Not so Radical

It has been a couple weeks since finishing the book Radical by David Platt.  I started writing a review earlier but I was too angry with the author and my original post sounded more like a mad rant than an objective discussion of my thoughts on the book.  I have calmed down....a little.  Time for a second attempt at my thoughts on Radical. 

I will start with what I do like about this book.  Absolutely nothing.  Only joking, though I may have said that a couple weeks go.  I have had time to let it all simmer in.  I do agree with most of what he says about money.  As believers, our money and possessions are not our own.  Not one single penny.  It isn't a fun truth of our faith but it is still truth and it is everywhere in scripture.  In America we have nice Christian financial teachers like Dave Ramsey to teach us how to be good stewards of our resources, but Christ would have utterly failed his Dave Ramsey money management class.  He wants all of us, not 10%.   

My very favorite tip from the book was deciding on an amount of money you need to live and then give away everything above and beyond that you make.  This doesn't mean not giving from the money you make below that number, just that you ask the lord to show you how much is enough.  My favorite story was his church asking how many children were waiting for foster care in their area and then the congregation taking every single child.  That is beautiful.  It also makes me think that it is possible he has helped usher in a real change with his church. 

Now onto why I had so many issues with this book.  First, David Platt comes off as a gigantic hypocrite, and I can say this because I know a thing or two about being a gigantic hypocrite.  I am of the camp that if you are going to write a book about giving up everything you have in this world to serve the lord among unreached people groups you should have actually done it!  David Platt, on the other hand, gets to travel the world doing missions all while also owning a home and pastoring a mega church.  He has the luxury of not having to choose between two lives.  He attends a very wealthy church, a fact he likes to mention often, which I am sure makes raising money for him to travel the world quite easy.  In fact he harshly criticizes the average American for not giving it all up while regularly giving free passes to members of his own congregation.  He tells us that doing things in our own areas is not enough, we are to travel abroad to reach the unreached.  Then gives many examples of friends who still make a lot of money and use that money to send others or members of the congregation that have started missions in their own area.  It doesn't sound like they are following his prescription for a radical life.  I also got the unpleasant feeling you only have to be radical if you don't have money.  If you do have money you get to live relatively comfortably and get the joy of furthering Gods kingdom.  In his defense he does adamantly proclaim that you do not need money, resources or a lot of people to accomplish Gods purposes.  I whole heartedly agree.  Then he goes on to give example after example of people who succeeded who have money, resources and numbers on their side. 

There are some other issues I take with his book but most stem from his tone.  I am all for correction done well, we are in need of some serious correction in our American church system.  He is obviously very passionate and I feel that his harsh tone may stem from some guilt over his own internal struggle with his situation as a pastor of a mega church in this country.  He is very critical of the American christian while exalting believers in other countries and their struggles.  Believers in other countries struggle with removing their blinders as much as people in our country.  I agree ours is a self centered and materialistic society and it is so ingrained in our faith I often wonder if it will ever be fully removed.  We all have sin and we all come from cultures that pollute our faith and all need the Holy Spirit to come into our lives and make us new. 

What boggles me about this book is the overwhelming positive response to it. I can't figure it out. I have heard of so many who absolutely loved it but seen absolutely zero difference in their lives. I am not sure how we can love a book about giving everything up unless we are so delusional we think we are already doing that.  It might just be me, but I don't always get excited about the truth of who God is calling me to be because it can be a very painful process.  It goes to show that people still don't get it even after it has been laid very plainly before them.  This isn't about following the steps Mr Platt lays out at the end of his book.  It is about a real heart change and only God can do that. 

Ultimately I think the author does feel passionately about his topic and has likely heard from God.  If I could ask him one question it would be why do you hang on to your mega church?  Why not build up the body and send them out to live out the call of God in their lives and serve others?  I haven't seen how his church operates but it takes a tremendous amount of time, money and energy to keep up a church system like his.  My hope is that with his understanding of the problem, he is helping raise up a body of believers that follow God and not a single pastor.  A body that functions in the way God intends where they hear his voice and act.  My fear is that he is no different than any other mega church pastor where his congregation sits comfortably listening to the truth but never hearing.  That he will become a pastor who heard a word from God once and took it half way, then made it into a system to follow because it is easier than teaching people to hear from God and live it out.