Biographical Info.
At age 26, David Platt was hired to be the pastor of The Church at Brook Hills. He became to be the youngest pastor of a megachurch in America. Platt’s education is comprised of three advanced degrees. He also holds a doctorate from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is currently the president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board. Platt also recently founded a resource ministry called Radical.net.
Summary of Contents
Platt begins chapter one by comparing him and the church he pastors to Jesus and His followers. Jesus spent most of His time with twelve men, while Platt’s was preaches in a church full of thousands of people. This seemed to convict him. He notes that Jesus didn’t always exactly use the most appealing tactics to win converts. He worries that as we mold Jesus
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into our image, we actually begin to worship ourselves rather than Jesus. Platt also expresses that the gospel is a call to treasure. He challenges the reader to ask themselves the hard questions, such as, “Do we really believe He (Jesus) is worth abandoning everything for?” and, “Do you and I really believe that Jesus is so good, so satisfying, and so rewarding that we will leave all we have and all we own and all we are in order to find out fullness in Him?” The author leads chapter two by describing a class held at his church called “Secret Church.” For six hours they would do nothing but pray and study the Word. No video screens, no cool music, no entertainment, just studying and praying. Platt mentions that sometimes we emphasize too much the aspects of God’s character that we are most comfortable with. Sometimes we aren’t ready to give God the worship that He deserves. He suggests that our modern-day description of the Gospel tends to leave out that before Christ, we are enemies of God. God turned away from Jesus on the cross because He could not bear to see our sins on His Son. Platt notes that salvation is not our “accepting” Jesus. Jesus doesn’t need our acceptance. Instead, Platt suggests, that we yearn for God so much that we leave everything to experience Him. That is His view of the proper response to the Gospel. In chapter three, Platt compares the “attractional” approach of many modern-day churches to how the Spirit driven church is described in Acts. The gospel encompasses the idea of us dying to ourselves and believing and trusting in God’s power. The author notes that, “While the goal of the American dream is to make much of us, the goal of the gospel is to make much of God.” Platt goes on to describe that he wants to be a part of a church that radically trusts in God’s power to provide even when it looks unlikely. He says that we have an intense need to fall before God night and day pleading for His radical power to accomplish amazing things for His glory through the Holy Spirit. Chapter four starts with Platt contemplating what God’s purpose was in creating human beings. He talks about God creating us in His image for a reason. God did that so that we might extend His image to all peoples on the earth. Platt states that we are not the central focus of Christianity. Christianity is centered on God’s goodness, greatness, and His glory to be made known to all the earth. It’s all about God’s love for mankind, not just His love for me. The author says that every Christian is called to do something of consequence in the mission field. In chapter five, the author talks about the importance of converting those who are lost. Platt says that serving the lost goes hand in hand with converting the lost. He says that when we help others grow in their relationship with Christ, it takes us deeper into our own relationship with Christ. Platt talks about the difference between disinfecting Christians and discipling Christians. The author pleads that disciple making doesn’t just happen in a church building but that it’s a way that Christians should live their lives. Chapter six explains that caring for the poor is a serious matter that is close to God’s heart. Platt says that we must declare God’s glory both verbally and visibly. Platt challenges the readers to ask themselves whether they see God as the Sovereign Lord or if they only see Him as a teacher. He says that Jesus always intended to be the one who guides our life decisions and financial decisions. Platt mentions that as long as we continue to ask ourselves what we can spare there will continue to be millions who have never heard the gospel. We need to instead ask ourselves what it will take to reach those people with the gospel. The author begins chapter seven by talking about people the dying urgency to reach lost people with the Gospel of Christ. Plat describes that we tend to have a sense of entitlement and assume that our race just deserves heaven; therefore, we do not have a big sense of urgency to spread the Gospel. Platt goes through Romans to explore this line of thinking and ends up with seven important truths. The author also points out that while many people have never heard the name of Christ, it is hard to find any one of them who haven’t heard of Coca Cola. How has an American soda company have done a better job of sending its “message” than the church? Chapter eight talks about the fact that following Jesus involves risking safety, security, and satisfaction from the world. Jesus also said that if we follow Him we receive a reward that the world cannot give us. Platt challenges the readers to ask themselves if they believe that the risk is really worth the reward. He presents some horrifying stories of Christian persecution and suffering, but he also explains the good that later comes from the persecution and suffering. What Platt describes means that when death is considered our reward, then we are free to live our lives radically. The ninth chapter consists of a one-year plan that Platt created. It is designed to completely change a believer’s life. Platt dares the reader to test and see if radical obedience to Christ is more gratifying than the American dream. His dare consists of five components that he feels will radically alter the life of anyone who tests them. We have to be more concerned with eternal life, than short-term luxury. Significant Contributions I think that one of Platt’s strongest and most convicting contributions to this book is his call to believers that we owe Christ to the world. If we have been saved by God’s amazing grace then it is our job to share that with the world. It is not only a responsibility of ours to share the gospel but should be the outflow of our renewed hearts. Platt argues that we have this debt to the nations. I think that this is a significant point because, while we can see this subject in other works, Platt describes it in a very radical way that results in convicting the reader to take action. Another important contribution to this book is Platt’s one-year plan to test if radical obedience is more fulfilling than the American dream.
