Book summary (Amazon): Revised and updated, with a new chapter on the refugee crisis.
Welcome to the front lines. Everywhere we turn, battle lines are being drawn—traditional marriage vs. gay marriage, pro-life vs. pro-choice, personal freedom vs. governmental protection. Seemingly overnight, culture has shifted to the point where right and wrong are no longer measured by universal truth but by popular opinion. And as difficult conversations about homosexuality, abortion, and religious liberty continue to inject themselves into our workplaces, our churches, our schools, and our homes, Christians everywhere are asking the same question: How are we supposed to respond to all this? In Counter Culture, New York Times bestselling author David Platt shows Christians how to actively take a stand on such issues as poverty, sex trafficking, marriage, abortion, racism, and religious liberty—and challenges us to become passionate, unwavering voices for Christ. Drawing on compelling personal accounts from around the world, Platt presents an unapologetic yet winsome call for Christians to faithfully follow Christ into the cultural battlefield in ways that will prove both costly and rewarding. The lines have been drawn. The moment has come for Christians to rise up and deliver a gospel message that’s more radical than even the most controversial issues of our day.My thoughts...This is not my typical pleasure reading, as it tackles deep and difficult subject matter. But going deep is not necessarily a bad thing, especially when you're seeking truth in a day and age where thoughts among Christian leaders seems to go from one extreme to the other. While the Bible is always my personal authority, David Platt is a teacher and author that I've come to respect over the years. His "Secret Church" gatherings have been some of my favorite times of teaching and worship.
One of my struggles in today's society is seeing several figures in Christian/spiritual life take a strong stand on some Biblical truths while seeming to ignore others. I've pondered how to stand for the truths laid out in the Bible, how to stand for the Gospel, and still show those who are not believers a genuine love for who they are, right where they are. I don't want to blend in to the rest of the world, but I do want to love better. I think the title of this book speaks for itself: as Christ followers, we have to live counter-culturally.
Platt quotes Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in one of the chapters: "There was a time when the Church was very powerful. It was during that period when the early Christians rejoiced when they were deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the Church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society...But the judgement of God is upon the Church as never before. If the Church of today does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early Church, it will lose its authentic ring, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century."
This book was a challenge to me to examine myself, areas I need to grow in, and how I can represent Christ in a culture that does not embrace Him. I would definitely recommend it!
**I received a copy from the publisher, via NetGalley, to give my honest opinions about this book, which I did.**