Review: "Spark"

Jason Jaggard’s book, Spark, is the story of Jaggard’s founding of his Spark Groups, which he describes both through anecdotes and basic theory throughout its pages.  The purpose of the groups is to help people move out of ruts and fear and take risks that will help them to become happier, more fulfilled, better people.  The whole theory of Jaggard’s work can be boiled down to – as he says – asking oneself, “What one risk can I take this week to make myself a better person or the world a better place?” (12). From there, he tells success stories and pulls at how one might answer one or both of these questions.

Jaggard’s groups and theory may be very useful for those who can take the first step – either on their own or through encouragement.  It is easy to become stilted and stale, so one need to do something – anything – positive that will move one out of the stasis or pride, depression, etc., that one finds oneself in.

I wish this book were more Scripture-based, though I do find his ideas helpful – if, as I said, one can get past the first step and take the risk to do something.  Also, Jaggard makes the common exegetical mistake looking at 1 Corinthians 10:13, which is a promise that believers will not be tempted beyond what they are able to bear.  He makes the common mistake of interpreting this to mean that God will never give a believer more than one can handle, which is simply not true.  God will not allow a believer to be tempted such that it is impossible for one to refuse to follow the temptation into sin.  However, God does give believers more than one can handle.

Depending on the person and their current state of mind, thinking about the question that is the backbone of these groups may just be the spark that person needs to break free and move forward.

[This review appears on Amazon.com and on my blog.  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.]