I am often troubled by the question of whether the things I believe and desire are actually based on the Bible and what God wants for me or just on my American upbringing. Sure, there’s some overlap between the two, but there are definitely some things passed down to me culturally that aren’t Biblically-based, and may even be contrary to what the Bible teaches. The problem is that it’s sometimes tough to tell what’s what, and everyone has a different opinion on the matter.

In his book Radical, David Platt attempts to free Christians from the American Dream and the unbiblical goals and teachings that come along with it. Based in part on his experiences with Christians outside the U.S. and their deep desire to know God, the book offers an alternative to the watered down American version of Christianity than many of us have grown up in and instead offers an authentic, Bible-based approach to living for God.

There’s a reason this book has become so popular in Christian circles. It’s good. Really good. It offers a refreshing take on the American dream that so many people have become fed up with, and it offers an alternative that has the potential to change your life. It’s honest, unapologetic, and exactly the wake-up call that the American church needs.

Radical puts Christianity into a global perspective and encourages its readers to do the same. We are so caught up in our comfortable American way of life that we sometimes forget that there is a whole world of people out there hurting and hungering for Jesus. As affluent Christians, it is our responsibility to help these people with their physical and spiritual needs. And David Platt urges us to do just that in Radical. He tries to site up a passion within his readers to see the nations reached for Christ and to find a way to help make that happen.

As I was reading Radical, I found myself nodding my head and agreeing a lot. But I was worried that my reaction would end at that: agreement, and not real change. So as I read, I prayed that God would help me find a way not only to agree with the principles the book puts forth on an intellectual level, but to live them out on a day-to-day basis. And when I got the end of the book, I found just that. The final chapter sets out a simple, concrete plan of how a person can live radically for Christ.

And that’s probably my favorite thing about the book. It’s practical. It isn’t content to just give you a few thinking points and then leave you unchanged. The book challenges your heart and then gives you a direct plan of how to act on what you’ve learned throughout your experience of reading it. Radical is a book that’s going to make a difference in your life if you honestly, humbly pick it up in hopes of seeing what God can teach you through it. I know Radical changed my perspective and actions, and I know it can change yours too if you’ll read it. So check out David Platt’s Radical and see what a difference God can make in our life through it.