review of "Spent Matches" by Roy Moran

In the preface to Spent Matches: Igniting the Spiritual Fire for the Spiritually Dissatisfied  (Thomas Nelson, 2015) the author, Roy Moran, suggests “this book may feel as if it is written by someone affected with attention deficit disorder”. He is right, especially if you try to read this book in a typical linear fashion.  And then you return to the preface, to read ‘bouncing back and forth is by design’, and it starts to make a little more sense.

Because my ADD and Moran’s ADD don’t mix very well, I had trouble getting through the first part of the book. , but shortly after starting Part II “The Solution” it was easier to stay focused. I’m not sure if the writing style had changed that much, if I was adjusting to the style, or (and I think this is the reason) I was so drawn into what he was saying that I didn’t have to focus on how he said it.

The concept of the journey and discovery groups is just different enough from what I’m used to that it makes me want to try them. I just spend 20 minutes (before getting started on the review) checking out the web resources listed in the back of the book.

 But beyond the fact that I can’t focus (squirrel!) Moran points out some interesting stats. And suddenly we have to take notice.  There are a lot of people who aren’t interested in church, they’re not interested in being preached at or being told what to think, but they do have problems, and the Bible might have solutions.  There are a lot of people who don’t know Jesus, and some of them are our neighbors, friends, or co-workers.  (Hard to believe for those who don’t have any friends who aren’t already Christians). There are a lot of people who aren’t looking for religion, but if you can be Christian without coming across as one of “those People”, they just might listen, especially if you put it in the form of ‘several of us are going to look at this together and see what the Bible really says, not just what some preacher or scholar says that it says.’

And one thing that makes sense about the groups, is that there is a facilitator, not a leader, not a teacher, just ‘one of us’ learning right along with everybody else.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, there was no requirement to post a positive review.

4/5