“A Radical Idea” is a short booklet by David Platt addressing the question, “How can we in the church best unleash the people of God in the Spirit of God with the Word of God for the glory of God in the world?”  A primary emphasis of the book is that the church needs to transition from programs to people.  This seems to be not so much a radical idea but rather a biblical idea clearly taught in the New Testament. 

This book touches upon the necessity of leaving the traditional North American church model and developing a missional mindset.  I recommend Reggie McNeal’s book “Missional Renaissance” for an excellent treatment of the missional church vis-à-vis the traditional church. 

Platt speaks highly of house churches overseas and noted that “Almost all church planters in that part of the world are bivocational” (p. 45).  It seems ironic that he is serving as a full-time pastor in a traditional type church.  Platt’s idea may seem radical for the traditional church but others would say he is not radical enough.

It seems that Platt is making a straw man of the attractional church model as he responded to another pastor that instead of creating an environment where “. . . people will hear relevant, gifted communicators in a warm, attractive, and appealing environment where their children can be a part of top-of-line programs”  he responded, “We actually do the exact opposite”  (p. 8).  Does he really do the exact opposite?  So people come to the church where he serves and hear boring messages from speakers who can’t communicate in a cold, depressing environment where children are neglected?  I don’t think he means the exact opposite.

It can be easy to criticize other church models but the reality is God’s Spirit can work through a wide variety of churches:  large, small, attractional, missional, ancient/future, etc.  God can richly bless those churches regardless of their form when they are intentional about fulfilling the great commandment and the great commission.     

Platt quotes John 14:12, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father” asking if “. . . the anointing of the Holy Spirit on us would be stronger than it was on him?” (p. 38).  While it is true that the Holy Spirit enables us to do greater works, exegetically Platt seems to be missing the point Jesus was making in verse 12.  The immediate context reveals Jesus’ point as He states in the next verse ”Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”  Jesus is emphasizing that as you come to God in prayer you are able to do greater works.  Verse 14 reinforces that point, “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”   

Overall I liked Platt’s emphasis on equipping the saints to do the work of the ministry and making disciples.  I have read and have benefited from his previous books “Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream” and “Radical Together: Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God”.  Much of the content in this booklet “A Radical Idea” comes from his previous books especially “Radical Together” and I would recommend that book for a more complete treatment.  (I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review).