A few years ago the National Football League challenged a church in Indianapolis for showing the Super Bowl, a practice hundreds of churches around the country engage in. After public outcry, the NFL re-issued a statement with a less severe tone. This high-profile battle brought awareness to the ongoing problem of copyright violations within churches.

In its re-issued statement, the NFL indicated a church could not charge for people to view the Super Bowl.

Thinking in a broader scope, caution should always be used whenever publicly offering a viewing of a program or event. Check with the sponsoring organization or your attorney.

Video use is indeed one primary area churches may need to consider when it comes to intellectual property and copyright issues. In essence, the FBI warning at the beginning of a rented video states that it is for home use. Showing a complete video outside of the home is considered a violation of the law. Some have challenged this law citing the “Fair Use Clause” allowing nonprofits to use the video for educational purposes. However, it is smart to look into purchasing an annual license from Christian Video Licensing International (CVLI) and following their guidelines for usage (www.cvli.org).

Adapted from the downloadable resource Copyright Law: What Every Church Must Know which covers other primary areas churches may need to consider when it comes to intellectual property and copyright issues: music and websites. Essential Guide to Copyright Law for Churches is also a great resource that covers this topic.