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Available
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Publication
Multnomah (2011), 165 pages
Description
New York Times bestseller New York Times bestselling author David Platt challenges us to unite around a gospel-centered vision in Radical Together. In Radical, David Platt's plea for Christians to take back their faith from the American Dream resonated with readers everywhere. Now, he asks how a gospel-centered vision might reshape our priorities as the body of Christ? How might well-intentioned Christians actually prevent God's people from accomplishing God's purpose? And, how can we best unleash the people of God in the church to carry out the purpose of God in the world? Writing to everyone who desires to make an impact for God's glory--whether you are an involved member, a leader, or a pastor--Dr. Platt shares six foundational ideas that fuel radical obedience among Christians in the church. With compelling Bible teaching and inspiring stories from around the world, he will help you apply the revolutionary claims and commands of Christ to your community of faith in fresh, practical ways.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member deusvitae
On the heels of Radical, a call for individual Christians to reconsider what it means to be a disciple of Christ, comes Radical Together, David Platt's extension of the same principles to the church.
On the whole, the material is excellent-- he considers matters of the tyranny of the good over the
Platt takes aim at the practices of American churches in Radical Together just as he took aim at Christian practices in Radical. He is a needed breath of fresh air, focusing back on the Word and not programs and glitz, getting people to think about using resources to serve God in His Kingdom more effectively than for building projects and unnecessary social 'benefits' for believers, and the general attitude that says that God should serve us rather than us serving God.
As usual, I'm not too terribly fond of some of the more Evangelical comments; I fear that his use of Matthew 24 out of the context of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE undermines one of the main supports of his chapter on world evangelization. The world ought to be evangelized but never at the neglect of the local area; Platt tries to reassure readers of as much but I still feel that he undermines it by focusing on "Brook Hills Baruti" more than "Brook Hills Bob." I can understand his point when he declares that God is "self-centered" but wonder if we are wise to project such a condition upon the God whose "self awareness" or "self understanding" are never in doubt and Who Is, in reality, Three Persons expressing relational unity.
These concerns should not overshadow the powerful import of the book and its value for the Christian community. On the whole the book is a welcome reminder of what is really important regarding the church and how so much has been missed because the church's mission was expanded beyond the intentions of its Author and Lord.
*-- book received as part of early review program
On the whole, the material is excellent-- he considers matters of the tyranny of the good over the
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best, how believers are expected to work, how God's Word is the Source and how it does the work, how people who may not feel qualified can serve God's purposes well, working toward evangelizing the world, and glorifying God and working toward His glory as opposed to being continually selfish.Platt takes aim at the practices of American churches in Radical Together just as he took aim at Christian practices in Radical. He is a needed breath of fresh air, focusing back on the Word and not programs and glitz, getting people to think about using resources to serve God in His Kingdom more effectively than for building projects and unnecessary social 'benefits' for believers, and the general attitude that says that God should serve us rather than us serving God.
As usual, I'm not too terribly fond of some of the more Evangelical comments; I fear that his use of Matthew 24 out of the context of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE undermines one of the main supports of his chapter on world evangelization. The world ought to be evangelized but never at the neglect of the local area; Platt tries to reassure readers of as much but I still feel that he undermines it by focusing on "Brook Hills Baruti" more than "Brook Hills Bob." I can understand his point when he declares that God is "self-centered" but wonder if we are wise to project such a condition upon the God whose "self awareness" or "self understanding" are never in doubt and Who Is, in reality, Three Persons expressing relational unity.
These concerns should not overshadow the powerful import of the book and its value for the Christian community. On the whole the book is a welcome reminder of what is really important regarding the church and how so much has been missed because the church's mission was expanded beyond the intentions of its Author and Lord.
*-- book received as part of early review program
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LibraryThing member laholmes
A great follow up to his book, Radical. However, my same reservations from the first book apply to this one. While Platt speaks against works based salvation, it would be easy for members not well versed in scripture to get the idea that our works save us, or earn us favor in God's sight. Platt
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does a good job of generally speaking to the church as a whole and then giving some practical steps for churches to take. At times, this book sounds to much like his first one, thought, and could have probably been combined into one, if not intended for slightly different audiences. Show Less
LibraryThing member acviramontes
This was a much needed sequel to Platt's first book "Radical." This second book, "Radical Together" provides a gospel-centered approach as opposed to an approach that seems to motivate more out of a sense of guilt. This book is an easy read and could even be wisely read before reading his first
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book "Radical." Show Less
LibraryThing member moses917
Pastor David Platt has published a follow-up book “Radical Together” to his previous bestseller book “Radical”. In this second book Platt’s purpose in this work is to take the principles in his first book “Radical” and demonstrate how they should function and flesh themselves out
His main theme which is wrapped around the main question posed throughout the book is “How can we in the church best unleash the people of God in the Spirit of God with the Word of God for the glory of God in the world?” When this is accomplished in the church by Christ followers living surrendered to God then the churches powerful resourced are harnessed and used for God’s global purposes.
