"I could not help but think that somewhere along the way we had missed what is radical about our faith and replaced it with what is comfortable. We were settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves."
David Platt wrote about a 'Puddle of Tears' in Chapter One. He wrote about a Church who had been gathering in secret, some walking for miles to get there, arriving at different times so they would not draw attention to their meeting. While gathering to pray, they
"went to their knees, and with their faces on the ground, they began to cry out to God. Their prayers were marked less by grandiose theological language and more by heartfelt praise and pleading. 'O God, thank you for loving us.' 'O God, we need you.' They audibly wept before God as one leader after another prayed. ...I saw puddles of tears in a circle around the room."
A few questions for you to think about and comment your thoughts, after reading this chapter, are as follows:
What do you think about the picture of the Asian Church he illustrated in the Puddle of Tears?
How does the American church define success?
If you had to go to Church in secret, where there is no air-conditioning, no plush seats after having to walk miles, and no beautiful music, would you still go?
How is following Christ costly to you?
Why do you think people choose to stop following Jesus?
When we begin to rationalize passages that demand our obedience, what are we really doing?
Platt, David. (2010). Radical. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah Books.
