an Exploring God's Word homepage providing several links to the shared library and to local information about your congregation, and (3) towards your congregation’s primary website.  If the congregation has no website already, then subscribe today for a “Basic” subscription and begin using the customized EGW home-page as your congregation’s website address.  It’s simple, it’s practical, and it’s affordable.  Click here for more information.
     •  Does your congregation want to offer use of the EGW shared library on its website?  Please consider financially supporting Exploring God's Word by subscribing your congregation for a “Supplement” subscription.   This subscription includes (1) a listing on the church directory page that links to (2) an Exploring God's Word homepage providing several links to the shared library and to local information about your congregation, (3) a link back to your congregation’s main website, and (4) available expansion options to present articles & materials by the congregation.  Click here for more information.
     •  Thinking to reproduce or to link to a particular congregation’s local materials?  Please contact that congregation for appropriate permission.  (It's the polite thing to do; and even if they happen to feel that you do not need to ask, they will still be glad to know your interest.)
     •  Thinking to reproduce (or to link from an outside website) to a particular item or items in the Exploring God's Word shared library?  Suggestion #1 — Please contact either me or else the preparer for appropriate permission and arrangements.  Suggestion #2 — Please consider simply recommending the specific article to your visitors and then offering a link either to the www.exploringgodsword.co main page or else to a particular congregation’s EGW homepage.  Suggestion #3 — Please consider subscribing your local congregation for the “Basic” subscription, request adding link(s) on its EGW home page to the specific article(s) for easy access, and then offer a link on your primary website to the congregation’s EGW home page.
     On a related subject, if you are thinking as a private party of providing financial support to Exploring God's Word — instead of simply donating funds, please consider sponsoring subscriptions for one or more congregations you know and start helping them present themselves on the Internet with their own EGW homepages.  Click here for more information.

      ***** Recognition of congregational autonomy:  In the New Testament, churches of Christ are presented both as congregations independently answering to Jesus as their head and as groups of individuals seeking unity subject to salvation and instructions offered by the written word of God (Rom. 1:16-17; 2 Tim. 3:16 - 4:5) as recorded through the inspired writers of New Testament. This fact of autonomy is especially made clear by Jesus’ letters to seven churches in Asia (as recorded by the apostle John in chapters two & three of Revelation) — Jesus evaluates, judges, and rewards each congregation based on its own demonstrated obedience or disobedience. This fact of unity appears to be the motivation in the many examples of congregations sharing financial resources in times of need and sharing experienced teachers to encourage & edify.
     Respecting the biblical tradition of congregational autonomy, seeking unity based upon the Scriptures, and understanding that every business relationship has some guidelines and expectations, the Exploring God’s Word website is neither a superior institution overseeing the subscribing churches nor an authoritative governor dictating their efforts nor a license agency certifying biblical compliance
     EGW homepages with their access to EGW ’s shared library are simply tools provided via subscription at the discretion of the local congregations’ leaders and/or private individuals.  A congregation’s subscription to a homepage should not be misconstrued as a blanket endorsement by that congregation of the other listed congregations, by them of it, or by the EGW editor.  Likewise, such subscriptions do not imply blanket endorsements towards any free and/or purchasable items I may make available to our readers and subscribed congregations, the sale of which replaces my costs to provide such items and helps support Exploring God's Word.
     With those facts in mind, the EGW editor reserves the right to refuse any requested subscription or renewal if he believes doing so is in the best interests of the website or of our readers. *****

     Other non-commercial and commercial use:
     •  For other or commercial use of a particular item in the Exploring God's Word shared library, please contact the preparer and/or providing congregration for appropriate permission and arrangements.
     •  For other or commercial use of a particular item in a congregation’s local library, please contact the congregration for appropriate permission and arrangements.