This challenge is echoed in Matthew’s Gospel in 24:14: “The gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come”. Platt teaches that, “God does not involve us in his grand, global purpose because he needs us. He involves us in his grand, global purpose because he loves us”.
The writing style of the book is very easy while the content is convicting and rattling at times to one’s comfort zone. As in the first book he calls Christians to live radically in this sequel he calls upon the churches to be radical.
Even though I’m fond of David Platt, his ministry and his message one criticism I find in Radical Together is that in Platt’s teaching he narrowing interprets the taking of the gospel to the world as meaning somewhere outside the scope of the United States. As in his previous book he devotes and mentions hardly anything having to do with the mission field you find yourself in now at work, school, family, the guy across the room or the neighbor next door. For example when in I Corinthians 7:17-24, I read Paul teaching that at times you are saved by God and should remain in the social, ethnic, even geographical context that God saved you because that is where God wants to use to live radically in the social, ethnic, or geographical environment where he found you and saved you.
What I found most pleasurable though was that Radical Together includes a discussion guide for small groups and encourages his readers to go through the study together. Reviewing it Platt has done an excellent job with the study guide questions as they will make you think and ponder. I would recommend this book as it is engaging but the reader would benefit from the reading of his original book Radical.
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within a group of people in the context of a community of faith.His main theme which is wrapped around the main question posed throughout the book is “How can we in the church best unleash the people of God in the Spirit of God with the Word of God for the glory of God in the world?” When this is accomplished in the church by Christ followers living surrendered to God then the churches powerful resourced are harnessed and used for God’s global purposes.
This challenge is echoed in Matthew’s Gospel in 24:14: “The gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come”. Platt teaches that, “God does not involve us in his grand, global purpose because he needs us. He involves us in his grand, global purpose because he loves us”.
The writing style of the book is very easy while the content is convicting and rattling at times to one’s comfort zone. As in the first book he calls Christians to live radically in this sequel he calls upon the churches to be radical.
Even though I’m fond of David Platt, his ministry and his message one criticism I find in Radical Together is that in Platt’s teaching he narrowing interprets the taking of the gospel to the world as meaning somewhere outside the scope of the United States. As in his previous book he devotes and mentions hardly anything having to do with the mission field you find yourself in now at work, school, family, the guy across the room or the neighbor next door. For example when in I Corinthians 7:17-24, I read Paul teaching that at times you are saved by God and should remain in the social, ethnic, even geographical context that God saved you because that is where God wants to use to live radically in the social, ethnic, or geographical environment where he found you and saved you.
What I found most pleasurable though was that Radical Together includes a discussion guide for small groups and encourages his readers to go through the study together. Reviewing it Platt has done an excellent job with the study guide questions as they will make you think and ponder. I would recommend this book as it is engaging but the reader would benefit from the reading of his original book Radical.
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LibraryThing member rswright
Going into reading this, I expected to read much of the same as Platt's first book, Radical. i was thankful that it was not a re-hash of his first book, although there were some crossover points. This book makes much of the Gospel and the effect it should have on the bride of Christ. It is a book
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that pastor's ought to read as a means of rethinking, reshaping and reorienting and even removing the activities & programs that the church might be doing that hinder, rather than help the body in fulfilling the Great Commission. Show Less
LibraryThing member psalm134_2
Radical Together is both a convicting and encouraging look at what the church should look like. David Platt encourages believers to take a stand, to pray, and to seek God's glory above all else. It is my opinion that every church member should read this book. But don't just read it. Pray about it.
