Reviewed by:  Connor Salter a Professional Writing major at Taylor University

Introduction

Title: Salvaged: Leadership Lessons Pulled from the Junkyard

Author: Roy Goble with D.R. Jacobsen

Publisher: NavPress (in alliance with Tyndale House Publishers)

Publication Date: 2019

Format: Paperback

Length: 200 pages

OVERVIEW

Leadership is like working a in a junkyard. It’s hard and sometimes painful, it doesn’t always go the way we want it to go, and we need to learn some tough truths in order to do it well. In this book, Goble relates anecdotes of his experience as a junkyard employee and later employer, connecting them to important lessons that Scripture teaches about leadership.

Goble admits from the beginning that this is really a book for people who are tired of leadership books that overly sanitize or simplify the work involved. As a result, this book can be interesting to read at times just because he’s not afraid to give advice that seems strange or counter-intuitive at first. Goble takes a somewhat similar approach when he uses Scripture to back up his point at the end of each chapter, drawing odd connections or focuses on elements that aren’t central to the passages quoted. However, Goble usually frames these Scripture applications in a way that keeps readers from misunderstanding them, making it clear what the passage’s main point is and what minor point he’s using.

Overall then, Salvaged is an unorthodox leadership book, but unorthodox for the right reasons. It breaks conventions to give lessons that many leaders forget or don’t talk about, and ends up giving tough but highly relevant advice.

ASSESSMENT

Rating (1 to 5)

4 out of 5 stars

Suggested Audience

Christians seeking unconventional leadership lessons or honest reflections on the struggles that come with leadership.

Christian Impact

This book will help many Christians interested in leadership understand the tough realities and often-forgotten biblical lessons they need to know for leading churches and other kinds of organizations.

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