Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream
Initially, I think I missed some of the big picture from this book the first time through. I had the chance to see David Platt speak a few months after reading it, which caused me to go back & give it a second look. What I found there really resonated with me deeply the second time through. So my first read would've given it a weak 4 of 5 star, it is now a solid 5 of 5 stars.
In short, Platt is calling us back to a biblical Christianity - living out our faith as it is instructed in the Bible, rather than based on our traditions and/or feelings. A bit different than how Francis Chan has been doing this, but with a very similar spirit and common end goal I think. Platt's is probably a bit more narrowly focused than Chan's vision in my opinion. Both are needed.
Upon my first reading, I honestly chaffed a bit at what appeared to be Platt pushing some guilt on "America" for being prosperous. My second time through, and after hearing him speak, it is clear that I was mistaken. Platt's passion for the spread of the Gospel is challenging, inspirational, and infectious. To live as Platt (and the Bible) calls us is indeed to be Radical. That might mean some sacrifice on our part - but to God be the glory if we may be blessed with that opportunity.
Platt challenges the reader in Radical to step up in a big way in living out your faith. He calls us to step forward boldly in partnering with the work of God to spread His Good News throughout the world.
God continues to open my eyes and heart to the needs of the world around me, and Radical is another challenging blessing to help me move forward. I appreciate the holy discontent this book fosters in me. I further appreciate how he resists creating a cookie cutter process of applying this to our own lives. He stirs up the discontent creating the need, but then lets you find how to best meet that need in your own life/ministry. Some might want it spelled out step by step for them, but I think it would've been a mistake for him to do so.
The final thing I want to mention that is worth noting is at the very least in reading this book, David Platt's passion for this subject is unmistakable. His heart comes through on every page, and for me that makes it ever more so readable. Passion is a highly underrated thing in writing a book, and in Radical he's managed to put it into words so that it might ignite something in everyone who reads it. Well done!
I was given a free review copy of this book from Water Brook Multnomah Publishing Group, but am not paid to do the review in any way.
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