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Discuss it. And act on the things that God convicts you about. Show Less
LibraryThing member Tim.Chaney
I found this book to be very helpful and practical. Some of the directives of Radical were not received well and it seems this follow up volume was an attempt to clarify what Platt really meant in Radical. I felt this was a great addition to the conversation of living Radical lives as followers of
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Christ. This book is based around six core convictions that are clearly explained. First, one of the worst enemies of Christians is good things in the church. Second, the gospel that saves us from work saves us to work. Third, the word does the work. Fourth, building the right church depends on all the wrong people. Fifth, we are living and longing for the end of the world. Sixth, we are selfless followers of a self-centered God.I will not go into any further detail on each of the six points, you have to read the book to learn about that. What I will say is that Platt's tone and call seems much more balanced in this book. It is as if in the first book he tried to shove Christians off the couch and then in the book he takes those that have gotten off the couch and encourages them to have a right perspective of living as radical followers of Christ in community. Show Less
LibraryThing member KenNichols
REVIEW: Radical Together
Author: David Platt
“How can we in the church best unleash the people of God in the Spirit of God with the Word of God for the glory of God in the world?“
That’s the question David Platt confronts us with in Radical Together. It is a serious question which every pastor,
What I enjoyed most about this book is the fact that David Platt never claims to have the answer to “the question,” but he invites us to join him and his church as they are seeking to find it. I found his arguments compelling, and the personal stories recounting the struggles he and his church have encountered in pursuing a “radical” relationship with God through Christ. There are also a great many what I would call “success stories” about how members of his church family have bought in and are making life-changing decision to follow Christ in the context of “total abandonment to the global purpose of God.”
That phrase “total abandonment to the global purpose of God” may scare people into thinking that Platt believes only foreign missionaries are serving God faithfully. That’s not what he’s saying. What I believe he is saying though is that a church that is totally committed to living out the gospel in its local context will necessarily be committed to living out the gospel in the global context. What we do here affects what we can do there. I agree with Dr. Platt because Dr. Platt merely recounts God’s plan and methodology as we find it in God’s Word.
Platt proposes six ideas which can help govern our decision-making, our structures, and priorities as individuals and churches, and I would say even Associations, Conventions, and Denominations.
One of the worst enemies of Christians can be good things in the church.
In chapter one Platt discusses how this principle led Brook Hills church to lay everything their church did, from ministries, events to budget items, on the table and ask the question, “Are these the best ways to spend our time, money, and energy to spread the gospel in our neighborhood and in all the nations?” At Brook Hills it led to downsizing what they did and where they spent their money, but has led to greater Gospel impact locally and globally.
The gospel that saves us from work saves us to work.
In chapter two Platt discusses how this principle rightly understood compels us to “radical” commitment to Christ. The gospel must be our motivation for commitment to Christ, or we have the wrong motivation. If our primary motivations are guilt or duty, they will not sustain “radical” living. We must understand that we have been loved greatly by God, and our deepest joy is found in displaying that same sacrificial love to others because God loves them.
The Word does the work.
In chapter three Platt focuses on the centrality of the Word in the life of the believer, and of the church. The basic building block of disciple-maker is the ability to teach people to obey the Word of God. Many have forgotten this simple, but important element. The Word of God must be taught, believed and lived in the church. Pastors, church leaders and teachers must pray for the Spirit to cause God’s work in His people, and then trust that it will. The kicker to the chapter is this: There is only one thing God has promised to bless, that is the plan for global evangelization given in His Word.
Building the right church depends on using all the wrong people.
In chapter four Platt focuses on countering the upside-down model of church growth many churches employ. The prevailing model is for church members to spend their energies inviting people to church so that the “professionals” can share the Gospel with them and then disciple them. Platt proposes the more biblical model of the purpose of worship and church activities is to equip the believers to share the gospel with others so they can lead them to Christ, and to equip the believers how to disciple them to live as followers of Christ. Platt states, “church leaders are intended by God no to plan events but to equip people.” In other words, “Building the right church, then, is dependent on using all the wrong people.” The goal, Platt says, “is always for all of the people of God to be equipped and empowered to lead as many people as possible to Christ.”
We are living-and longing- for the end of the world.
In chapter five Platt reminds us that “the end of the age will come when people from every single ethnic group have come to Christ.” He then challenges those who believe that to live as if they believe it by being “intentionally engaged in taking the gospel to unreached people groups.” If we are not intentionally engaged, Platt says, we are in “disobedience to the command of Christ.” Platt quotes G.E. Ladd, “Christ has not yet returned; therefore the task is not yet done.”
In this chapter he gave the compelling example of “Brook Hills Bob” and “Brook Hills Baruti” as a reminder to keep balance in our local and global focus. Platt states, “we are going to reach Bob and all kinds of other people in our community. But as they come to Christ, we are going to encourage them to spend their lives spreading the gospel to Baruti.” We are to grow God’s kingdom here for the saking of the nations.
We are selfless followers of a self-centered God.
In chapter six Platt concludes by reminding us of God’s self-focus. Of “radical” believers Platt says, “they know they belong to a God who desires, deserves, and demands absolute devotion in their lives and in their churches, and they want to give Him nothing less.” We must continually remind ourselves to foster humility concerning ourselves, but an exalted view of God if we are to live for Him and His purposes.
