BOOK REVIEW: “Radical Together” an effective Round 2 for “Radical”

After loudly challenging individual Christians to live in radical obedience to Christ in his best-selling book “Radical,” David Platt now challenges Christians and churches to be “Radical Together” in his latest book by that name (published by Multnomah Books).

“Radical Together” is an effective follow-through to Platt’s original challenge for radical obedience, but don’t expect it to hold quite the same level of eye-opening punch. With what is considered to be faithful Christianity and effective “church” being so far removed from an accurate biblical context and mired in current culture and corporate concepts, “Radical” served as a bold, no-holds-barred message of truth that connected within the church like a prize fighter’s right upper-cut to a glass jaw.

The result of the first book? Many Christians have stepped up to the challenge to live a life of radical obedience to Christ. But many others were profoundly impacted by the message intellectually, but have yet to change their lives in any substantive way. “Radical Together” attempts to help readers take the step from being punched with the truth to actualizing a radical faith.

For those who were hoping Platt would tone down his message and provide Christians with more wiggle room for maintaining their mediocre faith, you will be disappointed. Starting with a somewhat mellow opening, Platt again builds a crescendo of biblical teaching designed to get churches to radically rethink and reorganize what they consider to be obedient faith.

Platt uses just six simple chapters to unfold his challenge of being radically obedient together. He starts by challenging readers to break out of traditional or modern cultural molds for Christian living and how we “do church” by looking past some of the good things we’re doing to consider what would be best. Platt shows how we can actually fall short of God’s will by settling for doing some things that really are good, when we are quite capable of doing better.

I was happy to see the inclusion of chapter two, as Platt attempts to resolve a tension created from the strength of his message in the original book. Some have criticized Platt’s “Radical” message as being too focused on doing things for God, sounding more like a works-based faith. In “Radical Together,” Platt clarifies that a radical obedience to Christ is a natural result of an overflow of joy from walking with God.

From there, Platt identifies the Bible as being the source of his challenge, as well as being the power source for radical obedience. While it is vital to make scripture a central source for Christians, Platt missed coupling scripture with its essential partner: prayer. He later highlights the essential role of prayer in the last chapter of the book, but not pairing it with the role of scripture weakens the adequacy of the focus.

Then Platt manages to step on more toes by challenging readers to get the process of church right, clearly stating that it’s not about slick performances, comfortable places, ministry professionals, or church programs — all the things we currently make the central constructs of the modern church. Instead, Platt redirects us to the biblical concept of mission for the church, and lands another strong bout of the “radical” message once again.

Finally, Platt states something that left me applauding loudly: he says he’s become “nauseated” by all the talk of “vision” among church leaders in a Church that remains so mediocre. Platt gets something that most church leaders who use a business construct for the church miss: that is, the church is to be directed by Christ’s mission for the church rather than man-made visions for it. Vision should be about how we execute achieving the mission Christ has already given to His church.

“Radical Together” concludes with a renewed challenge for Christians and churches to be just that … radical, together!

Are you in, or are you out?

Scotty

I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”