The church library

I've posted articles here before about the importance of church libraries. In my former ministry, when I would visit the churches I served, I always enjoyed checking out the church library. I felt I could tell a lot about a church just from looking at their libraries. However, I've never discussed what I was looking for or what I consider a good church library.

Obviously, the size of the church will often determine the size of its library. I don't expect a small, rural church to have a large library as I would expect to find in a larger church. Regardless of size, what's most important is the quality of the books available.

I want to see a well-rounded collection of books that includes some that will appeal to anyone regardless of where they are in their spiritual journey. Some would be more popular reading selections while others would require a deeper level of understanding of the Christian faith. I want to see some books on theology, apologetics, church history, as well as autobiographies and biographies of Christian leaders. There should be books that explore challenges people face such as marriage and parenting, personal finance, and personal growth. I want to see practical books on evangelism, teaching, planning,, conflict, and leadership.

Persons in charge of the church library should ensure that newer books are added regularly to the library while not overlooking older books that still provide great value to the reader. They should be willing to listen to suggestions people make about the books to be added to the library. At the same time, they should strive to make sure these books are theologically and doctrinally solid. Frankly, not every book that is listed as a Christian book should be added to a church library due to its weak theology.

Many smaller churches struggle to have the funds to maintain a quality library. What we did in the church I pastored was ask people to donate money to a library fund or to purchase new books they wanted to see added to the library at a local Christian book store. Later, we added a line item in our budget for books. Again, it's important to check the donated books to ensure they are appropriate for the church library. If not, it can lead to problems so be careful with that suggestion.

One thing you do not want to do is ask people to donate their used books to the library. You will likely end up with a lot of old books that people want to get rid of that have little if any value in the 21st century. You may end up making a few trips to the dump and trying to soothe the hurt feelings of those who donated the books.

A church library requires a lot of work to maintain properly, but it is a valuable resource for a church to offer people. As we all know, books are expensive and some in our churches may not have extra money to purchase good Christian books. Having those books in the library can be a wonderful tool to promote spiritual growth among its members.