There is another great feature to this book I truly enjoyed and look forward to implementing. The discussion guide at the end of the book was good for my personal reflection, but will be a great help as I encourage people in my church to read the book. I look forward to interacting with them and discussing some of the questions as we will be able to communicate to one another how these principles challenge our church.
Conclusion
I have appreciated David Platt’s ministry ever since hearing him speak at a youth evangelism conference in Georgia some years back. Since then, I have followed his ministry at Brook Hills Church via the church website. I have listened to many sermons and Secret Church sessions online. In recent years he has burst on the scene as a reluctant “evangelical rock star” being present at the Southern Baptist Convention Pastor’s Conference and Together for the Gospel in 2010, both of which I attended. Needless to say, knowing what I know of Dr. Platt, I trust him and I commend this book to all, especially to my church.
Author: David Platt
“How can we in the church best unleash the people of God in the Spirit of God with the Word of God for the glory of God in the world?“
That’s the question David Platt confronts us with in Radical Together. It is a serious question which every pastor,
Show More
church leader, and Christian should be concerned with. It is a question that has no easy answers. But, it is a question we should seek to answer in every area of our personal lives and in our lives together in the local church.What I enjoyed most about this book is the fact that David Platt never claims to have the answer to “the question,” but he invites us to join him and his church as they are seeking to find it. I found his arguments compelling, and the personal stories recounting the struggles he and his church have encountered in pursuing a “radical” relationship with God through Christ. There are also a great many what I would call “success stories” about how members of his church family have bought in and are making life-changing decision to follow Christ in the context of “total abandonment to the global purpose of God.”
That phrase “total abandonment to the global purpose of God” may scare people into thinking that Platt believes only foreign missionaries are serving God faithfully. That’s not what he’s saying. What I believe he is saying though is that a church that is totally committed to living out the gospel in its local context will necessarily be committed to living out the gospel in the global context. What we do here affects what we can do there. I agree with Dr. Platt because Dr. Platt merely recounts God’s plan and methodology as we find it in God’s Word.
Platt proposes six ideas which can help govern our decision-making, our structures, and priorities as individuals and churches, and I would say even Associations, Conventions, and Denominations.
One of the worst enemies of Christians can be good things in the church.
In chapter one Platt discusses how this principle led Brook Hills church to lay everything their church did, from ministries, events to budget items, on the table and ask the question, “Are these the best ways to spend our time, money, and energy to spread the gospel in our neighborhood and in all the nations?” At Brook Hills it led to downsizing what they did and where they spent their money, but has led to greater Gospel impact locally and globally.
The gospel that saves us from work saves us to work.
In chapter two Platt discusses how this principle rightly understood compels us to “radical” commitment to Christ. The gospel must be our motivation for commitment to Christ, or we have the wrong motivation. If our primary motivations are guilt or duty, they will not sustain “radical” living. We must understand that we have been loved greatly by God, and our deepest joy is found in displaying that same sacrificial love to others because God loves them.
The Word does the work.
In chapter three Platt focuses on the centrality of the Word in the life of the believer, and of the church. The basic building block of disciple-maker is the ability to teach people to obey the Word of God. Many have forgotten this simple, but important element. The Word of God must be taught, believed and lived in the church. Pastors, church leaders and teachers must pray for the Spirit to cause God’s work in His people, and then trust that it will. The kicker to the chapter is this: There is only one thing God has promised to bless, that is the plan for global evangelization given in His Word.
Building the right church depends on using all the wrong people.
In chapter four Platt focuses on countering the upside-down model of church growth many churches employ. The prevailing model is for church members to spend their energies inviting people to church so that the “professionals” can share the Gospel with them and then disciple them. Platt proposes the more biblical model of the purpose of worship and church activities is to equip the believers to share the gospel with others so they can lead them to Christ, and to equip the believers how to disciple them to live as followers of Christ. Platt states, “church leaders are intended by God no to plan events but to equip people.” In other words, “Building the right church, then, is dependent on using all the wrong people.” The goal, Platt says, “is always for all of the people of God to be equipped and empowered to lead as many people as possible to Christ.”
We are living-and longing- for the end of the world.
In chapter five Platt reminds us that “the end of the age will come when people from every single ethnic group have come to Christ.” He then challenges those who believe that to live as if they believe it by being “intentionally engaged in taking the gospel to unreached people groups.” If we are not intentionally engaged, Platt says, we are in “disobedience to the command of Christ.” Platt quotes G.E. Ladd, “Christ has not yet returned; therefore the task is not yet done.”
