The Prodigal
by Brennan Manning and Greg Garrett
Jack Chisholm, pastor of a mega-church with the mantra of “we
can do better” ends up disgracing his family and his church with
infidelity. In the depths of despair and
thinking about taking his own life, he is rescued by his alienated father. And so begins Brennan Manning’s timely tale
of a prodigal.
Brennan Manning is a new author to me, but I hope to read
more of his books. As a Roman Catholic
priest he hungered for more of God. He
had an epiphany of the love of God for him and it changed his life. Although he struggled with alcoholism and
resulting health issues, he spread the gospel of the love of God and the
forgiveness He offers every
individual. This message is clearly seen
in his final novel.
This novel captured my attention from the start and is a
very capable vehicle to bear the author’s message. I enjoyed the slightly gritty characters with
their imperfections. The story line
moved along quickly enough to maintain my interest. And, like real life, it didn’t have a tidy
ending, but it was satisfying enough.
This book whet my appetite to check out his other books. I recommend it to those who hunger for more
of God’s grace in their life.
