Mick Mooney’s “Snap” Reveals A Pastor’s Breaking Point

Ok, full confession.  As a Christian of nearly 40 years who has been a missionary, an elder, an Associate Pastor, and a Senior Pastor I was very familiar with every main character in Mick Mooney’s new novel, Snap.

Yes, I am well acquainted with:

Richard: The “Senior Pastor” who deep down has a heart for God but, over the years, layers of religious performance and expectation created a man who was a caricature of his former self.

Jane: The “Pastor’s Wife” who lives a life of quiet desperation.  Maintaining the obligatory smile outside while inside her spirit rages against the slow drain of her life and dreams.

Frank: The “Pastor’s Kid” who sees the hypocrisy of the entire system and yearns to free his parents of it

Ted: The “Founding Pastor” who left the church ten years ago.  The whispers are that he is living a life of sin and debauchery…or had he found the freedom they all pined for?

Henry: The “Associate Pastor” who faithfully serves the Senior Pastor…especially since he is sitting in the seat he covets.

Yes, Mick Mooney created a cast of characters I knew all to well.  I suppose that’s why I cranked the short novel out in about 3 days;  I felt like the proverbial “fly on the wall” to a complete church melt down.  As the novel’s title implies, each of the characters “snaps” at certain points as their emotional breaking points are reached.

But Mooney doesn’t leave them there.  Anyone who is familiar with his previous work knows that his goal is to see people redeemed from business like church structures and into authentic life giving relationships centered in Christ.

My guess is that “Ted” serves as the voice for Mooney in the novel.  The former church pastor who has “been there and bought the T-shirt”.  He is the voice of reason who is gently introducing people to God’s love free of the “church machine”.  He knows the hold the system has on people, especially people who have invested their whole lives to it.  At one point he explains to his nephew who is frustrated that his pastor father can’t see the “truth”:

” …you have to understand the difference between your journey and your father’s.  When you started challenging the theology you held, you had nothing to lose but your pride.  For your dad, he has invested his whole life building the programs and reputation of Faith First (Church).  He has built a lot of external structures, and to take hold of the truth requires him to let go all he has built.  That’s hard Frank. and it’s hard to understand without being in that position.”

Snap-

If I have a critique of Snap it would be that at times some of the interactions between characters were not driven so much by story, but but the theological truth Mooney was trying to drive home.  At those moments the narrative transformed into something akin to “Socratic dialogue” which I felt briefly hurt “the story”.

But having said that, Snap was a book I couldn’t put down.  Depending on where you are on your Christian journey will determine how you react to Snap. Some will love it…some will hate it…and for still others it will be transformative; a catalyst for scales being removed from their eyes.

As for me, I’m at the part of the journey where although I haven’t met Mick Mooney I hope to.  And when I do I want to sit on Ted’s veranda, sip some single malt scotch, and talk about the things of God with him.