In this chapter he gave the compelling example of “Brook Hills Bob” and “Brook Hills Baruti” as a reminder to keep balance in our local and global focus. Platt states, “we are going to reach Bob and all kinds of other people in our community. But as they come to Christ, we are going to encourage them to spend their lives spreading the gospel to Baruti.” We are to grow God’s kingdom here for the saking of the nations.
We are selfless followers of a self-centered God.
In chapter six Platt concludes by reminding us of God’s self-focus. Of “radical” believers Platt says, “they know they belong to a God who desires, deserves, and demands absolute devotion in their lives and in their churches, and they want to give Him nothing less.” We must continually remind ourselves to foster humility concerning ourselves, but an exalted view of God if we are to live for Him and His purposes.
There is another great feature to this book I truly enjoyed and look forward to implementing. The discussion guide at the end of the book was good for my personal reflection, but will be a great help as I encourage people in my church to read the book. I look forward to interacting with them and discussing some of the questions as we will be able to communicate to one another how these principles challenge our church.
Conclusion
I have appreciated David Platt’s ministry ever since hearing him speak at a youth evangelism conference in Georgia some years back. Since then, I have followed his ministry at Brook Hills Church via the church website. I have listened to many sermons and Secret Church sessions online. In recent years he has burst on the scene as a reluctant “evangelical rock star” being present at the Southern Baptist Convention Pastor’s Conference and Together for the Gospel in 2010, both of which I attended. Needless to say, knowing what I know of Dr. Platt, I trust him and I commend this book to all, especially to my church.
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LibraryThing member jaredbyas
While I thought Radical was a much-needed book in the popular evangelical world, my one complaint was that it felt to be a book "in process." It seemed incomplete and rushed. So it was a relief to see Platt release Radical Together, a book that helpfully fills in the cracks and ties up some of the
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loose ends of Radical. While I do not agree with some of the evangelical tenants espoused by the book, the main thrust is a voice that needs to be heard. And it is great to see that in Radical Together Platt directs attention to the selfishness that underlies much of the force of the American Dream. A recommended read, for sure. Show Less
LibraryThing member journeyguy
David Platt’s followup to his book "Radical" is intended to be a tome for the corporate church rather than for the individual Christian. Platt’s first book was an in-your-face approach intended to slap, sometimes not too gently, compromised Christians into a radical allegiance to the One they
I read and reviewed "Radical" on my blog and I noted that -
"While I was challenged by the book, I think that it also needs the balanced corrective of God’s deep and majestic love for His people. Platt comes across many times as simply... angry. The book seems to need a great dose of the joy and love of God."
"Radical Together," at times, reads as a corrective to some of Platt’s first book’s extremes. He seems to have chewed long and hard about the motivation needed for believers and realized that only a humble awareness of God’s grace in light of our sin produces love. And love produces obedience.
Speaking about the possibilities of "Radical" being taken out of context, Platt says,
“I get frightened when I think about 'Radical' in Ashley’s hands. Though in writing that book I tried to show the entirely underserved grace of God toward us in the gospel, I know Ashley is prone to think, ‘I need to do more for God. I need to sell this possession and make this pledge in order to be right before God.’ Guilt will motivate her obedience, and action will be her obligation.”
Exactly. Thanks, David. That was my concern when reading the first book. It had so many merits, but I felt that it was heavy on external motivations to radical living rather than internal appeals to loving obedience to a radical God. With that said, "Radical Together," on the whole, is a great read and resource for churches and small groups.
Platt writes to church members, collectively, to urge them to savor God’s Word, appreciate God’s leaders, work for God’s glory, pray for the nations and to progressively enjoy the exaltation of God.
He confronts the tendency of churches to become immersed in activities planned for church members. In doing so, he reminds us that “church leaders are intended by God not to plan events but to equip people.” (See Ephesians 4:12.) He asks us why we see a dichotomy in local ministry and global missions. There shouldn’t be.
"…biblically, our mission is not only about loving our city or invading our culture with the gospel. Our mission is also about leaving our cities to infiltrate every culture with the gospel. I am convinced that satan, in a sense, is just fine with missional churches in the West spending the overwhelming majority of our time, energy and money on tryng to reach people right around us."
Reading this book together, I think, would greatly benefit any group. It’s been said that theology is best done in community. It wards off the spirit of individualism which refuses to submit to another. It also provides needed corrective.
"There is thus a need to engage theology not just by way of individual contemplations of truth but more importantly, in a faith community of collaborative theological learning. This is how theology is best done!" (Source: Edmund Chan, How Theology Should Be Done)
I think this book was necessary for Platt’s total message to be understood. We cannot be radical without considering what it means to be radical together.
