Books I Throw Away...

I throw away a lot of books.  I don't have much room in my office for new books.  So about once a year, I try to go through my bookshelves and throw away books.  Here is my "standard":

• Have I opened this book in the last five years?
• Can I imagine a time that this book may be helpful in the next ten years?
• Is there someone who may want this book and am I comfortable with the content to give it away?

If all three answers are "no" - I throw it away...

Last week I threw away four books about becoming or being a "senior pastor."  When I accepted the position to move to Rochester, I bought five books on being a senior or lead pastor.  I read all five of them during the fall of 2000 before moving to Rochester.  Four of them gave similar advice: "Don't make ANY CHANGES for the first two years you are at a church. You need to know the people and the church before you make any changes." 

BUT one book said the opposite, "If you KNOW you need to make changes - MAKE them. Don't wait.  If you wait two years, the church could feel deceived. 'Why are you changing this NOW!?!?!' But if you KNOW something needs to change and you have the ability to make the change - make it. Don't wait."  I agreed with the later book - not the former ones.

So that is what I did.  I didn't know if it was the right decision or not at first, but I am convinced it is the right advice if the leader has the spiritual gift of leadership. So last week - I threw away the four books that advised no changes for at least two yeas. But I did keep "The Senior Minister" by Lyle Schaller.

Comments

[Josh Figler]

I wasn't around before you made the changes, but I love our Church and the people in it, so I say thumbs up!

Have you considered donating the books rather than throwing them out, assuming they don't send the completely wrong message that you don't feel comfortable with?

[David Whiting]

I would give them away if I really thought they were worth reading. But I don't want to pass on books that I don't think are worth reading. And my ten year standard is probably a pretty good test. Plus, it is difficult to figure out how to give books away without creating another storage issue. But primarily it is the first issue...

[m a t t]

I recommend recycling.