Top Ten Books of 2013--#4 - Follow Me - David Platt
The book coming in at #4 was another one of the $5 books
that I purchased at Family Christian back in April. I love books and I especially love good deals
on books. Since I had previously read
David Platt’s book Radical and was
very challenged by it, I thought this book would probably do the same thing. It often does us well to remember the old
statement, “You are who you will be now in five years except for the books you
read and the people you meet.” The older
that you get and the longer the tenure in ministry there can be a tendency to
just settle in and put things on cruise control and just enjoy life. My brothers, we ought to push against this
kind of attitude! We are here for a
purpose and that is to extend the kingdom of God. David Platt’s books can make
those who are in cruise control become uncomfortable and even defensive. That is why we need books like this!
Platt has a unique way of grabbing you by the throat in
the very outset of his books. He did
this in Radical with his account of
preaching overseas and they kept asking him to preach to them even when he had
gone through his forty-minute little set of notes. Finally he just opens the Bible and starts
working through it. The outcome was a
four hour sermon to these people who were meeting secretly. He uses the same method in Follow Me. He opens the book with a story about a Muslim
who converted to Christianity and the jeopardy it put her life in because of
her conversion.
Author: David Platt
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, 2013
The other matter that I greatly applaud Platt for is the
courage he has to take on the so-called “sinner’s prayer” and how unbiblical
that it is. Surprisingly he does not shy
away from the common evanjellycal myth of “asking Jesus into
your heart,” “invite Christ into your life,” and “repeat this prayer after me.” He calls it Kool-Aid for the massive amounts
of unconverted people who have been terribly deceived about the condition of
their soul and the status of their salvation.
All through the book, Platt has some very important but
troubling statistics that have been gathered by the Gallup Poll. I personally believe that you should
familiarize yourself with the stats so you can really see that the American “church”
is terribly ill despite what all the trappings and the spin doctors are
saying.
Another matter that you will find encouragement in this
book comes in the nature of preaching.
Platt’s work will encourage all of us who are pastors and preach on a
regular basis to figure out if we are going to preach the Word or continue to
pass out topical preaching that is comparable to the fast-food with its high-calories
and low nutrient value. Topical
preaching such as the four planks to hold your life together stuff. I am pleading with you to get your Bible out
and start a disciplined march through long passages that will totally change
your preaching and the taste of the folks in the pews where you pastor. Platt takes on a booger-bear when he moves
into the “God hates the sin but loves the sinner” area. If you only buy the book for that explanation,
you ought to do it. The discussion is
found on pp. 41-44 and when you read it, if it does not incite a passion in you
toward evangelism, the case is hopeless.
God is very serious about this matter of sin in my life and in
yours.
I commend this book to you in hopes that it will ratchet
up your understanding of your responsibility to do what God has called us to
do!
Thanks for reading. . .
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