Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

David Platt wants you to take back your faith from the American Dream. American Christians are living under influence of the American dream to have more and better things. Platt, however, wants to call us a different dream, a dream that is Radical. He's not afraid to be upfront about it either.

Platt begins with by questioning the reader's faith. He even says that he wants to show you how, despite your best intentions, have turned away from really following Jesus. Real discipleship (following Jesus) requires something of the disciple, and here in America, we're not giving what is required of us. We've lost sight of Jesus and follow after the American dream. But his question to the reader is whether or not Jesus is really worth it. Jesus calls us to come and die, to abandon our attachments to the things of this world, and turn our lives over to Christ. Platt argues to bring the reader back to that point.

At times this can be a hard book to read, and I think it is harder for those who lived longer in pursuit of the American dream. Platt describes some of his encounters with church leaders and Christians who have told him that they are glad that he has gone into the inner city and around the world so that they didn't have to. This seems extreme, but there are many of us who, although we won't say it, live like this. We want others to go around the world and into the tough places with the good news so that we don't have to. That's not, however, the call of Christian discipleship. Platt writes Radical to remind us that the dream of God is not two cars, three children, and a house with a picket fence, but instead the dream of God is for all people to hear his gospel of love and salvation. And this dream does not just happen, it happens because God's people answer the call of to go and preach the good news.

This is one of two books I have read by David Platt. He writes passionately and honestly. Both of these make his books interesting and convicting. His call is an heartfelt and honest call to get off our couch, turn off the TV, and go do something for God. Radical has changed my view of what a Christian does and how they live. There were times when I got frustrated and thought that he was just another person guilting me into being a missionary, but in his conclusion he makes attainable goals for any person. He doesn't ask you to move out of the country, but instead to give at least a week of your time outside your culture and to give part of your offering to spread the gospel. I would recommend this to anyone. It's an easy read and hopefully it will change the way you live your life.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah's book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Learning to be Radical Together

David Platt has become known recently for his book Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream. In Radical, Platt writes how that we need to forget the American Dream and remember what God is calling his people to do. God is calling his people to be radical. Now, he is writing about how to be Radical Together. If you've read radical you know that life is not about the nicer car, the nicer house, or the 6 figure salary, it's about doing whatever we can to spread the gospel, and sometimes that looks a bit radical. In Radical Together, Platt writes about how we need to be working together in churches and small groups to be radical for God's mission. The gospel will not be spread if people are not willing to do radical things and we do them as the church. God never called us to live this life alone and he does not want us to help other alone either.

It's only appropriate that I would review this book on the Thursday leading up to Easter. Today is Maundy Thursday. Maundy is related to the word Mandate and is connected to the new command (or mandate) that Jesus gives to his disciples in John 13:34. Radical Together follows that command to love. Platt is calling us to do whatever it takes to show the love of God to people around the world who need help. Just as in Radical, he calls his readers to the radical experiment: To pray for the entire world, to read through the entire Word, to commit our lives to multiplying community, to sacrifice our money for a specific purpose and to give our time in another context.

While I am one to get frustrated by books that seem like they would be just another guilt trip about being a rich american, Radical Together is a great book with a great message. I do believe that this is a book that American churches need to read and implement. Even if the church only did the minimal of what Platt asks in the radical experiment, the world would be a better place. I appreciate what Platt writes in this book and hope that his words are effective in convincing more of the church to rise up and be the church.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”