About the project
Sermons, keynotes, and self-help books recycle the same stories for decades. Many of them have no traceable source. PULPit Fact or Fiction is a small, careful, community-driven attempt to fix that — one anecdote at a time.
We are Christ followers who enjoy and appreciate a well-placed, well-told anecdote. And we honor the preachers who tell them from the pulpit. Some are grounded in fact. Some are cherished illustrations. But we do not care which is which. The truth is not the point. The illustration is. We come not as critics but as admirers — curious about the journey these stories have taken through time and across pulpits. We built this site because, like archaeologists, we want to dig down to where these stories began, who first told them, when were they first written down. And we pray — in the spirit of Philippians 1:15-18 and evangelistic intent — that some who join this adventure will find Christ along the way.
How it works
Anyone can submit a story or contribute an origin lead. Editors and moderators verify sources, mark the status of each entry, and merge duplicates. An AI hint is shown as a starting point; a human always reviews before high-value points are awarded.
Scoring rules
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Submit a new story | 5 |
| Add a useful variant | 10 |
| Log where you first heard it | 5 |
| Suggest a plausible origin (with citation) | 25 |
| Verified primary source found | 100 |
| Moderation & curation action | 5 |
Two reward tracks
Solvers earn points primarily by tracing origins. Contributors earn points primarily by adding stories, variants, and thoughtful notes. Both tracks are equally celebrated.
Contribution guidelines
- Cite your source, even if it is only "heard from my grandmother, 1974."
- Prefer verifiable printed sources for any claim of first appearance.
- If you find a debunking, add it as a note; don't delete the story.
- Be generous — many stories evolve through retelling. Variants matter.
Source status labels
- Unknown — no credible source has been located.
- Possible — one or more plausible leads, unconfirmed.
- Verified — a credible retelling attributed to a real figure.
- Primary Source — the earliest documented appearance is identified.
Contact
Questions, corrections, or a story we should absolutely include? Write to editors@pulpitfactorfiction.com.