Compiled by Jean Taylor and Grace Young ­­­­for the Memphis School of Preaching

Distributed by Wendell Winkler, The Preacher and his Work Class, c. 1987.

Organization saves time and increases effectiveness. A preacher’s time is limited, and being able to find one’s available resources for a study of a particular passage or subject is important. Thus investing time up front to logically organize one’s library will pay off in the long run.

Numbering

  1. Number your books only after you are certain that you have them in the proper category, etc.
  2. All copies of the same volume will carry exactly the same number. (On the pocket, in the back of the book, write “Copy 1,” on the next copy, “Copy 2,” etc.)
  3. Keep every book in its proper place on the shelf. This is easily done by using the numbers on the edge of the book, which show the section and classification to which it belongs.
  4. White ink is usually used on dark books, while dark ink is used on light colored books.
  5. When a book deals with two or more books of the Bible, give the book the number of the first book of the Bible that is mentioned in the title.
  6. Books which are commentaries on the Bible should bear the number that they occupy in the Old or New Testament, as in Deuteronomy (5), Malachi (39), Mark (2), Revelation (27).
  7. Commentaries on the Old and New Testaments should have different numbers, such as…
    1. O.T. Commentaries (Sets) 1A
    2. O.T. Commentaries (Sets) 2A
    3. N.T. Commentaries (Broken sets) 3A
    4. N.T. Commentaries (Broken sets) 4A
  8. Suggested Numberings and Examples.

Commentary Section (A). Example:

  • Clarke’s commentary on Genesis-Deuteronomy could be numbered: “1A­-3­-1” (IA means Old Testament Commentary (set), 3 means Clarke’s set, and 1 means Genesis-Deuteronomy).
  • If you happen to have only one volume of Clarke’s commentaries and it is Genesis-Deuteronomy, it could be numbered “3A-­3-­1” (3A means O.T. Com. Broken Set, 3 means Clarke’s, 1 means Genesis-Deuteronomy).

Reference Section (B). Examples:

  • 1B­-1, 1B-­2, 18­-I, etc. (B is General Reference, 18 is the set, and the last numbers indicate the volume of that set.)
  • Greek New Testament: B­-6
  • Bible Atlas: B­-9

Encyclopedia (C). Example:

  • Catholic Encyclopedias (set): 1C-­l; etc.

Dictionaries (D). Examples:

  • Bible Dictionary (Smith’s): D­-1
  • Bible Dictionary (Peloubet’s): D­-2

Bibles (E). Examples:

  • Nave’s Topical Bible: E­-1
  • Bible (KJV): E-­2
  • German Bible: E-­3

Lexicons (F). Examples:

  • The Analytical Greek Lexicon: F­-1
  • Thayer’s Greek­-English Lexicon: F­-2

Concordances (G). Examples:

  • Young’s Analytical Concordance: G-­1
  • Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the New Testament Bible: G­-2

Biography (H). Examples:

  • The Fool of God: H-­1
  • Life of Elder Benjamin Franklin: H-­4

Restoration History (I). Examples:

  • The Search for the Ancient Order: I-­1
  • Voice from Cane Ridge: 1­-2

Debates (J). Examples:

  • Hardeman­-Bogard Debate: J­-I
  • Nichols­-Weaver Debate: J­-2

History (K). Examples:

  • Bible History: K-­6
  • History of Jewish Nation: K­-18

Bound Publications (L). Examples:

  • Lard’s Quarterly: L-­1
  • Millennial Harbinger: L­2
  • Minister’s Monthly: L-­3

Evidences (M). Examples:

  • Evidences of Christianity: M-­1
  • Evolution and Christian Faith: M­-2
  • Historical Evidences: M-­3

General Introduction (N). Examples:

  • Introduction to the Scriptures: N­-1
  • Horne’s Introduction: N-­2

Old Testament Introduction (O). Examples:

  • Introduction to the Old Testament: O-1
  • The Twelve Minor Prophets: O-2

New Testament Introduction (P). Examples:

  • Introduction to the New Testament: P-­I
  • The Heart of the New Testament: P­-2

Doctrine (Q). Examples:

  • The Four Major Cults: Q­-1
  • Hand Book on Baptism: Q­-2
  • Questions Answered: Q­-14

Sermons and Outlines (R). Examples:

  • Sound Doctrine: R­-8
  • Great Preachers of Today: R-­l3
  • 30 Years on the Firing Line: R­-24

Funerals and Weddings (S). Examples:

  • Funeral Sermons and Outlines: S­-5
  • Sermons and Lectures: T­-6

Homiletics (U). Examples:

  • The Glorious Gospel: U­-1
  • God’s Plan and Me: U­-2

Missions (V). Examples:

  • The Dew Breakers: V­-I
  • How Shall They Hear: V-­2

Personal Work (W). Examples:

  • How to Win Souls Today: W-­I
  • Let’s Go Fishing For Men: W-­2

Church Work (X). Example:

  • Teacher Annual Lesson Commentary: Helping the Teacher: X­-2

General Reading (Y). Examples:

  • The First Mortgage: Y­-1
  • Must the Young Die Too? Y­-3

General Information (Z). Examples:

  • Preachers of Today (Listings): Z­-I
  • Where the Saints Meet: Z-­2

Clearly print the numbers on the edge of the books, and put them onto the shelves where they belong. Keep them in their proper place when you’re not using them.