{"id":1767,"date":"2013-04-14T08:32:21","date_gmt":"2013-04-14T14:32:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/paperbacktheology\/?p=1767"},"modified":"2013-04-14T08:32:21","modified_gmt":"2013-04-14T14:32:21","slug":"brennan-manning-april-27-1934-april-12-2013-death-of-a-ragamuffin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/paperbacktheology\/2013\/04\/brennan-manning-april-27-1934-april-12-2013-death-of-a-ragamuffin.html","title":{"rendered":"Brennan Manning, April 27, 1934 \u2013 April 12, 2013: Death of a Ragamuffin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/a>I first heard about Brennan Manning \u00a0when I heard about his book Ragamuffin Gospel from Rich Mullins. I read it all the way through in about two sittings \u2013 I think that was about 1993? I was a ragamuffin and I knew it. Manning was a constant reminder to all of us that the love of God is always bigger than we think it is. God\u2019s grace is always better than we think it is. Whatever conception we have of the goodness of God, it will have to grow bigger. I can still hear him shouting, \u201cStretch man! Stretch!\u201d<\/p>\n

When I was playing with Satellite Soul I wrote a song based on a talk I heard Manning give about the scandalous love of God and how he beckons us to stretch ourselves. Here\u2019s a live recording of the song \u201cAlways Greater\u201d.<\/p>\n

I thank God today for the original ragamuffin. I am thankful that he will be made whole again and am grateful that Brennan Manning bore such constant witness to the scandalous love of God.<\/p>\n