Radical
Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream
David Platt

Multnomah Books
May 2010 /ISBN: 1601422210
Nonfiction/Religion
Amazon

Reviewed by Willie Elliott

In Radical author and pastor David Platt points out how the churches of today (especially the larger more wealthy churches) have wandered from the purposes and messages that Jesus proscribed when he was here on earth in the flesh. In order to meet the standards set forth by Jesus, people must give up the ease and comfort that people in America have come to enjoy and expect.

The author has probably foreseen criticism of his plan with his title because the idea is radical. It was radical in Jesus's time and it is radical now. How many (even among Christians) are willing to give up their comfortable lifestyle and use the money and resources to bring and teach more people about the tenets of Christ.

Whether people accept his radical idea or not, they still have to acknowledge that Platt takes his idea, not from something he cooked up, but literally from the Bible. The author gives many examples of how to make his ideas of ministering to more people can be done, but all of them call for sacrifice on the part of church members.

At the same time Platt tells stories of people who have seen the validity of his claims and have made the sacrifices to help the poor and other people needing the message of Jesus. And in doing so have felt liberated from a system that took them away from their duty to spreading the gospel.

Christians need to read the book (and the companion book Radical Together) and ask themselves if this radical idea is indeed what Christ asks of us as Christians.

No matter your opinion of Platt's idea, you will find the book compelling.