This five-point plan equips the reader to take the action that this book convicts them to do. The plan sets the reader up with specific steps to take to help them begin to live a life radically for God. I think this is different from other books because most books don’t often also provide a way to take action on the things that they were written about. This book stands out because it is well equipped to help the reader to follow Christ more radically.
Thirdly, Platt should be applauded for questioning the reality of American church culture. In chapter one, Platt says that many American churches define their success by bigger crowds, bigger building, and bigger budgets. He then compared the difference between the amounts of money raised to build an elaborate church with the money raised to send overseas to Sudan. The massive difference led him to question the system of American church culture. This is important because most American church pastors are afraid to go against the so-called
system. Suggestive Criticism While this book is incredibly challenging and convicting, it can easily be misunderstood for a guilt trip. Platt talks about every believer being called to spread the gospel, and he also has a strong love for overseas mission. The author can be easily misunderstood into saying that Christianity requires works. Someone may think that in order to be a Christian it is a requirement to go overseas to share the gospel. This is not true. There is fear that new Christians m that the only way to please God is to do overseas missions. It is important for the author to clarify the distinction between the truth and what could easily be misunderstood. The book is full of Platt’s call for Christians to give up everything and follow Christ. He also talks heavily about Christian overseas missions. However, it is evident though that Platt isn’t exactly living the radical Christian lifestyle he is challenging the readers to live. Although Platt describes having a deep love for missions, it does not seem likely that he spends extensive amounts of time doing mission. This is because he states in chapter one that he was the youngest hired mega church pastor in America. Platt challenges the reader to have faith and a desire for God above all else but He is not living the radical lifestyle that he describes in the book. This can be very misleading for potential readers. Conclusion Platt writes a very challenging and convicting book that has the potential to change your entire life if you let it. He raises the bar high for Christians when it comes to their faith. His book is a call to live life radically with faith that Jesus alone is far more satisfying than anything in American culture.
In the first chapter of Nathan Hatch’s book, The Democratization of American Christianity, he immediately states his central theme: democratization is central to understanding the development of American Christianity. In proving the significance of his thesis, he examines five distinct traditions of Christianity that developed in the nineteenth century: the Christian movement, Methodists, Baptists, Mormons and black churches. Despite these groups having diverse structural organization and theological demeanor, they all shared the commonality of the primacy of the individual conscience.
I believe the most important concept that I gained from reading the book was to remain faithful, in good times and in bad. Walking blindly can be very terrifying, but God always has a plan for each and every one of us. At times, the plan remains unseen, and that should not deter or slow me on the path that my heart is yearning
I like that Moore is not hesitant to express thoughtful criticisms about the pretensions of the church and the undemocratic ways that Protestants have sometimes attempted to dominate American society. His commentary stimulates constructive discussions about what should and should not be the proper role of Christianity, especially Protestantism, in a religiously pluralistic culture that has constitutional guarantees for religious freedom and the separation of church and state.
Southland Christian Church, one of several worship centers in the United States that has earned the moniker “Six Flags over Jesus,” is Lexington’s largest megachurch. With a weekly attendance of 8,000 people and an operating budget that supports a staff of over eighty members, Southland far exceeds most U.S. congregations in terms of financial resources and social clout. In recent years, popular and scholarly studies have attempted to situate the megachurch movement within a broad cultural context. Although the majority of these analyses dispute the precise definition of a megachurch, most distinguish these multiplex sanctuaries from smaller worship communities by using the same criteria—i.e. weekly attendance, campus acreage, annual budget, etc.—that megachurches themselves draw on to represent their own success. [2] However, the essence of a megachurch is not its large buildings, but rather the theology of consumption that informs its programming.[3] In this way, a megachurch ethos has infiltrated even the smallest congregations in the United States and has helped to solidify Christianity’s inextricable connection to consumer capitalism. To those who see megachurches as symptomatic of a flawed Christianity, market-minded church growth confounds one of the faith’s oldest dualities, the contradiction of living in the world without conforming to its ways, as Paul puts it in Romans 12. Megachurches at once reject “the world” and participate in it by seeking to win the lost and wow the consumer at the same time.
Whether people stood for or against the Reverend William A. Sunday, they all agreed that it was difficult to be indifferent toward him. The religious leader was so extraordinarily popular, opinionated, and vocal that indifference was the last thing that he would get from people. His most loyal admirers were confident that this rural-breed preacher was God’s mouthpiece, calling Americans to repentance. Sunday’s critics said that at best he was a well-meaning buffoon whose sermons vulgarized and trivialized the Christian message and at worst he was a disgrace to the name of Christ (Dorsett 2).
