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Dr. Debbie Salinger’s God’s Match: Renewing Church Spirit

November 22, 2024

By: Isla Peretti

Dr. Debbie Daley Salinger is an emerging author and Senior Pastor in the United Methodist Church. Dr. Salinger addresses the pressing issue of declining church vitality in her new book, God’s Match: How to Light a Fire in Your Church.

A Jamaican native who spent over 20 years in New York, Dr. Salinger brings a unique perspective to the church’s challenges today. Through her personal journey, theological insights, and passion for church renewal, Dr. Salinger has created a resource for both church leaders and congregants, helping them explore ways to reignite the spirit within their churches.

Learnings from the Journey of Faith and Fire

An ordained minister, Dr. Salinger brings pastoral and academic experience to her work. While her career began in the tech industry, she felt called to ministry and eventually moved to Tampa from Brooklyn, New York. Her ordination influenced her views on church revitalization.

Dr. Salinger pursued a doctorate at Portland Seminary under the guidance of renowned theologian Dr. Leonard Sweet. Her dissertation focused on the transformative power of the Holy Spirit through prayer and preaching. Her research on revivals prompted her to explore why churches may not experience renewal, a theme that forms the basis of her doctoral work and the foundation of God’s Match.

A Metaphor of Fire for Revival

In God’s Match, Dr. Salinger uses the metaphor of fire to represent both destruction and renewal. She believes that old systems or habits may need to be cleared away before new growth can happen. Dry, dead wood becomes the fuel for new growth.

She encourages leaders to avoid dwelling on past failures instead of using them as a catalyst for transformation and future progress. Dr. Salinger suggests that the absence of the Holy Spirit in churches may contribute to the current decline and encourages church leaders to explore the power of the Holy Spirit to bring new vitality to congregations.

Rekindling the Church from the Inside Out

Dr. Salinger emphasizes that the church is not just a physical building but the people within it. God’s Match aims to help churches address challenging truths, ask difficult questions, and realign their focus on the Holy Spirit. The book also emphasizes that revival begins within each individual. As Dr. Salinger notes, “It takes fire to make fire.”

Passion Through Prayer

A key section of the book explores the power of prayer, which Dr. Salinger believes is essential for reigniting spiritual fervor. She discusses how the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to believers and how this power can help churches move beyond dormancy.

A Message of Hope for the Disconnected

God’s Match offers a message of hope for those who feel disconnected from their faith. Dr. Salinger encourages readers to recognize that they are never beyond God’s reach, even when they feel distant from the church. She acknowledges that today’s church may look different from what many expect, but it can still find new ways to connect with people and share the love of Christ.

Dr. Salinger also stresses the importance of church leaders adapting to the needs of their communities. “Walk the streets, talk to people,” she advises, acknowledging that today’s leadership requires a different approach to ministering to diverse groups.

Many theological texts discuss church revival, but they often lack actionable plans. Dr. Salinger hopes that God’s Match: How to Light a Fire in Your Church will serve as a tool to spark curiosity and inspire change, encouraging readers to pursue deeper faith and understanding of God’s power.

God’s Match: How to Light a Fire in Your Church is available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other bookstores. For more information, visit https://spiritfirematch.com.