Book Review: The Radical Question, A Radical Idea (Platt)

David Platt, senior pastor of The Church at Brook Hills (New Orleans, LA) and author of New York Times Bestselling books, Radical and Radical Together, combined the concepts from his earlier books and created a short and easy-to-read edition: The Radical Question, A Radical Idea. In this version of Platt’s ‘radical’ message, he calls the Church of Jesus Christ to live a radical life of loving service and get-your-hands-dirty discipleship. If you’ve read either of Platt’s best selling book, there is not much new in this edition. However, if you haven’t read Platt before, this slim volume is an excellent introduction to his thinking.

In The Radical Question, A Radical Idea, Platt proposes that the American church reconsider its priorities and place people above programs and buildings. While he does not profess to have all the answers to problems that face Christians in America, Platt encourages leaders and lay people everywhere to ask the hard questions. For Platt, there is no virtue is doing something or pursuing a project just because it’s the way things have always been done or are typically done today. Platt does not condemn the American church, but instead offers the challenge of rethinking ‘normative’ Christian faith in a manner that may seem ‘radical’ but can really make a cultural impact.

This book is well written and quite simply very easy to read. It’s a great introduction to Platt’s other works, but it is written in such a way to really make you think about the importance of living a radical Christian faith. I’ve heard Platt speak in person before and much of his “in person” passion can be felt through this book. The Radical Question, The Radical Idea isn’t a perfect theological program (as I’m sure Platt would be the first to say), but there is much worthy of our consideration in this tiny book. It comes highly recommended for church leaders and Christians interested in living Christian faith beyond the status quo of the American Church.

I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.