One of the most enjoyable points that Jenkins has done within the book was that he posed questions. The reader would be very engaged in the book and the Jenkins would pose questions that would cause the reader to stop and ponder for a moment. Jenkins had questions such as “Are these people “really” Catholic?” Page 132 (Digital Download Book). This was a question he asked because many Americans consider themselves to be Christian, but deny the church on certain points. They reject some of the doctrines that the church preaches, but yet they mark themselves off as Christians. The reader can have a different answer to the question, Jenkins simply states “For present purposes, my view is that if they consider themselves Catholic, then that is what they are.” Page 132 (Digital Download
New brands of distinctly American Christianity began developing early in the country’s history. Before the revolution, George Whitefield set the stage for American religious movements. The most important factor that helped launch these movements was the American Revolution. The country was ripe with conversation and action on a new understanding of freedom. The revolution “expanded the circle of people who considered themselves capable of thinking for themselves about issues of … equality, sovereignty, and representation” (6). The country was beginning to move toward an understanding of strength lying in the common people, and the people’s ability to make their own personal decisions on issues of leadership and authority. There was a common belief that class structure was the major societal problem. The revolution created the an open environment that pushed equality of the individual, allowing political and religious beliefs to flourish and grow without being held in check by authoritarian leaders.
In Nathan O. Hatch’s “The Democratization of American Christianity” he quickly forms his thesis and expands on the argument “both that the theme of
Christianity’s role in America has rapidly changed over the last decades. Although it is still the most popular religion in the country its power over the people has decreased significantly. However, there are still many misconceptions towards American Christianity and in order to understand the unique nature of this religiously diverse country; one must understand its history and its citizens own views on the matter.
In the recent past a lot of books have been written with the religious perspective in mind and the purpose for that has been that the people have been drifting away from the faith and those who have the know how about the thing feel that is it part of their duty to bring the people back to their faith. So it is the process of making the people realize that there is something wrong with their way of life and although it has not been an easy task but many have been trying and most of them have had a history on the related field. One of the best books on the chosen topic may be that of Salvation by Earl D. Radmacher which was also helped on in the editing by the famous Charles R. Swindoll. The message in the book is simple and it is just like the drum on which the God has been beating hard enough for a very long time. They have just tried to repeat what has been said a million times already but in a very unique and a different manner. They seem efficient and they have a certain touch to their approach. They are not willing to let go while at the same time they know what their goal is and it is the way of writing, which would make the reader sit through it all and they would read the book till they finish it. So it is a religious as well as spiritual work but done in the modern day language and it is not a tale but a complete story of what we may have wanted to hear for a very long time. People should be more worried about the after life because that is the eternal life and we have to be worried about the things that would last forever. We should be doing things that will work for our salvation in the after life because there will be no worldly things to support us. We need to be on the move and we need to make sure that we are righ...
David Wilkerson author of “The Cross and The Switchblade” grew up in Pennsylvania where his father and grandfather were both Pentecostal ministers. David later married his wife Gwen, they had three children two girls and one boy. David and his family were pastors in Scottsdale and Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania. His life was pointed in a new direction when he saw the pictures of young teenagers in a magazine who had been on trial for a murder they committed in New York. This caught his attention and he suddenly had a heart for the kids who struggled with gang violence, and drug abuse. David and the youth pastor of his church at the time in Phillipsburg went to New York to see what kind of difference they could make. It was a long process for David.
In the days of Christ’s life on this earth, believers did not have access to the Bible in its entirety as we know and are familiar with today. Believers in this ancient time period only had access to the Old Testament. However, through their access to the Old Testament, believers were provided a foundation for New Testament times. This foundation provided New Testament believers with the Lord’s established principles of right and wrong they were expected to follow. In addition, the Old Testament is overflowing with accounts of people whose lives exemplified the future life of Christ on this earth. These pictures allowed the Israelite nation to begin to have an understanding of why Christ needed to come as their Messiah and the work He needed to do on earth. Finally, there are common themes that are interwoven throughout the entire Old Testament. Three of these themes: transgression, redemption, and consummation point to the purpose of Christ’s atoning death on the cross. These themes portray God’s work both in the lives of Old Testament believers, but they also foreshadow God’s desire and plan for believers in New Testament times and beyond.
In reviewing this book, I found one dominant sentence that will sum up all of the research and information presented. That theme is this – “all churches if possible, should be multiracial.” While this is idealistic and at the true core is the purest form of Christianity, the question remains on whether congregations want to be multiracial or not. The United States of America is no longer country dominated by one race. The author research in census data says that “the United States has well over 35 million more people of color in 2000 than it did in 1980.” Statistically these numbers will continue to rise to form an even more racially diverse nation. Racially diversity has its challenges even today in this post-modern era. Schools, offices,
Then it goes into chapter five and it is called “The Leader’s Goal: Moving People on to God’s Agenda”. This chapter start off by telling a story of the author son. It a story that help understand how people will follow you and you need to have a clear direction. Then it goes into talking about the unworthy goals a leader can have. After that it goes into the worthy goal a leader needs to
To break this process down, one can see the simplicity and complexity of this process and how it fits into God’s perfect plan. First, we were all created in God’s image. Being image bearers of Christ gives us great responsibility to those who know and love Christ because everyday we are representing the King of Kings wherever we go. The second principle of stewardship is the redemption principle. Since Christ died for us on the cross, he set us free from the bondage of sin. Even though we are fallen people and sin daily, Christ has already paid the price in full, and has forgiven us of those sins in advance. The last part of th...