Key Takeaways
1. The Church's Ineffectiveness in Fulfilling the Great Commission
We are losing the battle for the hearts and minds of those who don't know Christ.
Stark reality check: Despite centuries of effort, the church is failing to keep pace with global population growth. While the number of Christians has grown to 2.3 billion, at least 4.7 billion people face a Christ-less eternity. The cost of baptizing one person globally in 2014 was $753,000, projected to rise to $1.4 million by 2025.
Underlying issues:
- Overemphasis on knowledge transfer rather than obedience
- Dependence on professional clergy and complex structures
- Focus on growing individual churches rather than making disciples
- Failure to adapt to changing cultural contexts
Urgent need for change: The church must confront these brutal facts and re-examine its strategies to fulfill Jesus' last command effectively.
2. Redefining Discipleship: From Knowledge to Obedience
Jesus commanded us to teach people to obey all of His commands.
Shift in focus: True discipleship is not about accumulating knowledge but learning to obey Jesus' teachings. This requires a fundamental change in how we approach spiritual growth and disciple-making.
Key aspects of obedience-focused discipleship:
- Emphasis on applying biblical truths in daily life
- Regular accountability for putting God's Word into practice
- Developing a lifestyle of submission to God's will
- Fostering a culture of mutual encouragement and challenge
Practical implementation: Disciple-making should involve simple, repeatable processes that anyone can use, regardless of their level of biblical knowledge or formal training.
3. The Power of Discovery-Based, Obedience-Focused Disciple-Making
We don't feed people; we teach them to feed themselves.
Core principle: Empower people to discover God's truth for themselves through direct engagement with Scripture, rather than relying on expert teachers or pre-packaged curricula.
Key elements of the discovery process:
- Small groups (3-5 people) reading Scripture together
- Simple, repeatable questions to guide discussion
- Focus on personal application and obedience
- Emphasis on sharing insights with others outside the group
Benefits:
- Promotes spiritual self-feeding and independence
- Facilitates rapid multiplication of disciples and groups
- Allows for contextualization in diverse cultural settings
- Reduces reliance on professional clergy or extensive training
4. Hybrid Church Model: Combining Attraction and Multiplication
Our hope is to be a server church that can resource any number of expressions of biblically functioning community.
Dual approach: Combine traditional attractional church methods with a multiplicative disciple-making strategy to reach both those who seek formal religious structures and those who don't.
Key components:
- Attractional side: Weekly services, programs, and events
- Multiplicative side: Discovery groups in homes, workplaces, and communities
Implementation strategies:
- Train facilitators in simple, repeatable disciple-making processes
- Encourage group multiplication rather than growth
- Focus on reaching pre-Christians through existing social networks
- Develop a "server" mentality to resource various expressions of church
5. The 7 Journeys: A Framework for Spiritual Growth
The 7 Journeys gives some texture to God's work in our lives and substance to our communication with Him as we grow to trust, obey, share, relate, serve, give, and disciple.
Holistic approach: The 7 Journeys provide a comprehensive framework for understanding and facilitating spiritual growth, moving beyond linear or stage-based models.
The 7 Journeys:
- Earner to Heir (Trust)
- Self-Hearted to Soft-Hearted (Obey)
- Receiver to Giver (Share)
- Isolation to Community (Relate)
- Consumer to Producer (Serve)
- Charitable to Extravagant (Give)
- Traveler to Guide (Disciple)
Application: Use this framework to guide Bible reading, group discussions, and personal spiritual development, focusing on movement and growth in each area throughout one's lifetime.
6. Leadership for Movements: From Marketer to Revolutionary
We are on a burning platform with an opportunity for a generation of Christian leaders to participate in a new Reformation or face the shame of spiritual irrelevancy.
Paradigm shift: Leaders must move from a marketing mindset focused on programs and tactics to a revolutionary approach that emphasizes culture change and movement catalyzation.
Key characteristics of movement leaders:
- Work at the fringes rather than the center
- Start small and embrace failure as a learning opportunity
- Focus on simple, reproducible processes
- Lead from behind, empowering others to take ownership
- Design learning experiences rather than providing content
Strategic approach: Identify and equip "holy discontent" individuals who are ready for a new way of thinking and acting in fulfilling the Great Commission.
7. Ten Mind Shifts for Catalyzing Disciple-Making Movements
Until we give up our misplaced trust in subject-matter experts and understand that Jesus doesn't need the equipped but the willing, we will never mine the wealth of Christ followers and discover the viral power of the good news.
Transformative thinking: Embracing these mind shifts is crucial for catalyzing disciple-making movements in the 21st century.
Ten key mind shifts:
- From trusting the qualified to releasing the willing
- From making disciples to making disciple-making disciples
- From human reproduction to viral replication
- From form (planting churches) to function (making disciples)
- From conversion to making disciples
- From individuals to groups
- From knowledge-focused to obedience-focused
- From thinking like a marketer to thinking like a revolutionary
- From leading toward to leading from
- From being a content provider to being a learning designer
Implementation: Regularly assess and challenge existing mental models, fostering a culture of innovation and adaptation in disciple-making strategies.
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FAQ
What's Spent Matches about?
- Focus on Discipleship: Spent Matches by Roy Moran emphasizes the church's need to prioritize disciple-making over merely increasing church attendance or planting new churches.
- Cultural Relevance: Moran discusses the importance of adapting church practices to modern cultural contexts while staying true to biblical teachings.
