I am currently reading "Radical" by David Platt. It has become one of the most convicting books I have read, either my entire life or in a very long time. Most books that I read deal with understanding theology and knowing Scriptures better, but not this book. This book is developing a theology and inviting, nay, pushing you to apply and live by the theology that you have.
His whole premise is that we have "Americanized" the Gospel... and oddly enough- he's right. We have developed our cliches, our boundaries, and our own desires as smoke screens to keep us from chasing after the command given (which he makes a distinct difference between command and calling) on sharing the Gospel. We have made the Gospel all about us with "our own" best intentions in mind. I'll give an example. I recently overheard a conversation of a college student and please understand, I did not hear the full conversation, but let me share with you what I heard:
"The only reason I became a member of this church is so that they would support me on my missions trip and give me $200 a month for going to a Christian school. I think it's absolutely ridiculous that they would have the stipulation of membership before they do these things."I'm not sure how the appropriate response would go, but needless to say, I was pretty disappointed by what I heard: "the church exists for me and my desires and interests." This is also coming from a church that provides a good portion of support to any members desiring to be missionaries. I don't understand the attitude and nature of this college student. They've grown up in this church. They've developed relationships in this church. They've been discipled, nurished, brought up under the godly teaching and they still feel that it's not enough that the church has given them this much, no, now we must complain about the church because of the stipulations and regulations it has put on certain things it will do for it's members. I often wonder if most people go on missions trips to "go" somewhere and do something cool that not many other people have done... or... to actually fulfill the calling to make big of our God. I'm sure there's an element of both sides, but which is the greater?
Please understand that I am nowhere near perfect, but as I'm reading this book, I'm beginning to see it more and more and more. Not just in me, but the believers around me. I don't know if I have a conclusion for this. I don't know what I'm to make of this, but I do know something... David Platt has it right when he says that we have screwed up the Gospel by adding the American Dream to it. We are not the center of the universe, God and His glory is and that's how we should be living.
