Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

Platt begins his opening chapter with a reflection on his ascent to prominence in pastoral ministry, billed as “the youngest megachurch pastor in history” (1). He felt uncomfortable, though, recognizing that while he seemed to be living the American Dream, finding success and speaking to crowds of thousands, Jesus had devoted himself to training just 12 men while turning away thousands more. Platt challenged himself to believe and obey the teachings of Jesus, even those that tended to drive crowds away from him. He states it as a straightforward, dichotomous decision: “You and I can choose to continue with business as usual in the Christian life and in the church as a whole, enjoying success based on the standards defined by the culture around us. Or we can take an honest look at the Jesus of the Bible […]” (3).

Platt recounts several anecdotes from his trips to visit marginalized and persecuted Christian communities around the world, noting their all-out commitment to the faith. The teachings of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke match this sensibility, in which Jesus challenges prospective followers with the necessity of becoming homeless or leaving one’s obligations behind in pursuit of God’s mission.