Welcome to the Ignorant Historian! If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream is about just that: rescuing American Christians from the deadly kudzu of the “American Dream.”
He’s not saying that America=evil or that everything within our culture is bad, but that there are harmful ideas that we have bought and followed without discernment, becoming normal in the American church.
I don’t really know where to start on this review. In some ways, I only need to say: go out and buy it (it would be worth buying at twice its $10-12 price tag, and when you’re done with it, lend/give it to someone else).
When I first got my hands on this, I did what I do to every book: look to see how many actual pages it had (secret: I do the math to figure out how many pages I need to read in each book per day to finish it by the date that I want). At the very end, I noticed it has 5 things he wants the reader to commit to, and leaves room for you to write out how you’re going to carry them out. I read them before I read the rest of the book, and I thought, “Ehh, those are good, but I’ve heard all that before.” But when I read the book and then got to that section?
You bet I was praying, asking God’s forgiveness for neglecting these simple things and praying through how I was going to re-implement them in my life.
This book was the perspective change that I needed. This book is the perspective change that the American church needs.
If you want to know more about what Radical is about, check out the video on the bottom of the homepage of the book’s website. You can even sign up to read the first chapter for free. But really, you need to read chapters 6 (“How Much is Enough?: American Wealth in a World of Poverty”) and 7 (“There is No Plan B: Why Going is Urgent, Not Optional”).
Chapter 6 hits on the very topic God has been working on in me: that I’m abundantly wealthy (yes, in a worldly sense) and I squander that wealth on myself (more on this in an upcoming blog post).
In chapter 7, David Platt walks simply through 7 Biblical truths that makes participation in missions mandatory for all Christians (going, praying, sending, and/or supporting). Nothing new for me, but this was the simplest and most logical presentation I’ve seen. Kind of a “duh” thing.
While I’ve been blessed to have heard a lot of this before from the ministries I have participated in and my church that I love, I needed to hear it again. The American Dream is so easy to get caught up in. It’s easier to join in the pursuit of a better living, fun gadgets, and being well-dressed than it is to live sacrificially and simply so that I can bless others with the blessings He’s blessed me. After all, I don’t want to be weird, do I?
But indeed, the Christian faith as laid out in the Bible is radical. When we try to soften it’s commands and examples, we’re wrong.
I don’t know what else to say to convince you to read this book.
I’m convinced! But it will go on the bottom of about 12 books I am currently trying to get to. So much reading…
.-= Cheryl´s last blog ..A Few of My Favorite Things =-.
I think there is a fine line here between being radical about your faith and being perceived as “normal”. I haven’t read the book, but based on what you have said about it, I can say that while the “American Dream” can be bad and ungodly, it isn’t necessarily. And I think we as Christians need to be aware that being “weird” and “set apart” can also be the reasons people DON’T want to come to church and/or follow Christ. We can be set apart and not be weird. We need to be relatable. Otherwise our impact on the non-Christian world will be hindered.
Just a different perspective from someone who lived with a non-Christian for oh, about 20 years (my dad and then Sam, who is now a Christian, but also feels that Christians can be too weird to be effective).
.-= Liz´s last blog ..The Good Ol’ Days =-.
Cheryl: Yay!
Liz: I think we’ve long since believed that we have to have a nice car/house/TV/clothes in order to fit in to our culture. What Platt is proposing isn’t that we can’t have some of those things, but that we should be willing (and sometimes should) to give our possessions away to/for the poor. He’s not advocating a withdrawal from culture (what I think is most often seen as “weird” or cultish), but getting out of our comfort zones, out of the race for bigger/better/more comfortable and really engage the broken, hurting, and lost of this world.
We will be “weird”…but that’s what the Gospel calls us to. But we shouldn’t be weird because we dress like it’s 1900 or refuse to listen/read/talk about anything secular or only associate with people like ourselves. We should be weird because we refuse to revel in our wealth of time and money while millions die without hearing the gospel and thousands die from hunger.
Man oh man I SO want to get my hands on a copy of this book!!! Lisa @ Lisa Writes has been saying, “GO! BUY THIS BOOK!” and you bolded it. ;) SO I’m kinda thinking that I shouldn’t put it off much longer and I’m certainly happy to go out, purchase and support a book, that is being so enthusiastically recommended in a heart-felt way from people that I really trust.
Thanks for this post/review!
Carrie: Well, you’ve certainly convinced me on enough books, so I’m glad to return the favor. =)
Hmm. I’m intrigued. Only because I am one that believes in God and believes in strengthening your spiritual path, but I am so skeptical of churches.
.-= Kristy´s last blog ..Daddy Anxiety =-.
This definitely looks like a book that could help me with my struggling faith. Well, it’s not a big struggle, but a struggle nonetheless. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for stopping by my blog today!
.-= Multiple Personalities´s last blog ..What’s one more anyway? =-.
I wanted to read this anyway, but your review makes me want to read it MORE! Thanks!
.-= Erica´s last blog ..Voices of the True Woman Movement =-.
Kristy and Multiple Personalities: This book is definitely for you both!
Erica: That’s what happened to me before I read it…everything I heard about it made me want to read it even more!
.-= Ronnica´s last blog ..Book Review: Radical by David Platt =-.
My reserve of Green Like God, just came into the library. Looks like I’ll have to reserve this one as well. You’re keeping me busy!
.-= Veronica´s last blog ..My heart =-.
Sounds like an interesting book. The Christian culture is similar in Australia, particularly with the West Australian mining boom over the last few years, and suddenly many people are assuming a higher standard of living, which becomes ‘normal’ although it can very easily become a life of greed, excessive waste…and discontentment.
I agree with Liz and yourself about Christians being distinct but for the right reasons. There are things of the world that we are commanded not to engage in…drunkenness, gluttony or a love of money, for example. But otherwise we are to be in the world but not of the world.
Good post.
.-= sarah´s last blog ..Guest Etiquette =-.
Veronica: Yes! =)
.-= Ronnica´s last blog ..7 and All Dolled Up =-.
Pingback: Ignorant Historian » Blog Archive » My Favorite Things