Radical

I am pretty sure this book by David Platt, pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama is going to be a "life changer." If you haven't read it, then in the words of ICC founder Teresa Moon, "You can, and you must!" (She wasn't talking about the book when she said that, but it still fits.)

As I read this book, I am blown away by its simplicity and it absolute profoundness. (Is that a word?) The principles, if applied, are world changing. The deal is, there is nothing new, nothing complicated to understand, and nothing in there that I did not already know - deep down. The problem is that sometimes we need to be reminded of what we know. Reminded that somewhere along the way we have lost sight of what we know to be true and important. Somewhere along the way, we have lost our way.

Living in America, it is not hard to figure out where we lost our way. We lost it amidst the noise and the hum of life in a place where we expect things to be handed to us. We lost it in the parking lot while we looked for our brand new car that wasn't quite good enough - at least it wasn't as good as our neighbors. We lost it in the mall when we had to settle for the $85 blue jeans because we couldn't quite justify buying the $150 ones. To get even more personal, we lost it when we stressed completely out about our child's educational abilities and behavior rather than concentrating on their hearts and their relationship with Christ, which is all that will ultimately matter anyway. We lost it when we sat in that multi-million dollar church building and enjoyed the entertainment (or went somewhere else if it wasn't delivered), meanwhile all around the world tens of thousands of children died of preventable diseases while we clapped our hands and sang about abandoning it all for the sake of the Gospel.

Really?

Believe me when I tell you I am talking to myself as I write this. I am convicted. Disgusted with myself and all that I deceive myself into thinking is important. The vanity and pride and extravagance that characterizes our nation is getting more and more out of control. It sucks our children in with false promises of happiness and success. If we are honest, it sucks us in, too. The majority of people around the world are trying to scratch out a living for themselves and their families on half as much money per day as I just spent on my Pumpkin Spice Latte.

This book is going to expose all of the dark nastiness that lives inside of you. All of the pride, the entitlement mentality, the absolute arrogance that characterizes the America that we now live in. It is going to make you feel horrible for wanting anything at all. I think the author makes this point so strongly because we are so deluded as a nation right now. We need to be shaken awake. Money is not the enemy, but it sure it a great tool in his hands. Apathy is the characteristic that I think we need to address. David Platt calls the life that most of us live the "Christianized American Dream." We believe in Jesus and we go to church. We take our children to youth group and some of us even home school. Dare we claim that those things are our sacrifices for the sake of Christ? Our brothers and sisters around the world are spilling their blood for the claims of the gospel! The very conservative estimated 4.5 billion lost around the world are dying and headed into a Christ less eternity while we sit in our padded pews and claim that the simple fact that we got out of bed and drove our luxury vehicles to church is sacrifice enough.

The author makes sure to point out that your "good works" will NOT save you. We are saved by the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross. We are saved only when He calls us into a relationship with Himself. We are as dead as a corpse in our sin and we are not capable of saving ourselves. He also points out, quite strongly for a Baptist preacher I might add, that we are NOT saved by walking an aisle, repeating a prayer, and sitting in a pew - no matter how many times a week we sit there. Neither are we saved by serving the poor. However, we are to be known by our fruit. If we are not making the sacrifices that Scriptures tells us we are obligated to make for the lost and the poor, then we need to ask ourselves if we really know Him. Jesus poured His life out teaching and disciplining only 12 men. He did not need flashy buildings, big screens, and charisma to do it. Disciples are not mass produced. Jesus also served - the poor, the sick, the needy. They came to Him in droves. Why? Because He cared. He addressed their physical and their spiritual needs. He was someone they could trust and who showed compassion. He sacrificed the very riches of Heaven for those in need.

Dare we treat His sacrifice as lightly as we do? Complaining if the music doesn't "suit" our tastes. Or if the air conditioning is out that day or the sound system is on the blink. What if there is no nursery or children's program where you can stick your children for an hour so you can get a "break?"

I know all of this sounds harsh, and it is. It is a wake up call that we desperately need in our culture. I am not even half way through the book, believe it or not, so I will be following up with more. However, I just feel like I need to share what I am reading and praying about right now. Again, as hard as it is, I highly recommend this book. Let's all ask God what He wants us to do personally to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth.