Radical

Radical

Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream

 by David Platt

"... a dream in which each man and each woman shall be able to  attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized for what they are."

- James Truslow Adams, 1931

    Author David Platt has a different dream. More like a nightmare. 

In this dream, God's people are more concerned with financial and political success and recognition than they are with taking up a cross and following Christ. 

    Oh, wait. That's not a dream, that's modern day "Christian" America. Oops, my bad.

    In Platt's book, Radical, he shares multiple experiences with an underground church in Asia and how they influenced his lifestyle as "the youngest mega church pastor in history" living the "American Dream."

The people he met were completely sold out for God, willing and ready to lay down their lives for the Gospel...literally. Wearing hooded sweatshirts, they met secretly. Each time at a different location by a different route. They hungered for the truths of Scripture with a physical hunger that denied other needs. These farmers neglected all their responsibilities and asked him to teach them the Old Testament... all of it. So, a ten day stretch of twelve hour days is what they committed to hear the teachings of the Word of God. But wait, "We have a problem." they said, "You have not taught us the New Testament yet." Its slightly comical to envision any man pulling off such a feat in eleven hours. By God's grace, the words came and they flew right through from Matthew to Revelation.

     This would have a major impact on any person's life and ministry. Platt wondered what it would do to his church if they stripped away the band, the comfy chairs, the presentation, etc. What if people came JUST to hear the Bible preached? So began the Secret Church ministry; just people and Scripture. No frills, no fluff.  (Though he did admit to keeping the chairs and indoor bathrooms!) This led to a deeper worship and appreciation for God and his Word and who God really is.

     Who God really is is an idea Platt expounds on in the second chapter. Love is probably the most popular adjective used in relation to the character of God. Platt writes "He is holy above all....He is not just a loving father, He is also a wrathful judge." Somehow, that idea does not fit into the American dream. Having a proper understanding of who God is requires a proper understanding of who we are: sinners in need of a Savior.

    The idea that a Savior would call us to be slaves to Himself is not palatable to our culture. 

We like the idea of compromise over surrender and comfort over sacrifice. We take that a step further these days. We pick and choose the traits of God that we like (as if we could do that with anyone else) and come up with a god who does not save. 

"Jesus didn't really tell us not to bury our father or say goodbye to our family. Jesus didn't literally mean to sell all we have and give it to the poor, what Jesus really meant was....And this is where we need to pause. Because we are starting to redefine Christianity. We are giving in to the dangerous temptation to take the Jesus of the Bible and twist Him into a version of Jesus we are more comfortable with. 

A nice, middle class American Jesus. A Jesus who doesn't mind materialism and who would never call us to give away everything we have. A Jesus who would not expect us to forsake our closest relationships so that He receives all our affection. A Jesus who is fine with nominal devotion and does not infringe on our comforts, because after all, He loves us for who we are. A Jesus who wants us to be balanced, who wants us to avoid dangerous extremes, and who, for that matter, wants us to avoid danger all together. 

A Jesus who brings comfort and prosperity as we live out our Christian spin on the American Dream." (pg 13) 

With a mastery of the pen, Platt brings it all home: 

"So, is there anything wrong with this picture? Certainly hard word and high aspirations are not bad, and the freedom to pursue our goals is something we should celebrate. Scripture explicitly commends all these things. But underlying this American dream are an assumption that, if we are not cautious, we will unknowingly accept and a deadly goal that, if we are not careful, we will ultimately achieve. The dangerous assumption we unknowingly accept  in the American dream is that our greatest asset is our own ability. The american dream prizes what people can accomplish when they believe in themselves and trust in themselves and we are drawn toward such thinking. But the gospel has different priorities. The gospel beckons us to die to ourselves and to believe in God and to trust in His power. In the gospel, God confronts us with our utter inability to accomplish anything of value  apart from Him. This is what Jesus meant when He said, 'I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.'" (pg 46)

That's just the first three chapters! Where will he go next? I'll let you know...