Ragamuffin Gospel

Pastor Dave is leading a 40-day discussion on The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning.

We will gather on Wednesday evenings 6-7 PM in room 102 during Lent, beginning March 13th at St. Mark to discuss the book and its hopeful message for the “bedraggled, beat-up, and burnt-out.”

In addition to the class, Pastor Dave will also host an interactive online video conversation every Wednesday at noon on Facebook Live or YouTube Live.

This is an excellent chance to explore your faith and feed your spirit as we journey together toward Holy Week. Copies of the book will be available to purchase for $12 in the church office. Please contact Pastor Dave to reserve your copy or if you have any questions.

Here is the Forward to the book:

The Ragamuffin Gospel was written with a specific reading audience in mind. This book is not for the super-spiritual. It is not for muscular Christians who have made John Wayne and not Jesus their hero. It is not for academicians who would imprison Jesus in the ivory tower of exegesis. It is not for noisy, feel-good folks who manipulate Christianity into a naked appeal to emotion. It is not for hooded mystics who want magic in their religion. It is not for Alleluia Christians who live only on the mountaintop and have never visited the valley of desolation. It is not for the fearless and tearless. It is not for red-hot zealots who boast with the rich young ruler of the gospels: “All these commandments I have kept from my youth.” It is not for the complacent, hoisting over their shoulder a tote-bag of honors, diplomas and good works actually believing they have it made. It is not for legalists who would rather surrender control of their souls to rules than run the risk of living in union with Jesus…. 

The Ragamuffin Gospel was written for the bedraggled, beat-up, and burnt-out. It is for the sorely burdened who are still shifting the heavy suitcase from one hand to the other. It is for the wobbly and weak-kneed who know they don’t have it altogether and are too proud to accept the handout of amazing grace. It is for inconsistent, unsteady disciples whose cheese is falling off their cracker. It is for poor, weak, sinful men and women with hereditary faults and limited talents. It is for earthen vessels who shuffle along on feet of clay. It is for the bent and the bruised who feel that their lives are a grave disappointment to God. It is for smart people who know they are stupid and honest disciples who admit they are scalawags.