towards leadership and culture

David Platt hits us again with Radical Together as a follow up book for his freshman title Radical. The focus has shifted from personal life to corporate life as we examine the move of God in the local church. No one can do it alone and God intends to use His church as an instrument of change. Platt examines six ideas to help the church accomplish the purpose of God.

Platt zeros in on the dysfunction of church culture. He highlights some common misconceptions about the “good” church and the function of a pastoral staff. We must be willing to make sacrifices for those things which are most important and equip the lay person to fulfill the purpose of God. Platt shares the idea of being saved from work to work. This is to say that the grace of God has given us the freedom to do good works in His name. There is also a strong belief in the power of the word of God. Platt believes that the church can overlook the inherit message of Christ in search of personal revelation. The fifth chapter of Radical Together focuses on the idea of making sacrifices to reach the world for Christ. David Platt describes unreached groups of people who have never had a chance to receive the message of Christ and how each church may be uniquely gifted to take the gospel in places that it has never been before.

If you liked Radical then I would recommend picking up Radical Together. Platt has published a second book that could have easily been included in the first. It is short and sweet and as personal as ever. At times it feels like a collection of random ideas associated with a broader church culture. If you are looking for a specific strategy for mobilizing your church in the name of Radical then this is not your book. Platt says as much in the opening chapter. However, if you are looking to be motivated to do something as a part of a church then have a go at Radical Together.

You can grab a paperback copy of Radica Together today (or download for your kindle).

I received this book free of charge from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for the purpose of this review as a part of the Blogging for Books program.

the core

I was thinking about my core values. Have you ever asked yourself which ideas you are not willing to budge on? We all have them, don’t we? My first pass at a list is short but I would like to throw them out there. What do you think? What would you add or change?