Terms of Service

Terms and conditions for using the Christian Sermon Dataset platform and services.

Educational Use

Platform designed for research, education, and non-commercial theological study.

User Responsibilities

Users must comply with fair use guidelines and respect content creators' rights.

Limitations

Service provided "as is" with no commercial warranties or guarantees.

Effective Date: January 15, 2025

These Terms of Service govern your use of the Christian Sermon Dataset website and services operated by Gospel Sounders.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Christian Sermon Dataset platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy. If you disagree with any part of these terms, you may not access or use our services.

2. Description of Service

What We Provide

  • Access to a database of Christian sermon transcripts
  • Search and filtering capabilities
  • Download functionality for individual transcripts
  • Online reading interface
  • Ministry and church information
  • Research and educational tools

3. Acceptable Use

✅ Permitted Uses

  • Academic research and study
  • Theological education and training
  • Personal spiritual growth and learning
  • Non-commercial research projects
  • Citation in academic papers and dissertations
  • AI training for educational purposes
  • Comparative denominational studies

❌ Prohibited Uses

  • Commercial use or resale of content
  • Redistribution without proper attribution
  • Claiming ownership of original content
  • Using content to defame or misrepresent creators
  • Automated scraping or bulk downloading
  • Violating copyright or intellectual property rights
  • Creating competing commercial platforms
  • Using content for malicious or harmful purposes

4. User Responsibilities

As a user of our platform, you agree to:

  • Use the service in compliance with all applicable laws
  • Respect the intellectual property rights of content creators
  • Provide proper attribution when citing or referencing content
  • Not attempt to circumvent security measures
  • Report any bugs or security issues responsibly
  • Respect the religious and spiritual nature of the content
  • Not use the service to harm others or spread misinformation

5. Intellectual Property

Important Note

We do not claim ownership of the original sermon content. All sermons, teachings, and related materials remain the property of their respective creators.

Our Rights

  • Website design, structure, and organization
  • Database architecture and search functionality
  • Original analysis and categorization
  • Platform features and tools

Content Creators' Rights

  • Original sermon content and teachings
  • Video and audio recordings
  • Speaker names and ministry identities
  • Right to request content removal

6. Content Accuracy and Disclaimers

Service Provided "As Is"

The Christian Sermon Dataset is provided for educational and research purposes. We make no warranties regarding:

  • Accuracy of transcripts (automated transcription may contain errors)
  • Completeness of content or metadata
  • Availability of specific sermons or features
  • Theological accuracy or denominational representation
  • Continuous service availability

7. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Gospel Sounders and its contributors shall not be liable for:

  • Any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
  • Loss of data, profits, or business opportunities
  • Damages arising from use or inability to use the service
  • Third-party content or actions
  • Errors or omissions in transcripts

8. Service Modifications

We reserve the right to:

  • Modify or discontinue the service at any time
  • Update these terms of service
  • Remove content upon request from creators
  • Implement new features or restrictions
  • Suspend or terminate user access for violations

9. Termination

Account Termination

We may terminate or suspend your access to our service immediately, without prior notice, for any reason including:

  • Violation of these Terms of Service
  • Misuse of the platform or content
  • Engaging in prohibited activities
  • Legal requirements or court orders

10. Governing Law

These Terms of Service are governed by the laws of the United States. Any disputes will be resolved in accordance with U.S. legal jurisdiction.

11. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Continued use of the service after changes constitutes acceptance of the new terms.

12. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us:

13. Severability

If any provision of these Terms of Service is found to be unenforceable or invalid, the remaining provisions will continue to be valid and enforceable.

14. Entire Agreement

These Terms of Service, together with our Privacy Policy and Fair Use Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Gospel Sounders regarding the use of our service.

Questions About These Terms?

We're here to help clarify any questions about using our platform and services.