Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream
“I could not help but think that somewhere along the way we had missed what is radical about our faith and replaced it with what is comfortable”
Today marks the completion of Tim Challies 2020 reading challenge, to read 52 books in 52 weeks.
Since today is New Years' (I am writing this at 12:41am PST), I thought I’d revisit one of my go-to motivational and direction shaping books from David Platt called Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream.
The problem is simple. American Christians are settling for a Christianity that caters to our own comforts when the Christian message continually talks about abandoning ourselves.
Platt asks a simple question, is Jesus worth losing everything?
“Do we really believe he is worth abandoning everything for?”
I know many of us want to scream yes, and Amen! However, when we look at our lives, is the answer to the question apparent or missing? With over 4.5 Billion people who have not accepted the name of Jesus and over 1 Billion who have never heard his name, and the millions that are living and dying in hopeless poverty, is our daily lives screaming yes and Amen?
I am going to give you the radical challenge, and consider it for your New Years’ challenge.
“So the challenge for us is to live in such a way that we are radically dependent on and desperate for the power that only God can provide.”
The specifics of this challenge are 24/7/365 for one year:
1. Pray for the Entire World
Yes, the entire world. Every country and people group. Pray specifically and pray audaciously, and pray every day.
2. Read through the entire Word
Cover to cover, section by section, it is up to you, but read the entirety of God's word.
3. Sacrifice your money for a specific purpose
This should be in addition to your normal giving to your local church and mission endeavors. This is meant to be difficult, perhaps even painful, but give to a specific cause to advance the gospel.
4. Spend your time in another context
Whatever context is not yours, go there. If that means a different area in your local city, or flying to a different country, find a different context, and expose yourself to it.
5. Commit your life to a multiplying community
Commit to being discipled and discipling another in your local church. If your church doesn’t have this already in place, seek it out, even if it means virtually due to health restrictions.
The stark reality is millions of people are living in hellish conditions without Jesus, and dying without Jesus. You might think there is nothing you could possibly do to change this. And you are right, you will never end world hunger, only God can do that. But do you think God is going to be disappointed you surrendered your comfort to help one of his creations? Flip that around, do you think God will be pleased that you concluded to amass comfort and leisure because the problems around you were too great?
In 2021, dream so big that if it happens only God can get the glory. Watch what he will do!
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John Owen came from Welsh descent, was educated at Queens College, and became a renowned Puritan theologian, Oxford professor, and passionate pastor who lived from 1616 to 1683. In 1647, he wrote the exhaustive treatise The Death of Death defending Limited or Definite Atonement against the Arminian view of Universal Atonement or Unlimited Atonement.