Radical Together

“Radical Together” is the follow up to David Platt’s first book, “Radical”, and I was just as pleased (and convicted!) with the second as I was the first.

He picks up where he left off with his challenge to Christians to live radical lives for Christ, only extending it to include whole church bodies, not just individuals. If a single person can make a large impact on the world through their faith and sacrificially living, then what could a whole church do?

He addresses a few misconceptions the Church has about “church” and the gospel. He makes a bold statement that sometimes the “good” things we’re doing are in fact not good. Sometimes (or rather most often) the programs, large facilities and professionals leading these programs in our large facilities are not actually what’s best for the furtherance of the gospel. He calls us to stop, step back, and examine the Word to find what God’s will for you--for your church--really is.

Platt then answers the common question, “how can we make Scripture relative to us in the 21st century?” If you stop and think about it, anyone asking this question doesn’t fully understand the nature and omniscience of God. Only a limited God would write instructions applicable to one generation without taking into consideration the needs and culture of the generations to come. Not only did our God think ahead, He knew ahead. And that’s the God we’re to entrust our lives with and live for.

One key phrase I loved was, “the gospel that saves us from work saves us to work”. How simple, yet profound! But not stopping there, he quickly points out that just as our good works are not our means of salvation, neither are they our means of approval from God. Rather, good works should be the natural outcome of a redeemed soul.

He wraps up his book with a compelling urge for believers to go beyond their homes, their neighborhood, their church, their country, and reach the unreached; specifically, to make disciples, not converts. There are so many needs in third world countries that we are ignorant of--and we’re content to remain ignorant. There are so many lost souls in every people group that we are indifferent to--and we’re content to remain indifferent. This ought not to be. Followers of Christ are to do just that: take up your cross and follow Him. And radical followers of Christ should form radical communities of faith--not just in America, but all across the world.

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You can also read the first chapter of "Radical Together" here.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.