While serving as a Transformational Pastor of a church I did a walk though of the building one day. During this walk through I think I counted about 8 pianos in various rooms, none of which were being used. In countless churches I've seen numerous couches "donated" to the youth ministry. Perhaps the worst thing I witnessed in one church was a Sunday school room with shag carpet that had been donated by a family who had replaced the carpet in their home. Rather than disposing of the carpet, they had "donated" it to the church.
Churches need to say NO to such donations. No, we don't need your piano that you cannot sell. (I do not accept pianos in my auctions because no one will buy them.) No, we don't want our young people to have to sit on your old couch that you have decided to replace because it's broken down and dirty. Let the furniture company take it and dispose of it. No, we definitely don't want your shag carpet! And, no is a complete sentence.
I cannot tell you how many churches I've seen cluttered with "donations" from well-meaning church members. These out-of-date, dirty "donations" make the church look trashy. Can you image what a new guest will think when they walk into their Sunday school class and see orange shag carpet on the floor? There's a good chance you won't see them again.
Many churches need to bring a commercial dumpster on the property and have a major spring cleaning. Toss the pianos, the flannelgraphs, the craft items from 1984 VBS programs, and all the other clutter that has accumulated since the Civil War into the dumpster. And when people come wanting to "donate" their unwanted items to the church, just say no.
You can thank me later.
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