Radical

I (David) just finished reading Radical, by David Platt, so I thought I'd write a little book review!  It was an extremely challenging (and convicting) book that I think all American Christians should read.  While the author really didn't present much that I hadn't heard before, he did it in a way to make me think and want to change my ways.  The book focuses on a call to look at what it should look like to be a follower of Jesus in a world that doesn't know Him.  An excerpt from the book on a sadly accurate portrayal of the American Christian:

When we gather at the [church], we learn to be good.  Being good is defined by what we avoid in  the  world.  We are holy because of what we don't participate in (and at this point we may be the only organization in the world defining success by what we don't do).  We live decent lives in decent homes with decent jobs and decent families as decent citizens.  We are decent church members with little more impact on the world than we had before we were saved.  Though thousands may join us, ultimately we have turned a deaf ear to billions who haven't even heard his name. 

The end of the book calls for a one-year challenge that I have decided to embark on.  It's a five-part challenge: 1) pray for the entire world; 2) read through entire Word; 3) sacrifice your money for a specific purpose; 4) spend time in another context; and 5) commit your life to a multiplying community.  Read the book and join!  If you want to borrow the book, let me know and I'll mail you mine.  Happy reading!