I just finished reading Radical – Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream by David Platt.
Is Jesus Worth This To You?
It’s easy for American Christians to forget how Jesus said his followers would actually live, what their new lifestyle would actually look like. They would, he said, leave behind security, money, convenience, even family for him. They would abandon everything for the gospel. They would take up their crosses daily…
But Who Do You Know Who Lives Like That? Do You?
In Radical, David Platt challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. He shows what Jesus actually said about being his disciple–then invites you to believe and obey what you have heard. And he tells the dramatic story of what is happening as a “successful” suburban church decides to get serious about the gospel according to Jesus.
Finally, he urges you to join in The Radical Experiment –a one-year journey in authentic discipleship that will transform how you live in a world that desperately needs the Good News Jesus came to bring.
This was such an awesome book! Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book.
The message of Biblical Christianity is not “God love me, period,” as if we were the object of our own faith. The messge of Biblical Christianity is “God loves me so that I might make him – His ways, His salvation, His glory, and His greatness – known amount all nations.” Now God is the object of our faith, and Christianity centers around Him. We are not the end of the the Gospel; God is. p.70
Every saved person this side of heaven owes the Gospel to every lost person this side of hell. We owe Christ to the world – to the least person and to the greatest person, to the richest person and to the poorest person, to the best person and to the worst person. p.74
Exciting things happen when the people of God believe the Word of God is worth spending their lives to teach to others. p.103
Yet, while caring for the poor is not the basis of our salvation, this does not mean that our use of wealth is totally disconnected from our salvation. Indeed, caring for the poor (among other things) is evidence of our salvation. p.110
There is a true God over this world who wants all people to bow at the feet of a loving Savior, and there is a false god in this world who wants all people to burn in hell
You can read an excerpt of chapter 1HERE.
This book will challenge you, your faith, and what you are doing with your life. I know it did me.
The author offers a challenge The Radical Experiment. That will challenge you and change your life. I plan on doing this experiment.
One part of the experiment is to pray for the whole world. He lists a website in the book, Operation World where you can find out information on every country in the world to pray for them. I plan on implementing this into our homeschool. What a wonderful way for the kids to learn to pray for others and learn geography.
The author has a companion booklet The Radical Question that is also available. You can read an excerpt HERE.
While supplies last, you can request a free copy of The Radical Question
I highly recommend both of these. I believe they should be read by all Christians. I am going to make them required reading for our high schoolers.
This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
