Book review by Shelley Hopkins

I just have to share about the book I am reading, it is so great! Radical by David Platt. I have turned down so many corners, this book is inspiring. Here is a quote:

" Discipling or disinficting? Disinfecting Christians from the world involves isolating followers of Christ in a spiritual safe-deposit box called the church building and teaching them to be good.....being good is defined by what we don't participate in (and at this point we may be the only organization in the world defining success by what we don't do)

Discipling is much different......discipling Christians involves propelling Christians into the world to risk their lives for the sake of others. Now the world is our focus, and we gauge success....on the hundreds or thousands who are leaving our buildings to take on the world with the disciples they are making. "

Makes me want to do more. How about you? 

here is another quote: 

"Disciple making is not a class for others to come to us to hear the gospel but a command for us to go to others to share the gospel.  A command for us to be gospel-living, gospel-speaking people at every moment and in every corner where we find ourselves." 

Do we have to be fantastic, great at what we do, full of knowledge and trained specially for this work?  Another quote if you don't mind

"...There were added.  It begs the question "Who added them"  Go down to verse 47(Acts 2:47)  in the same chapter, and Luke makes sure we get the right answer.  There he writes. "The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.  The trend continues.  Acts 5:14 says, "More and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number." ......This is the design of God among his people.   He is giving unlikely people his power so it is clear who deserves the glory for the success that takes place."   

The writer continues to say that we in America focus on what we can do with our abilities, how great we can be and how useful, but maybe we should focus on what God can do with us, for us, using us.  Last quote from the book:

"A scene where the church radically trusts in God's great power to provide unlikely people with unlimited, unforeseen uninhibited resources to make His name known as great. "  

I love the inspiration this book gives me, and with facebook I can share this enthusiasm with anyone willing to read this.  Used to be that when a book inspired me I could only force my kids to listen to my feelings, now I can share with the whole world.  Sorry about that, he he.