- Call to Action: The book serves as a wake-up call for Christians to evaluate their practices and engage in meaningful disciple-making efforts for community transformation.
Why should I read Spent Matches?
- Challenging Perspectives: The book challenges readers to confront the current state of the church and its effectiveness in fulfilling the Great Commission.
- Practical Insights: Moran offers practical strategies for disciple-making that can be applied in various church settings, making the book relevant for both leaders and laypeople.
- Hope for the Future: It provides a hopeful vision for the church's future, inspiring readers to be part of a movement that leads to significant spiritual growth.
What are the key takeaways of Spent Matches?
- Discipleship Over Church Planting: Moran emphasizes that making disciples should take precedence over merely planting churches for true growth.
- Hybrid Church Model: The book introduces a hybrid model that combines traditional church practices with a focus on disciple-making.
- Empowerment of Individuals: Moran stresses the importance of empowering every believer to be a disciple-maker, regardless of their background or experience.
What is the Great Commission according to Spent Matches?
- Biblical Foundation: The Great Commission, as outlined in Matthew 28:16-20, is central to the church's mission, focusing on making disciples of all nations.
- Focus on Obedience: Moran argues that the Great Commission involves teaching obedience to all of Jesus' commands, not just evangelism.
- Multiplicative Discipleship: The goal is to create disciple-making disciples who will continue to spread Jesus' message, essential for fulfilling the Great Commission.
What is the hybrid church model mentioned in Spent Matches?
- Combination of Approaches: The hybrid church model combines traditional church practices with a focus on disciple-making for both community engagement and personal growth.
- Flexibility and Adaptability: Moran emphasizes that this model is designed to be flexible and adaptable to different cultural contexts.
- Empowerment of Believers: The model empowers individuals to take an active role in disciple-making, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility among all members.
What is the Disciple-Making Movement (DMM) strategy in Spent Matches?
- Core Characteristics: DMM is characterized by being God-ordained, Spirit-dependent, Bible-centered, obedience-focused, discovery-based, and disciple-driven.
- Empowerment of Individuals: The strategy encourages ordinary believers to become disciple-makers, facilitating small groups focused on reading and obeying the Bible.
- Focus on Relationships: DMM emphasizes building relationships over traditional evangelism methods, inviting friends and family into discovery groups.
How does Spent Matches address the current state of the church?
- Critical Analysis: Moran provides a sobering analysis of the church's effectiveness in reaching people today, highlighting areas of failure.
- Cultural Disconnect: The book discusses the church's struggle to connect with modern culture, leading to a decline in relevance and influence.
- Hope for Change: Despite challenges, Moran offers practical solutions and a vision for a revitalized church focused on disciple-making.
How does Spent Matches redefine success in church growth?
- Multiplicative Discipleship: Success is redefined as the ability to make disciple-making disciples, focusing on quality of spiritual growth rather than quantity.
- Long-term Impact: Success is viewed in terms of long-term impact on individuals and communities, encouraging sustainable growth aligned with the Great Commission.
- Empowerment of All Believers: Success is measured by the collective efforts of the church to fulfill the Great Commission through empowered individuals.
What is the S Curve mentioned in Spent Matches?
- Growth Pattern: The S Curve represents the typical growth trajectory of individuals or organizations, starting slow, followed by rapid growth, and eventually leveling off.
- Application in Discipleship: Recognizing this pattern allows leaders to intervene and reignite growth before it declines, maintaining spiritual momentum.
- Real-Life Example: Moran uses a hot air balloon ride to illustrate the S Curve, emphasizing the need to apply energy at the right moments to sustain growth.
What are the seven journeys mentioned in Spent Matches?
- Pathway to Discipleship: The seven journeys represent a framework for moving individuals from spiritual curiosity to becoming fully engaged disciple-makers.
- Focus on Obedience: Each journey emphasizes obedience to Jesus' teachings as a key component of discipleship.
- Accountability and Community: The journeys encourage accountability among participants, fostering a sense of community and support as they grow in faith together.
What are the six key characteristics of Disciple-Making Movements (DMM) in Spent Matches?
- God Ordained: DMM is rooted in the belief that God initiates and sustains the movement.
- Spirit Dependent: The movement relies on the Holy Spirit to lead and transform individuals.
- Bible Centered: DMM prioritizes the Bible as the ultimate authority in guiding faith and practice.
- Obedience Focused: The movement emphasizes the importance of obedience to God's commands.
- Discovery Based: DMM encourages a process of discovery where individuals explore faith together.
- Disciple Driven: The movement empowers ordinary believers to take on the role of disciple-makers.
How can I apply the principles from Spent Matches in my church?
- Evaluate Current Practices: Assess your church's current approach to discipleship and evangelism, identifying areas for improvement.
- Implement a Hybrid Model: Consider adopting a hybrid church model that combines traditional practices with a strong emphasis on disciple-making.
- Encourage Discipleship: Foster a culture of discipleship by empowering individuals to take on the role of disciple-makers, providing training and resources.
Review Summary
Spent Matches by Roy Moran challenges traditional church methodologies and evangelism approaches. Readers appreciate Moran's insights on disciple-making and his critique of current church practices. The book offers practical strategies for implementing a more obedience-based discipleship model. While some readers find the content thought-provoking and useful, others criticize Moran's theology and interpretation of scripture. Overall, the book receives mixed reviews, with supporters praising its fresh perspective on the Great Commission and critics questioning its theological foundations and departure from traditional church structures.
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