June 10

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream (2010)
By David Platt

In this potentially life-changing boo, Platt (who pastors a Birmingham megachurch) calls Christians to abandon the American dram to follow Christ's call to go, baptize, and make disciples.  He criticizes (often rightly so) our selfish lifestyle and challenges the reader to live radically for one year, specifically:

1) read the Bible
2) pray for the World
3) give sacrificially
4) go (spend at least 2% of your year in a mission field) - that's only one week
5) live in community.

I started my radical  year on June 15, 2013.
1) I would read the Bible once through each year. (Check.  I have nearly completed my 5th re-reading since starting.)
2) I would pray for the World.  Using the book Operation World which describes the religious status of every nation, along with specific needs, I would pray for the world.  I continued for about 3 years,  until Operation World became a bit outdated.  I am awaiting an 8th edition (7th ed published in 2010).  Work needed.
3) I would try to live with less than what I need.  Just after reading the book I bought the smaller of 2 cars I liked.  There are plenty of other ways to live sacrificially.  Work needed.
4) I need to find my calling.  I don't want to go and do a building project.  Looking for something for an older person.
5) To the extent that Bible study and small group, meeting regularly, constitute community, I have been blessed in this regard.