I just heard the sad news that Brennan Manning transitioned from this earth yesterday. You’ll find two of his books on my Best 100 Christian Books Ever Written List. If you don’t have them, you should.
I had the privilege of spending time with Manning in 2007. We both spoke at a conference along with N.T. Wright.
In one of the sessions, we all spent time in a living room together. I had time to talk with Manning one-on-one and I asked him a few questions about writing . . . seeing that he’s a remarkable author whom I wanted to glean from.
He said to me, “If you write something and it doesn’t move you, then throw it in the trash. It’s not going to move anyone else.”
I kept these words firmly in mind when I wrote God’s Favorite Place on Earth. A good bit of that book is in delete-land. 🙂 I hope that what remained moves others.
During the course of our conversation, I also asked Manning about his photographic memory. It was a gift. He said all he had to do was read something once or twice and he could recite it.
Amazing! I saw him do just that when I heard him speak in his two sessions during that conference.
I found Manning to be a very humble man with a large heart, an incredible story that magnifies God’s grace in the midst of human frailty and fallenness (which we all share), and an amazing gift for writing and speaking.
Brennan Manning knew grace, he lived grace, and he taught grace . . . even in his last day of blindness and weakness.
I’m privileged to have met this giant in the faith. And I shall never forget him.
David C. Cook, my publisher, released his autobiography – All is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir. You can order it on discount below.
Order All is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir in hardcover
Order All is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir in Kindle
Resolving 18 Struggles Christians Have
Manning and Capon go together. I read Manning long before Capon, and I’m glad I did so. Manning gave me permission to believe in the God of extravagantly wasteful grace. Capon systematically showed me that that kind of ruthless grace is the only reasonable lens through which to understand the God in Christ who is reconciling the world to Himself.
I love you Brennan. I am overjoyed that you are experiencing the consumation of God’s love.
Tom
I was at that conference in 2007 and, although I didn’t get to meet Brennan Manning in person, I was inspired and encouraged by his words. The Ragamuffin Gospel is one of my all-time favorite books.
Thank you, Frank, for sharing the news of his passing on …
Brennan Manning quote:
“Because salvation is by grace through faith, I believe that among the countless number of people standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and holding palms in their hands (see Revelation 7:9), I shall see the prostitute from the Kit-Kat Ranch in Carson City, Nevada, who tearfully told me that she could find no other employment to support her two-year-old son. I shall see the woman who had an abortion and is haunted by guilt and remorse but did the best she could faced with grueling alternatives; the businessman besieged with debt who sold his integrity in a series of desperate transactions; the insecure clergyman addicted to being liked, who never challenged his people from the pulpit and longed for unconditional love; the sexually abused teen molested by his father and now selling his body on the street, who, as he falls asleep each night after his last ‘trick’, whispers the name of the unknown God he learned about in Sunday school.
‘But how?’ we ask.
Then the voice says, ‘They have washed their robes and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’
There they are. There *we* are – the multitude who so wanted to be faithful, who at times got defeated, soiled by life, and bested by trials, wearing the bloodied garments of life’s tribulations, but through it all clung to faith.
My friends, if this is not good news to you, you have never understood the gospel of grace.”
what a sacred exchange.
words of wisdom for sure.
Frank, thanks for sharing that. I loved Brennan and he was an author who refreshed my faith and I gobbled up everything he wrote. Here in Birmingham, AL, in 2009, a dear friend of mine who put on a conference one weekend set it up so I got to be Brennan’s driver. I was so thrilled/nervous because he was seemed to be such a larger than life person to me. What I found was such a humble, shy,funny man who loved to eat ice cream, hamburgers, and bbq. That dude could eat! During those moments, we discussed my past and how I regretted some things and “given up” but he said, “Sounds like you needed a mentor. Can’t do this life all alone.” Just a great word that never has left me and how our Christian walk was never meant to be solo. I like to picture a great feast with all the ragamuffins and Brennan when he woke up in the arms of Christ the other day.
Thank you for sharing brother Frank. What a very dear brother you speak of 🙂
I have not read Brennan Manning but certainly will now. I have read your sampler “God’s Favorite Place on Earth” and was MOVED to tears. I have forwarded the link to many and anxious to get the book in May. I cannot tell you what it has meant to me to have been given your name recently. This a.m. I started “Revise Us Again” and have two others I am also reading. Last week I listened to 5 messages on Podbean and have sent that link also to many. God is using your labor to open my eyes and give me understanding to the journey He has had me on these past 7 years. I retired 7 years ago from a staff position in a Mega Church and have been praying for the Lord to give me just what you speak much about. Thank you!
That was a great experience. Thanks for sharing it, Frank. And he gave you outstanding advice. Our Western world publishes a lot, but very little of it moves people in a deeply spiritual way. And, Frank, thanks for all you write that moves me and so many others.
Thank you, Steve. That means a lot, bro. God bless you richly.