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Radical by David Platt: Review

by Nicholi Zadarosni

December 2, 2011

@cornthief

David Platt starts off his book Radical with a story comparing underground house churches he visited in Asia with his giant suburban American church. In America growth and wealth are signs of success in the church. But Platt claims that we are “molding Jesus into our image” as American, nice, middle-class, suburban Jesus. The danger in doing so could mean that instead of worshiping the Jesus of the Bible we “may be worshiping ourselves.”

Platt writes to call Christians to consider the cost of discipleship and the cost of “nondiscipleship.” He claims that American Christians are not bringing the gospel to unbelievers the way they should be. He write “While Christians choose to spend their lives fulfilling the American dream instead of giving their lives to proclaiming the kingdom of God, literally billions in need of the gospel remain in the dark.”

The book was a lot easier to read than I expected before picking it up. It really interesting at times and the stories about real persecuted Christians make American Christians look silly when they claim to be persecuted because stores say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” For those American Christians I would recommend this book.