Counter Culture

by

David Platt’s Counter Culture is a great read.  In a time when our culture is polarizing over significant topics, Platt gives a thorough chapter to these issues.  Biblical and passionate, he handles these topics so well.

Out of all the fantastic contributions this book makes, there is none greater than this truth:

As a Christian, I am to be concerned about all these issues but I may only be exceedingly active concerning a few of them.

I often get overwhelmed at the needs and feel like I am not doing enough.  I love the premise here and also repeated in DeYoung’s book (I get the hint, Lord) that the Body of Christ is to handle all these needs, not just one member.  Thank God for those who are passionate and fired up about foster care and others are dedicated to sex slavery and others are committed to abortion awareness.  We need all of these people!

Favorite Quotes

  1. Nor should any one of us do all of these things, for God sovereignty puts us in unique positions and places with unique privileges and opportunities to influence the culture around us (20).
  2. We need to open our eyes, then, to the reality that when most people in the world hear the word rich, they picture us (26).
  3. Abortions in America often occur because children are seen as inconvenient (66).
  4. To visit orphans and widows means to seek them out with a deep concern for their well-being and a clear commitment to care for their needs (82).
  5. Men and women who indulge in pornography are creating the demand for more prostitutes, and in turn they are fueling the sex-trafficking industry (123).
  6. Equal dignity (between man and woman) does not eliminate distinction (135).
  7. Ethnic identity is a morally neutral attribute…sexual activity is a morally chosen behavior (167).
  8. In highlighting the beauty of such [ethnic] diversity, the gospel thus counters the mistaken cultural illusion that the path to unity is paved by minimizing what makes us unique (201).
  9. The cardinal sin of our culture is to be found intolerant, yet what we mean by intolerant is ironically, well, intolerant (224).
  10. Here are the days when holding fast to the gospel, actually believing the Bible, and putting it into practice will mean risking your reputation, sacrificing your social status, disagreeing with your closest family and friends, jeopardizing your economic security and earthly stability, giving away your possessions, leaving behind the accolades of the world, and (depending on where and how God leads you) potentially losing your life (240).

Book Review

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.