Radical Together: Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God

Addressing evangelical Christian leaders and members, mega-church pastor and author Platt (Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream) espouses six "essential ideas" to accomplish the title goal. For example, in "The Tyranny of the Good," Platt urges individuals and congregations to prayerfully review budgets, questioning everything--family homes and dreams, church programs, building projects,--with a willingness to sacrifice all "to accomplish the Great Commission," namely, to evangelize. Providing examples of individuals and churches who faithfully engage in this process, he describes his own congregation's embrace of community orphans needing foster care and adoption, as well as the work done by families undertaking missions in impoverished countries. Platt challenges affluent Christians to rethink devoting vast resources to providing entertaining experiences and lattes for seekers. With urgency, he calls leaders to equip lay Christians to spread the gospel to the six thousand "people groups" who risk "everlasting suffering in hell" because they have not heard about Jesus. While mainline and other non-evangelical Christians may dispute some of Platt's assumptions, his call for faithful allocation of resources and an empowered laity will resonate across the Christian spectrum. (Apr.)