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call Lord. "Radical Together" is also a rather blunt instrument intended to beat down the spirit of consumerism that has invaded the western church.I read and reviewed "Radical" on my blog and I noted that -
"While I was challenged by the book, I think that it also needs the balanced corrective of God’s deep and majestic love for His people. Platt comes across many times as simply... angry. The book seems to need a great dose of the joy and love of God."
"Radical Together," at times, reads as a corrective to some of Platt’s first book’s extremes. He seems to have chewed long and hard about the motivation needed for believers and realized that only a humble awareness of God’s grace in light of our sin produces love. And love produces obedience.
Speaking about the possibilities of "Radical" being taken out of context, Platt says,
“I get frightened when I think about 'Radical' in Ashley’s hands. Though in writing that book I tried to show the entirely underserved grace of God toward us in the gospel, I know Ashley is prone to think, ‘I need to do more for God. I need to sell this possession and make this pledge in order to be right before God.’ Guilt will motivate her obedience, and action will be her obligation.”
Exactly. Thanks, David. That was my concern when reading the first book. It had so many merits, but I felt that it was heavy on external motivations to radical living rather than internal appeals to loving obedience to a radical God. With that said, "Radical Together," on the whole, is a great read and resource for churches and small groups.
Platt writes to church members, collectively, to urge them to savor God’s Word, appreciate God’s leaders, work for God’s glory, pray for the nations and to progressively enjoy the exaltation of God.
He confronts the tendency of churches to become immersed in activities planned for church members. In doing so, he reminds us that “church leaders are intended by God not to plan events but to equip people.” (See Ephesians 4:12.) He asks us why we see a dichotomy in local ministry and global missions. There shouldn’t be.
"…biblically, our mission is not only about loving our city or invading our culture with the gospel. Our mission is also about leaving our cities to infiltrate every culture with the gospel. I am convinced that satan, in a sense, is just fine with missional churches in the West spending the overwhelming majority of our time, energy and money on tryng to reach people right around us."
Reading this book together, I think, would greatly benefit any group. It’s been said that theology is best done in community. It wards off the spirit of individualism which refuses to submit to another. It also provides needed corrective.
"There is thus a need to engage theology not just by way of individual contemplations of truth but more importantly, in a faith community of collaborative theological learning. This is how theology is best done!" (Source: Edmund Chan, How Theology Should Be Done)
I think this book was necessary for Platt’s total message to be understood. We cannot be radical without considering what it means to be radical together.
Show Less
LibraryThing member AshleighandJeremiah
After you've read a few books by evangelical authors meant to motivate the church to do something or other, you can detect that these books all have a rather generic rhythm. Platt makes some important points that I really appreciate, especially the way he challenges a rich western church to respond
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to the needs of the poor. Virtually all of what he says is admirable, but a lot of it is not nearly as original or "radical" as Platt seems to think. All in all it ends up a mixture of a few good points, some cliches, and some common sense packaged together in the same hackneyed let's-get-fired-up-for-Jesus packaging. Show Less
LibraryThing member joshrskinner
“How can we in the church best unleash the people of God in the Spirit of God with the Word of God for the Glory of God in the world?” This is the question that David Platt sets out to answer in his second book, Radical Together: Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God. Throughout
Radical Together is more balanced than Radical, but it is still given to extremes. One of my major issues with Radical was that, at times, Platt was given to extremes. Oftentimes he left the readers feeling like if they supersized their meal then they were personally responsible for the starvation of an entire third-world country. Okay, maybe it wasn’t that bad, but guilt did seem to be a motivator oftentimes where the Gospel should have been. To be fair, it was definitely implicit. Platt never came out and said anything close to this and, based on his preaching, does not even believe anything close to this. I commend Platt for addressing this head on in Radical Together. In chapter 2 Platt gives a hypothetical situation with a girl named Ashley. He explains that, for her, the challenges as they were laid out in Radical would be too much. She has a soft heart and would swing to the extreme end and be plagued with guilt and worry because she could never be “radical” enough. I praise God for Platt’s pastoral heart. Here, and other places in the book, Platt simultaneously exhorts, in a prophetic way, those who have no desire to be “radical”, he edifies and comforts, in a pastoral way, those whose hearts are already tender and hurting for those in need.
While Platt made great efforts to help his readers avoid those extremes, at times we find him going there himself. At one point he even claims that “Satan, in a sense, is just fine with missional churches in the West spending the overwhelming majority of our time, energy, and money on trying to reach people right around us.” While there is truth to the concept that Platt is trying to get across, that it is not faithful to Scripture to be focused entirely on our immediate surroundings, his concept gets lost in this exaggeration. This mentality, which is a major theme in the book, ignores the fact that those who have been saturated with a false Gospel are, in a real sense, as much “unreached” as those who have never been exposed to a Christian or the Christian message. Both types of people need the Gospel and Satan does not rejoice in either group being presented the true Gospel message. To some degree this feels like showing partiality to the impoverished at the expense of the wealthy, which is not a biblical attitude.
One of my main complaints with Radical that remains in, albeit to a lesser degree, Radical Together was an issue of semantics. It may seem like nitpicking, but from a pastoral sense it is crucial. Terminology like “live the Gospel” and “be the Gospel” is confusing and misleading. The Gospel cannot be lived. It was lived by Jesus. The Gospel is the historical truth of Christ’s life, death and resurrection. We cannot live that. We can live a life in response to the Gospel, changed by the Gospel, but we cannot “live the Gospel”. The most troubling usage of this language is on page 28, in a section called “Saved from Work”. Platt gives a beautiful presentation of the Biblical Gospel. He plainly goes through the sinful condition of man and God’s plan to save all who will call upon the Lord through the perfect life and finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, concluding with His victorious resurrection. He concludes that, even though many would desire him to end right there, “The Gospel says something else”. He then shows us, Scripturally that we are saved to work. This is 100% true. The only problem, and it is a big problem, is that this is not part of the Gospel. It is our response to the Gospel. Our response is not part of the Gospel. Any deviation here leads to much confusion and much heartache. We do not add to the Gospel (even if what we are adding is a good thing). We do not take away from the Gospel (even if the edges we dull would make it more palatable for the hearer). The Gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and it is the power unto salvation. Platt knows this and if the issue is brought up I am certain he, like many who use the terminology, would say it is just shorthand for “living in light of the Gospel”. The problem, again, is that this shorthand can be misleading and confusing and I feel it would be best to write as clearly on this subject as possible. I will say this. This type of language is not nearly as present as it was in Radical and by no means would it be considered pervasive or even prevalent.
For a while through the book I was beginning to worry. I felt like there was not much Scripture being used. As I read chapter 3, which is about the primacy of Scripture in the life of the church, I thought, “Hey, Platt. What’s the deal? You say Scripture is important and I barely see any. I hear a lot of vague, Scripture like references, but no real Scripture citations.” So I flipped back through the preceding chapters and was shocked. This book is saturated with Scripture. David Platt has a sneaky way of getting Scripture into the conversation…sneaky in a good way. His covert use of Scripture, here and in Radical, allows these books to be read and received by some who would be turned off by blatant Scripture references. Like Radical, this book has the ability to be embraced by those who do not share the Christian worldview, even when there are pages devoted to pure Gospel presentation and absolute Christian truth claims.
Radical Together is a great challenge to live a life not consumed by the “American Dream” or the “American Evangelical Dream”, but to live a life powered by the Gospel to fulfill the Commission of God to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Platt passionately and consistently calls the reader to live a life of sacrifice, not to earn favor from God, but to adorn the Gospel message well and send it to the ends of the earth. I appreciate this book greatly and would recommend it to any who desire to be stirred and challenged and pressed on to good works and a life faithful to the Word of God.
The good people at Multinomah sent me a copy of this book, free of charge, through their Blogging for Books program. Thank you greatly for a great book.
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these 130 pages Platt reminds the audience of core teachings he laid out in his first book, Radical: Taking You’re your Faith From the American Dream, and he gives guidance on how the “radical” lifestyle can be implemented in the local church body as a whole. From the outset I want to recommend this book. It will definitely put your lifestyle into perspective and give you much food for thought and leave you in tears and prayers of repentance on more than one occasion. I would say that all the way through, Radical Together is a better book than Radical. I believe this is due to the fact that Platt is able to build upon, refine, and correct teachings he presented in Radical. Radical Together is a great read, it does have some spots that are worth noting.Radical Together is more balanced than Radical, but it is still given to extremes. One of my major issues with Radical was that, at times, Platt was given to extremes. Oftentimes he left the readers feeling like if they supersized their meal then they were personally responsible for the starvation of an entire third-world country. Okay, maybe it wasn’t that bad, but guilt did seem to be a motivator oftentimes where the Gospel should have been. To be fair, it was definitely implicit. Platt never came out and said anything close to this and, based on his preaching, does not even believe anything close to this. I commend Platt for addressing this head on in Radical Together. In chapter 2 Platt gives a hypothetical situation with a girl named Ashley. He explains that, for her, the challenges as they were laid out in Radical would be too much. She has a soft heart and would swing to the extreme end and be plagued with guilt and worry because she could never be “radical” enough. I praise God for Platt’s pastoral heart. Here, and other places in the book, Platt simultaneously exhorts, in a prophetic way, those who have no desire to be “radical”, he edifies and comforts, in a pastoral way, those whose hearts are already tender and hurting for those in need.
