Book Review - Radical Together

After reading Radical a while back, I gained an immense respect for David Platt. Much like Francis Chan, whose books and sermons I also really enjoy, Platt is a Christian who practices what he preaches and calls believers to a life-changing, out-of-your-comfort zone sort of faith. When I found out he'd written a new book, Radical Together, I was excited to get my hands on a copy.

Radical Together focuses on believers in the church living lives that are dramatically different because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the first chapter, he lays the foundation for the book, by explaining a not-so-novel principle: good can often be enemy of great. He explores how this is true in the the church. We have plenty of programs that, in themselves, are not bad, and, certainly are not sinful. There are activities and events for children and adults of all ages, niceties and conveniences in our buildings, and plenty of things to add to the ever growing to-do this. However, Platt calls his readers, as he called his own church, to examine these carefully to determine whether they are God's best. He tells the story of his church spending their $500,000 savings fund to meet physical and spiritual needs of people in India. This goes a much longer way in accomplishing God's plans than building a larger foyer in the front of an already expansive church building. He calls individuals and churches to regularly examine their lives to determine whether "good" things we're doing/spending money on, are stealing from the great. This was a foundational chapter in the book that was also very convicting for me personally.

I also greatly enjoyed the second chapter, where he explains that the "Gospel saves us from work to work". While at first this seems to be a contradiction, it isn't, The Bible is quite clear that it is by grace alone through faith alone that someone is saved. Salvation is all about grace and not one bit about our legalistic attempts. However, scripture also states that faith without works is dead. I was moved by stories, in this chapter and throughout the book, of everyday people living their lives to live God-honoring lives and love people well. Platt told a story of a couple who had been planning to buy a bigger home, that felt led to buy a smaller home and adopt children with the money. He told of parents who had adopted children with special needs, and those who had fostered children, or given radically for the sake of others. All of these people are "average Joes" whose lives have been transformed by the Gospel. They are saved from their own efforts to work for their salvation, and are saved to do the work of Christ.

The other chapters he explains how God uses imperfect people to accomplish his purposes, and how he uses his Word and the plans outlined in it, we only have to be obedient. It is a convicting book, an easy read time-wise, and I did appreciate how he suggested that believers come together as a body to accomplish the purposes God has for his church. However, my one criticism of the book is that I felt in many ways like a was reading Radical for a second time. Although I could certainly use the reminders, I felt it would have been equally beneficial to reread the first text. There were some new stories and applications for a group of believers desiring to walk through a radical life together, but, in general, I felt that the two works were too similar.

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