Funny Enough to be True
Wednesday, July 30th, 2008
Rob Stennett is a very funny man. He has previously written and directed for stage and screen but now has turned his considerable talents to a most enjoyable first novel called The Almost True Story of Ryan Fisher.
Ryan has decided to start a megachurch. He only has one small obstacle - he doesn’t quite believe in anything. He’s not really trying to scam anyone. You see, he started out in real estate and was looking for a new marketing angle. He stumbled on the fact that there are millions of Christians out there, all of whom were potential home buyers or sellers. He took out an ad in a Christian business directory and business started booming. But he kept getting into awkward moments involving Christian jargon and questions about what church he attends. So he decided he needed to start going to church. His wife is thrilled, and actually starts to develop a real Christian faith. But Ryan is more interested in figuring out the pastor and “how does he do that?”.
Once Ryan thinks he understands enough about the religious thing, the Fishers move to Bartlesville and open The Peoples Church featuring a karaoke cowboy worship leader, also with no discernible faith. After a miracle healing gone awry, throngs of people flock to the new church because Ryan is so “genuine”. The whole thing quickly snowballs and Ryan eventually ends up on Oprah.
Stennett writes with great wit and satire, but also great warmth. Ryan Fisher is a truly likeable guy in spite of, or perhaps because of his phoniness. All of the major characters are developed well, especially Katherine Fisher, and you end up really caring what happens to them in the inevitable meltdown. I hope New Life Church in Colorado Springs where he serves as creative director realizes what a gem they have in Rob Stennett and that they give him plenty of time to write. Hopefully we’ll be reading much more from him in the future.
Rob Stennett is a very funny man. He has previously written and directed for stage and screen but now has turned his considerable talents to a most enjoyable first novel called The Almost True Story of Ryan Fisher.
Ryan has decided to start a megachurch. He only has one small obstacle - he doesn’t quite believe in anything. He’s not really trying to scam anyone. You see, he started out in real estate and was looking for a new marketing angle. He stumbled on the fact that there are millions of Christians out there, all of whom were potential home buyers or sellers. He took out an ad in a Christian business directory and business started booming. But he kept getting into awkward moments involving Christian jargon and questions about what church he attends. So he decided he needed to start going to church. His wife is thrilled, and actually starts to develop a real Christian faith. But Ryan is more interested in figuring out the pastor and “how does he do that?”.
Once Ryan thinks he understands enough about the religious thing, the Fishers move to Bartlesville and open The Peoples Church featuring a karaoke cowboy worship leader, also with no discernible faith. After a miracle healing gone awry, throngs of people flock to the new church because Ryan is so “genuine”. The whole thing quickly snowballs and Ryan eventually ends up on Oprah.
Stennett writes with great wit and satire, but also great warmth. Ryan Fisher is a truly likeable guy in spite of, or perhaps because of his phoniness. All of the major characters are developed well, especially Katherine Fisher, and you end up really caring what happens to them in the inevitable meltdown. I hope New Life Church in Colorado Springs where he serves as creative director realizes what a gem they have in Rob Stennett and that they give him plenty of time to write. Hopefully we’ll be reading much more from him in the future.
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