While Platt made great efforts to help his readers avoid those extremes, at times we find him going there himself. At one point he even claims that “Satan, in a sense, is just fine with missional churches in the West spending the overwhelming majority of our time, energy, and money on trying to reach people right around us.” While there is truth to the concept that Platt is trying to get across, that it is not faithful to Scripture to be focused entirely on our immediate surroundings, his concept gets lost in this exaggeration. This mentality, which is a major theme in the book, ignores the fact that those who have been saturated with a false Gospel are, in a real sense, as much “unreached” as those who have never been exposed to a Christian or the Christian message. Both types of people need the Gospel and Satan does not rejoice in either group being presented the true Gospel message. To some degree this feels like showing partiality to the impoverished at the expense of the wealthy, which is not a biblical attitude.
One of my main complaints with Radical that remains in, albeit to a lesser degree, Radical Together was an issue of semantics. It may seem like nitpicking, but from a pastoral sense it is crucial. Terminology like “live the Gospel” and “be the Gospel” is confusing and misleading. The Gospel cannot be lived. It was lived by Jesus. The Gospel is the historical truth of Christ’s life, death and resurrection. We cannot live that. We can live a life in response to the Gospel, changed by the Gospel, but we cannot “live the Gospel”. The most troubling usage of this language is on page 28, in a section called “Saved from Work”. Platt gives a beautiful presentation of the Biblical Gospel. He plainly goes through the sinful condition of man and God’s plan to save all who will call upon the Lord through the perfect life and finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, concluding with His victorious resurrection. He concludes that, even though many would desire him to end right there, “The Gospel says something else”. He then shows us, Scripturally that we are saved to work. This is 100% true. The only problem, and it is a big problem, is that this is not part of the Gospel. It is our response to the Gospel. Our response is not part of the Gospel. Any deviation here leads to much confusion and much heartache. We do not add to the Gospel (even if what we are adding is a good thing). We do not take away from the Gospel (even if the edges we dull would make it more palatable for the hearer). The Gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and it is the power unto salvation. Platt knows this and if the issue is brought up I am certain he, like many who use the terminology, would say it is just shorthand for “living in light of the Gospel”. The problem, again, is that this shorthand can be misleading and confusing and I feel it would be best to write as clearly on this subject as possible. I will say this. This type of language is not nearly as present as it was in Radical and by no means would it be considered pervasive or even prevalent.
For a while through the book I was beginning to worry. I felt like there was not much Scripture being used. As I read chapter 3, which is about the primacy of Scripture in the life of the church, I thought, “Hey, Platt. What’s the deal? You say Scripture is important and I barely see any. I hear a lot of vague, Scripture like references, but no real Scripture citations.” So I flipped back through the preceding chapters and was shocked. This book is saturated with Scripture. David Platt has a sneaky way of getting Scripture into the conversation…sneaky in a good way. His covert use of Scripture, here and in Radical, allows these books to be read and received by some who would be turned off by blatant Scripture references. Like Radical, this book has the ability to be embraced by those who do not share the Christian worldview, even when there are pages devoted to pure Gospel presentation and absolute Christian truth claims.
Radical Together is a great challenge to live a life not consumed by the “American Dream” or the “American Evangelical Dream”, but to live a life powered by the Gospel to fulfill the Commission of God to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Platt passionately and consistently calls the reader to live a life of sacrifice, not to earn favor from God, but to adorn the Gospel message well and send it to the ends of the earth. I appreciate this book greatly and would recommend it to any who desire to be stirred and challenged and pressed on to good works and a life faithful to the Word of God.
The good people at Multinomah sent me a copy of this book, free of charge, through their Blogging for Books program. Thank you greatly for a great book.
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Take the next step. From radical followers of Christ to radical communities of faith.
In Radical, David Platt’s plea for Christians to take back their faith from the American Dream resonated with readers everywhere, and the book quickly became a New York Times bestseller. Now in Radical Together,
In Radical, David Platt’s plea for Christians to take back their faith from the American Dream resonated with readers everywhere, and the book quickly became a New York Times bestseller. Now in Radical Together,
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the author broadens his call, challenging us to unite around a gospel-centered vision. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2011
Physical description
165 p.; 5.2 inches
ISBN
9781601423726
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